You may not be living in London, but that doesn’t mean you can’t observe the classic English tradition of high tea. Afternoon tea began in 1661 when Charles II married Queen Catherine from Portugal and the trend continued for the next 300 years. Although tea isn’t quite as popular now as it was in the 1800s and 1900s, famous boutiques, department stores, restaurants, and tea houses still host a beautiful spread of mid-day delicacies.

Traditionally, high tea took place between 3:30 and 5:30 in the afternoon as a small meal before the full dinner. While tea-serving etiquette and tea menus vary from region to region, some of the staples of teatime are as follows:

• Offer a selection of herbal, green, or black teas. The classic method is to brew loose tea in a pot before pouring out to each guest.
• Condiments should include cream, milk, white sugar, brown sugar, and lemon slices.
• Food is served on a three-tiered tray.
• Sandwiches are small and crustless with cucumber, ham, smoked salmon, cream cheese, or watercress.
• Sweets can include scones, sponge cake, cookies, tarts, and meringues.
• If you want to stay in line with tradition, wear white gloves.

Have a wonderful afternoon of conversation with a friend in the apartments for rent in Alachua by hosting an intimate high tea. You can even get creative and host your own version of tea by using hot chocolate, iced coffee, pies, different kinds of sandwiches, or soup.

Consider all the wonderful things you can do in your One 51 Place apartment. With spacious floor plans, designer color schemes, luxurious amenities, and a gorgeous community, you’ll be eager to show it off to all your friends. Contact us today for a tour or to find out about current leasing specials.