One of the things I do miss about England is the afternoon teas. I loved to take my nan out and I took her for afternoon tea at Harrods , unfortunately there was a bomb scare and we all had to be evacuated. She was the last to leave the tea room saying ,,, they didn’t get me during the war they won’t get me now .
Milk first or second is personal choice. There is no hard and fast rule. Twinings tea company says milk first. That the milk cools the tea rather than the hot tea heating the milk. I read another tea company (Ridgeway i think) says milk first as pouring the tea afterwards distributes the milk fat evenly. I find that tea with milk poured afterwards tastes uneven and watery. But of course one always consults ones guests preference before pouring. I must say i do miss sugar cubes and the question: "one lump or two".
Hello m'dear! Of course personal preference is important - always! My husband is a Milk First chap and I'm Milk Second! :D However, the tip I gave relates to the considered best etiquette.
Scones are a relatively modern part of the cream tea. In my mother's generation (b. 1901) the base for the cream and jam, in Devon, would have been small, round bread rolls called toughs, splits or chudleighs. The combination of bread, cream and something sweet is said to have originated from Tavistock Abbey in West Devon. Another Devonian treat is 'thunder and lightening' which is clotted cream and golden syrup on a slice of fresh white bread. The Cornish like a spread of cream on their delicious slice of saffron cake. This is quite an expensive treat because of the cost of saffron. As far as I am aware, the scone is an introduction from Scotland rather than an indigenous West Country recipe. It is only in the last 50 years or so that clotted cream has become available nationwide. Before this, it was a great thrill to receive a tin of cream sent up from Devon by post (those were the days when one had more than one postal delivery per day!
I must find recipes!! I was so excited when I found clotted cream in the very posh grocery store in my city in America. Before that I only had it when visiting family in England
I have to say that throughout this week I've been serving afternoon tea to all my English students at a ESL school in the Brazilian countryside to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee. I bake my own scones, make the clotted cream and luckly I had a stock of tea bags for a lifetime hehehe. Before we gather around the table for the tea I always show this video to all my classes. This video is not only informative but also entertaining and most of all unpretentious. Ms Jane Malyon is a joy to watch and her beautiful accent makes the video extra especial. Also she says some very interesting expressions that allows me to teach the more advanced students, like some idioms and a more advanced vocabulary! Thanks ever so much The English Tea Company for posting such a quality video!
@@EnglishCreamTV I agree wholeheartedly. Your relaxed delivery is such a joy to listen to; it's so inviting. And I love the way you said, "Excuse me, I have to try this scone." I wish I was sitting at the table with you & enjoying this pleasantry. BTW, your room is beautiful.
I love scones, paradoxically, although I'm apparently not British, instinctively followed most etiquette rules discussed in the video. We definitely keep our elbows off the table, however, for us it's considered "bad manners" to rest our hands in our lap, instead we rest our wrists on the edge of the table. I remember my mother, when I was a child, reminding of the fact that both hands must be visible while eating, I had the habit of resting my left hand under the table😳! Most important etiquette (and actually common-sense, thus true for every one in the world) rule of all: keep your mouth closed and avoid talking while eating. 😊
Quite correct,keeping the gob closed whilst masticating is essentially a basic rule,,have you ever been exposed to a Belgian or indeed two of them ? My advice is not to take the risk, they have no breeding whatsoever ! A house trained Oranutang springs to mind !
I went to an afternoon tea bus tour in London without knowing some of these rules. I kept looking back and forth to all the other passengers to see what they were doing like a lost child. I remember especially putting my scone sideways to cut it with the knife 🤣 Oh well, for my defense I was a foreigner ! However I loved that experience and it made me want to learn more about this tradition which I really want to bring back home for my family to enjoy 😊 Thank you for this video !
Aww thanks for sharing that Cirice! It is nice to know these things - just gives a little confidence, that's all. Well done for your adventure and I hope you get to enjoy many more afternoon tea treats! :D
RE: tip #4 - there was a time in Britain when there were no handles on drinking cups. One held the mug with a pinky underneath to keep it from slipping out of grasp. Then Europe imported cups from China which had handles. What an invention! Handles!. The pinky tradition was started then, when people would quietly indicate that they were so sophisticated, they drank from a cup with a handle. Re: tip #6...That tip about elbows on the table is still mindlessly observed. It is archaic. 'Way back, tables used to be simple boards balanced/resting on angular legs. It was easy to tip the table over, hence the rule. Good rule to observe if the table is an improvised board loose atop angular legs. Unnecessary rule for most first-world tables.
