“Tea has been around since the 1600s, brought over with King Charles II’s Portuguese Queen Catherine of Braganza. With Samuel Pepys noting in his diary, in 1660: 'I did send for a cup of tea, (a China drink) of which I had never drunk before.' It soon developed into the official court drink, bound up with ultimate wealth and privilege; as well as being highly taxed, it was utterly out of reach of the common man. For me it doesn't get really deliciously interesting until the 1830’s. So let’s take ourselves back to the 1830’s, around the time Queen Victoria succeeded the throne from King William IV. Luncheon was served at around noon and the evening meal was being pushed back later and later as it was becoming easier to light all the grand houses well into the evening, with polite society having supper at around 8 to 9pm. Anna Russel, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, would become rather peckish in the late afternoon (who could blame her) and she would ask for a tray of tea and light food (often biscuits and bread and butter) to be brought to her private apartments. She began to entertain her guests around this time of day, so the idea of what we today call afternoon tea began to catch on (that famous phase “the world marches on its stomach” comes to mind). She took her place in history and was credited with beginning of afternoon tea. I would also like to add that the afternoon noon tea takers need to also doff their caps to The Earl of Sandwich, who had had his own moment of hunger a few years earlier and invented the sandwich. However, that’s another tale. By the 1880s the practice of taking tea had become a fashionable event, undertaken by ladies who would send out invitations for a given day and over the course of an afternoon guests would drop by. With invitations being issued throughout the week the ladies could keep up to date with gossip and scandals from all of the finest drawing-rooms across the county and the land. The trend spread and, as tea became more affordable, everyone got in on the act. Tea-pouring etiquette became a hot topic - milk first or last? The fine-bone china used by the aristocracy was not affected by the sudden temperature shock caused by the boiling liquid, but for those who couldn't afford this luxury, the heat made inferior china cups crack and break. Pouring the milk in first cooled the tea enough and solved the problem. If you’ve decided to indulge in this historic meal, the big questions are what sort of tea you should go for, what type and style of food and how best to decorate the tables. Here are some tips to guide you through. Whether or not your milk goes in first or last, the tea you choose for your special occasion or wedding spread should be the best your budget allows. Day to day, a mug of builder’s with a good dash of milk does nicely, but when you’re choosing something to partner smoked-salmon, cucumber sandwiches or delicious buttery scones you’ll need a more refined option, and ideally more than one. There are five basic categories of tea; black, green, oolong, white and Pu'er or pu-erh . Black tea is the most common type of tea, stronger flavor. This tea can be consumed with sugar, milk or lemon. Green tea tastes light and grassy. It is best consumed without any additives, although some people may prefer to add lemon or a sweetener but not milk. Oolong teas produce a golden or light brown drink with a very delicate flavor resembling green tea, yet due to the oxidation process the taste is less grassy and smoother. The aroma tends to be floral. Stronger oolongs have more honey and sweet notes with some cinnamon or caramel. White tea produces a very lightly colored infusion with mild flavor profiles, expect sweet honey notes and lightly vegetal flavors like floral and grass. Pu-erh tea is a special type of tea that comes from the Yunan province of China and is known for its earthy flavor. Whatever you choose, opt for loose-leaf tea instead of tea bags. The leaves infuse best when they can move around the teapot. Consider doing a tea tasting when planning the food. Think about what type of food you will be serving and this will help you find the perfect tea to match. When serving tea have some fun with the presentation, why not label all the teas on the table with all their tasting notes, and what would taste best with accompanying patisseries, sandwiches or cakes. This would really get your guests talking.”