How to Serve Tea to Guests

Whether you serve tea at the kitchen table to friends or in your formal dining room to guests, there are some simple guidelines for serving it with style. Traditions vary from country to country, but there is a basic serving ritual you can follow. In this particular instruction, I refer to the Queen of England's tea habit. However, you may opt for your own way of doing things instead.

Things You'll Need

• Tea pot
• Tea kettle
• Lemons
• Milk
• Tea cups
• Spoons
• Napkins
• Sugar
• Whole cloves (optional)
• Tea (loose or bagged)
• Tea strainer (for loose tea)

Instructions

1. Slice the lemon into thin slices and stud it with cloves. The cloves are optional, but serve as a nice touch. Set the table with tea cups, sugar bowl and creamer, and layer a plate with sliced lemons. Add folded napkins to each place setting and lay the spoon on top of the napkin.

2. Boil cold water in a tea kettle. Warm the tea pot by filling it with hot tap water and allow it to sit for a few moments. This will keep the pot warm until you are ready to brew the tea.

3. Empty the water from the tea pot. Measure one teaspoon of loose tea per cup and add an additional teaspoon of tea to the pot for good measure. If using bagged tea, use one tea bag per cup of tea and an extra one for the pot.

4. Pour boiling water over the tea and place the lid on the teapot. Let it steep for up to five minutes, but no less than three minutes. Keep the tea kettle on the stove on low so the water will remain hot in the event more tea is desired.

5. Ask your guests if they wish to have milk in their tea and if they want the tea poured over the milk. The milk can be added before or after the tea has been poured, but the Queen of England adds milk after the tea has been poured. Your guests may already have their own way of adding milk, or they may not even use it, so it is good to ask instead of just pouring.

6. Strain the loose tea using the tea strainer by placing it over each cup as you pour the tea into the teacups. If using bags, remove them from the pot after steeping is complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Honey adds more flavor to tea and is healthier than sugar. If the tea is a formal tea, then someone may be selected to do the pouring. If the tea is for friends it is fine to allow them to serve themselves. Cover the hot teapot with a tea cozy to keep the leftover tea warm.

• Tea readiness should not be gauged by the color of the tea, but by the brewing time.