Cheers Louis. Yes I've come across 3 different explanations for the pinky finger positioning including yours which definitely holds water - but I still go for the Queen Victoria one, personally - as it came from our national 'hero' Stephen Fry who's researchers said it was definitely so! :D
Louise Hansell. I agree entirely about the elbow rule. However, one could get into a spot of bother if the table was one of those silly circular offerings with an unfortunately inadequate base. Hard to find a table of the correct height for the chair. One seems to be barely able to get ones knees under, or, more commonly in my case, barely able to see over the edge. (Goodness knows what is in the soup bowl). I accept this might be a slight exaggeration, nonetheless, it is a pet peeve of mine.
Yes! Don't hamburger the scones together. My very first tea I did just that and my Grandmother kicked me from under the table. The chefs clue you in nowadays by making scones so high that you can't pile and squish them together. Cut in half and have two separate scones. Oh, and don't forget to talk. Afternoon tea is partly a social event so have some opinions on something. Weather never fails.
The 2 important rules I was taught 1) be polite to the staff remembering to say please and thankyou 2) do not be so loud that it interferes with the conversations on surrounding tables. Unless it is a really good bit of gossip that you do not mind being caught sharing. Do not worry too much about formalities afternoon tea is supposed to be a nice moment to relax during a long day.
Thank you Love, for your extreme kindness & warmth to us all in your presentation & in your comments. Very much appreciated! May warm days & sweet nature embrace you & yours!
Last month I traveled on a British cruise ship and enjoyed afternoon tea on multiple occasions. I’m glad to see that this Yank did not make any major faux pas. Oh, and in order to be diplomatic, I often prepare one half of my scone à la Cornwall and the other Devon style … except that I never remember which is which. 😊
Lol - you are indeed the Henry Kissinger of scone etiquette, with diplomacy at your forethought!! So Cornwall wants to show off the cream as the crowning glory, so they are always jam first and cream on top!! :D Well done x
That was my thought exactly! That, and "resist the temptation to just pour the contents of the 'for everybody' bowls together, mix and shovel straight onto my scone, just to see the faces". Bad, bad girl.
THANK YOU! What a delightful video on Tea Etiquette! Greatly appreciate all your effort on this wonderful video lesson. I will be sure to practice these manners all the time. Best wishes to all!
Tea culture is very interesting, in the states we just brew a cup and off we go doing whatever, japanese and chinese the occasion of having a tea party is the respect is of the utmost importance and that we all maybe inndifferent classes but were equals as we enjoy this tea together.
There's tea time and then there's having afternoon tea in a lovely London hotel - and sometimes people really like to know about that etiquette. But of course, the most important aspect is to enjoy and be happy, I do agree!
Clearly, you are from very far away and have no idea what's the difference between your tea time at home in your PJ's in fron of the telly or afternoon tea, or high tea. Perhaps educate yourself before commenting.
Some etiquette rules are based on deduction, and then some rules are ridiculous. One ridiculous rule that I will never adhere to is placing my napkin on the seat of my chair when I leave the table momentarily. Disgusting!!! I'm not putting my napkin where people sit their smelly rumps!
Thank you so much. My family has lived in the States for many generations dating back to the founding of Jamestown but our ancestry is English. It is said that my earliest ancestor sounded the attack at the Battle of Hastings. I came looking specifically for rules for afternoon tea. Now all I need is a recipe for scones. 😁
No. Thank YOU very much! I love English tea. We’ve taken it on several cruises with the Princess cruise line. And we recently relocated to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, which is only about a 90 minute ferry ride to beautiful B.C., Canada, where we can go to enjoy a genuine English tea a few times a year. I think I’ve been doing most things correctly, except perhaps how I tend to hold the cup. I generally grasp it gently in both hands, as if my hands were cold and I was letting the lovely warmth of the tea warm them up! Also, they may not have been telling me proper English Tea etiquette, but I had a few English friends who told me Bris put the milk in the cup before pouring in the tea. This seemed odd to me, because I usually gauge the right amount of milk 5:07 I pour it into my tea by the color it turns the tea. If I were to put the milk in first, it could end up being too much or too little, depending on the tea itself.
