Children's Tea
24th August 2010
It's never too early to introduce your children to the pleasures of drinking tea. Whether at home or at one of The Tea Guild's fine tea venues, we recommend that tea drinking is a habit that is best started young!
As the summer holidays drag on it can be difficult for parents and carers to come up with new ideas to entertain the children. But what about going out for afternoon tea? It's the perfect activity for the whole family - who doesn't love the elegant ritual of relaxing with a cup of tea? Even if you can't fit in a visit before it's time for back to school, book in an afternoon tea treat for the weekend term or half term. And don't forget afternoon tea as a terrific Christmas Treat - it's certainly something to plan, book and look forward to!
To find your nearest member of The Tea Guild click here, but if you don't have a member close by, you can always re-enact the experience at home. It might be something the children would like to arrange themselves? All you need are finger sandwiches (cucumber and cream cheese is a classic combination), scones (they're simple to whip up and taste delicious with a dollop of cream and jam), a few cakes or biscuits (shop bought French Fancies look pretty on the tea table) and of course, the all important cup of tea. Set the table with attractive linen and a posy of flowers and you're all set.
At The Tea Guild's Top Tea winner 2010, The Black Swan Tearoom and Patisserie in Helmsley, tea room manager Alison Souter reveals that they are introducing a new set afternoon tea, just for children. "We have just done an afternoon tea party for a group of ten year old girls. They all arrived in little party dresses and had the full afternoon tea," Alison reveals. "I thought they might want juice but they all had our own Black Swan Blend of tea and even asked for more!" The party was such a success Alison now hosts afternoon tea parties which offer a menu of finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, little cakes, mini quiches and sausage rolls - all washed down with "a lovely cup of tea ." Alison sets the tables with pink polka dot cloths and the tea is served in vintage cups and saucers. "All the guests have little goodie bags to take home filled with sugar mice and love heart sweets. We also provide a birthday cake with candles, balloons and bunting."
As a precocious seven year old my lifelong devotion to tea was sealed. On a family day out, we stopped for afternoon tea and as the waitress encouragingly listed all the juices on the menu I politely requested a pot of Earl Grey, to be served with lemon. While some places fob children off with fizzy drinks or hot chocolate, tea is a tastier - and healthier choice. Just ensure it's not served too hot and bear in mind safety when dealing with children and boiling water. Children are often credited with liking super-sweet drinks but dumbing down and assuming all they want is hot chocolate or a gloopy milkshake is such a shame. Often the idea of indulging in an adult pastime, such as taking afternoon tea , will bring out the best in their behaviour and they will love acting as grown-ups. If it's the first time they've drunk tea you could start off by making a milky cuppa for your young ones and adding honey as a sweetener if necessary or including a slice of lemon.
In London, at Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel, children can choose the "Grover" tea time menu (which includes tropical fruit salad, homemade bite size sponge cakes and a choice of ice creams and biscuits.) Children are also given their own cuddly Grover toy - a British Bulldog - to take home, while at Brown's Hotel (the 2009 winner of The Tea Guild's Top London Tea award) Nina Colls, Director of Communications, reveals that afternoon is "very popular with families and mothers bringing their little ones to Brown's for their first proper Afternoon Tea experience. The children are all dressed up and behave beautifully." As an added incentive, visitors under twelve receive a 50% discount, colouring books and pens to keep them occupied and birthday visitors are given an adorable Brown's teddy bear.
For a more educational slant, Northern Tea in Derbyshire runs tours of their family factory (pictured.) Owner James Pogson presents a talk on tea, coffee and sustainable business and regularly does presentations at schools to help children learn about the UK 's favourite drink. Also in the North, Hazelmere Café and Bakery (a former Top Tea winner) offer children a Peter Rabbit Tea and owner Dorothy Stubley reveals that it is a very popular choice. "Many of our younger customers are becoming far more adventurous with tea tasting and trying different flavours."
At Canterbury-based Tiny Tim's Tearoom it seems that the more exotic, the better for their well-travelled junior guests. The tea room's signature Gingerbread Tea is served on a three-tiered stand and consists of finger sandwiches filled with cheese, marmite, jam or ham; a scone with cream and jam and a Bentley gingerbread biscuit - in the shape of a dog. Owner Jo Dench-Owens reveals that Earl Grey "is the tea of choice for those youngsters who choose tea over soft drinks and our younger European visitors seem to be more adventurous with their tea choices." So, who is drinking what? "I served an Oolong to a young Dutch lad the other day," Jo comments, "along with our Apple Vienesse to a French girl on the same day. We have also tempted a lot of the children to enjoy our non-alcoholic ‘Darjeeling Sangria' which was created by our in house tea expert Liss as an alternative to iced tea."
At the modern Lowry Hotel in Salford, children can enjoy their own afternoon tea menu with finger sandwices, jelly and ice cream and a gingerbread matchstick man that children can decorate themselves with icing and hundreds and thousands.At Shelly's in Warrington , owner Michelle Butterworth confesses that, "children LOVE tea and we serve it for them in special little cups while chef cuts the crusts off the sandwiches if they're really good."
With our finger on the tea world pulse, Irene Gorman, Head of The Tea Guild, predicts that children's tea is a trend that will explode over the next six months and says "As a child in Scotland I was often taken for afternoon tea in Glasgow, a city full of famous tea rooms which my mother also used to visit as a girl. I can remember regularly enjoying afternoon tea in Edinburgh with my parents so I really am looking forward to continuing this tradition when my grandchildren Charlie and Alexia are old enough to be taken for tea!"
We believe the children's teas will soon be on the menu at The Balmoral in Edinburgh, Swissotel The Howard in London and The Pump Room in Bath (who usually offer afternoon tea for children during the Easter period.)
Other Children's Afternoon Tea Events coming soon are the annual Mad Hatters Tea Party being held at The Dorchester during half term week from Monday 25th to Friday 29th October. Guests, whilst enjoying a delicious Afternoon Tea, can watch dancers from the English National Ballet, inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and dressed as some of the book's favourite characters such as The Mad Hatter, The March Hare and Alice, dance and pirouette among the guests. Claridge's is hosting The Chocolate Week Afternoon Tea on the week commencing Monday 11th October and this is sure to be hugely popular with guests of all ages!
Send your pictures of tea-loving children to The Tea Guild for potential inclusion in our Tea Drinkers gallery!
Images from: seejamieblog.com; punchstock.com