Planning an English-Style Tea Party

Series Summary

Tea as a cultural fixture comes from America through Britain, which itself first came across tea while colonizing India. The origins of tea in world history are shrouded in mystery, both religious and folkloric. Some say Shennong, a mythic emperor of China, or Gautama Buddha were drinking hot water when leaves fell from a tree and tainted their drink. Watching the water change color and taking an inquisitive sip, Shennong or Gautama realized the liquid was tasty and contained medicinal properties. Another Buddhist legend depicts Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen or Chan Buddhism, as cutting off his own eyelids to punish his sleepiness. The shed flaps of skin fell to the ground and sprung up the first tea bushes, whose leaves helped prevent sleepiness.

This free video series instructs you on hosting your own English tea party. Expert Marieve Herington will show you all you need to prepare your meal, mix and serve the scones, make the cucumber and egg salad sandwiches, and bake the lemon cookies. Marieve teaches you how to serve children peanut butter and banana sandwiches, since cucumbers and eggs might not sound tasty enough. Your party will be a hit after you watch these informative videos!

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Marieve Herington with Expert Village and today I am planning a party with some girlfriends. A party actually we were playing when we were probably, I don't know, four years old. We'll be having a tea party today. So of course we are going to begin our tea party meal with some little sandwiches. We're going to make some proper English Cucumber sandwiches and then I'll show you how to make some egg sandwiches and also talk about other perhaps some less conventional ideas as well as some kid friendly sandwich ideas. Then we're going to make some homemade scones or scones and talk about some suitable accompaniments for those. Some can pie, some jams and what not. And we're going to finish off with some dainty little thumb print cookies that you fill jam as well. Make a pot of tea. Set the table and then we're going to be ready for out tea party."