Serving the tea table correctly

An invitation to a cup of tea is never just tea. It is always delicious sweets and sincere conversation in a warm atmosphere. To create this atmosphere and make the meeting with friends and family unforgettable, you need to attend to the preparation of the tea table in advance. It is no coincidence that its serving is a real art, and the traditions of tea drinking have a long history in every country in the world. Today, if you wish, you can arrange a tea ceremony in any style.

China is considered the birthplace of tea, where this drink was known as early as the fifth millennium BC. It is believed that the Buddha himself appreciated the virtues of tea. Initially, the leaves of the brew plant were ground into powder. When the Mongols came to China in the 13th century, they did not bother preparing tea leaves for brewing, but simply poured boiling water over them. In Europe, tea appeared in the 17th century and already with the Mongolian version of brewing.

In any case, the Dutch and English traders, and after them the aristocratic circle, used the method of brewing tea leaves. The philosophical side of the Chinese tea ceremony, with the symbolic meaning of porcelain vessels for brewing a drink, meant nothing in Europe. It has its own traditions and its own semantic content of the tea feast.

The tea was donated to the French King Louis Sun as a remedy, allegedly intended to treat gout. Having started treatment, the king quickly appreciated the taste of the drink, and after him the whole court took over the fashion for tea drinking. It took very little time, and it spread throughout Europe. The tea feast has turned into an exquisite pastime. It spoke of the belonging of those gathered at the tea table to good society.

Accordingly, importance was attached to the environment in which tea drinking took place, how the drink should be served, what dishes to put on the table for tea, and so on.

Each country has developed its own traditions in this regard. Today there are concepts of English, German, French, Turkish, Russian tea drinking:

• In France tea is almost the same as wine. In confectionery, besides sweets, there is always a wide selection of teas. Here they love this drink with bergamot, pieces of rind, rose petals and other additives.

• In Englandwhere coffee is almost never consumed, there is always a green light for tea. It is drunk for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Traditional English tea drinking is usually held from 16 to 17 hours. They often drink the drink with milk and cream, which are always present on the tea table in a special jug. Various sweets are offered for tea.

• In Turkey Black teas are most respected. It is customary to add apple and mint to the drink. The teapot is placed on a large container of boiling water, and sugar is used in the form of pieces.
• These features can be traced in the Russian tea tradition. Although historically tea came to Russia directly from China itself. In Russia, it is customary to add some other herbs to this drink, for example, thyme or mint. Tea is also drunk with lemon. The Russian samovar is borrowed from Turkey. But drinking tea from a saucer is an exclusively Russian invention. Pot-bellied cups, saucers, a samovar, vases with sweets, a heating pad for a teapot and a bundle of bagels or bagels - all this is a characteristic part of the Russian tea feast.

The reason for drinking tea can be anything - a birthday, a wedding, the New Year - any holiday that appears on the calendar. Etiquette requires that the design of the tea table follows certain rules.

A properly laid table should impress guests and set them up for a festive mood. The design scheme is as follows:

• Lay a tablecloth on the table, which in tone echoes the service. It is essential that the fabric is absolutely clean and perfectly ironed. To create a festive atmosphere, you can decorate the edges of the tablecloth with bows or ribbons. Here everything is in the power of the hostess.
• Dessert plates should be set a couple of centimeters from the edge of the countertop.
• Put a spoon, fork and knife to the right of each plate.
• Also, to the right of the plate, place the tea pair. At the same time, leave a spoon on the saucer.
• On the left side of the plate, put a rosette for jam, another teaspoon, and a saucer for bones.
• The center of the table can be decorated with a bouquet. It is better to choose a low vessel that will not interfere with anyone, and no one will knock it over for sure.

The mood of a sincere holiday can be set using lighted candles. They can also be installed in the center:

• The rules for arranging appliances and dishes allow you to arrange candy bowls, plates with sandwiches, pies and other pastries near the edge, so that everyone can take them conveniently. To preserve the freshness of baked goods, the plates can be covered with beautiful napkins before the start of the feast.
• Plates with lemon wedges are placed next to the baked goods.

• A milk jug and a creamer, a sugar bowl with a spoon are placed in the middle. Alcohol decanters can be placed nearby.
• Sweets like honey are placed in small bowls near the edge of the table so that no one has to reach for them.
• A samovar or a vessel with hot water must be placed on a special table, to the left of the one who will dispose of the change of dishes. A teapot is also left there.
• You cannot serve the table without napkins. They are stacked neatly next to each guest cutlery set.

Of course, if a tea feast is organized in a certain style, for example, in Russian, you can deviate from these rules. A round table with a samovar in the center will set a certain mood.

The choice of a tablecloth for a tea meeting is a special matter. If you have chosen a tea set with painted cups for a festive occasion, a white starched linen is best suited to it. If you are the owner of a snow-white set with a gold border around the edge of each piece, choose a lace tablecloth. And if you plan to have tea with a samovar, choose a colorful bright tablecloth with embroidery.

Depending on the size and shape of the table, you have to choose how to lay the tablecloth. The round and oval countertops are covered with two layers of linen. The bottom should extend down from the table to the seat of the chair. If you hang the tablecloth more, it will interfere with the people sitting at the table, the short "skirt" will look too scanty... Sometimes it is gathered in folds and frills and pinned up. The second layer on the table is put a tablecloth to the size of the table top.

On a square table, two tablecloths set at an angle of 45 degrees will look good. If you take tablecloths of the same size, but different in color, you can achieve a great effect.

As for the napkins, in any case, they must be impeccable in cleanliness. If they have stains left over from the previous meal, it is better not to show such things to guests. For the tea table, products measuring 35 by 35 centimeters are used. Before tea drinking, they can be folded simply in the form of a triangle. In special cases, they are shaped like a fan, a sail, or a tulip. Moreover, both fabric and paper products. True, to get it beautifully, you need a certain skill. Therefore, it is better to practice in advance.

Napkins are placed not only under personal appliances, but also under other dishes containing fruits, sweets, bread, and more.

The meaning of linen is to protect clothes from drops and crumbs from the table. They wipe their hands with paper. After the end of the meal, a paper napkin can be put on a plate, and a cloth napkin can be left on the table. It should not be crumpled or folded.

Meeting for tea does not require a strict dress code. This is not a gala dinner after all. Everything is simpler here. But all the same, you need to prepare thoroughly for the event. Guests must also follow certain unspoken rules. If you are invited for tea, it is good practice to bring a box of chocolates or something sweet from the bakery with you.

The tea itself is brewed when the guests have gathered. But on the part of the owner it is obligatory politeness to ask if someone would like coffee. It is good if there is herbal tea in the house in case someone does not tolerate tonin. In hot summertime, it is best to prepare iced tea for guests.

Correctly selected dishes, tablecloths and treats will make your tea meeting memorable. A Chinese service will be an expensive decoration for any tea table. But dishes of domestic production can also be very elegant, capable of setting the right mood.

It is logical to design the table for the holiday taking into account the "case". Appropriate attributes are appropriate on the New Year's table - in the center, you can put a composition with fir branches and New Year's decorations. It is good to choose napkins that are suitable for the topic.

A modest tea party does not require much effort in decorating the table. Against the background of a beautiful tablecloth, a service with an elegant pattern is clearly visible.A small number of cutlery and snacks on the table will allow you to enjoy tea and food without interfering with your mood for a confidential conversation.

Choose the appropriate decor for your birthday or wedding. A romantic tea party in the garden involves decorating the table with flowers. Candles are appropriate to create the mood. A white tea set on a milky-colored tablecloth with a pattern will look attractive surrounded by natural greenery.

Serving lessons can be seen in the following video.