Excellent!! These days I too hold my cup that way because I'm a bit shaky!! Let's set a new trend in the double hand hold! What fun to go by ferry to BC. I love it in BC and have many relatives in Calgary and Edmonton plus my son lived in Vancouver for years. Gorgeous! :D x
@@EnglishCreamTV I would love to live in B.C, if only as a visitor for a year. It may be why hubby and I decided to retire here on the Olympic Peninsula, so close to Canada. I have a question for you. What is the significance of the word “cream” in the phrase “English cream tea?” Does it reference the clotted cream (to die for!), or the cream (milk) in one’s tea? Must one use milk to be a proper cuppa, or is it okay to use another type of creamer, such as half-and-half, a coffee creamer, or a nut “milk?” I’m wild about a good lemon curd with the cakes/scones! When I was younger (I’m now looking at 75), I had hoped to open an English Tea room, but it never came about. I have a lovely collection of tea pots, tea cups and saucers, both mine and my late mother’s, some dating back to WWII Europe, and they are rarely used. I’m new to this town, and one thing on my To-Do list is to see if there are any other women interested in having a monthly tea, rotating hostess/homes. Perhaps I’ll try to get a group together! With all the madness going on in our world today, a proper English Tea is something so civilized and needed! I loved your video, and hope to see and learn more from you. 💐🫖
@@cydkriletich6538 Oh your collection of tea items sounds wonderful - what fun!! Well done :D This Thursday on X (Twitter) at 8pm UK time, I host #CreamTeaHour and the topic is Planning a Tea Party! You'd be most welcome to chip in :D Just put in that hashtag in the search box and we should appear! I'm @englishcreamtea on Twitter. Regarding English Cream Tea it bears no relevance to what goes in your cuppa - and that can indeed be whatever type of milk/milk alternative you enjoy (or have it black without milk). The phrase English Cream Tea specifically refers to the great British treat of a Scone, Clotted Cream, Jam and a Cup of Tea. That's it. If you add in cakes and sandwiches, you've turned it into Afternoon Tea instead. You're quite right thought, the word cream in that context is all about the luscious fresh (not heat-treated jarred stuff) clotted cream, often from Cornwall. YUM! :D x
@@EnglishCreamTV Thank you for that clarification re: Cream Tea vs Afternoon Tea. Whatever it’s called and whatever may be served, it’s such a lovely tradition. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Twitter account, and, at my age (!) I am overwhelmed enough by technology; I just backed out of years on FB and am cutting way back on my social media time. But, I will still check out your YT videos regularly!
Thank you. I went to a High Tea once & I didn't know the protocol involved. At the table, one of the other guests was very snide with me because I didn't know what to do with the tiny spoon. I thought it was to stir the tea but it wasn't, & she barked at me, "you're using that spoon wrong". She said it so loudly that all the other guests stopped talking & looked at us. I was so embarrassed.
I'm fairly sure that most of the 'audience' was a heck of a lot more shocked by that woman's rude behavior than by you using the wrong spoon, oh the horror. As the OP said: good manners is about making everybody comfortable. That person sounds suspiciously like some troll who fell for that "ettiquette is about which spoon" cliche, learned everything about cutlery and then jumped at the chance to show off.
Great video! I have a question, though : I thought the correct way to eat a scone was to break off little bits, and then apply cream & jam as you eat it. TY :)
@@EnglishCreamTV Thanks! At home, I just eat it the normal way. However, I'm going to Afternoon Tea in a couple of weeks ; I want to make sure I'm doing it properly. :)
Sweet video, however I have a question. Could you please give the size of the napkin you’re using? I’ve seen and been given much smaller napkins for tea. In reference to another commenter’s remarks about the size of the spoon. The tiny spoons used in the cafeteria at a British school were for tea and/coffee. They only had the tiny size and soup sized spoons, which would be way too big for a dainty sized cup. Don’t you think? In the US, the tiny sized spoons would be used for demi-tasse. It would be interesting to see another video from you about the proper size of the flatware and napkins being used, please.
Ahh thank you for your question. Technically (!), the correct size for an afternoon tea napkin is around 12-15 inches, whilst larger sizes are for lunch or dinner and smaller sizes for canapes! Tea spoons are a separate size, larger than tiny coffee spoons (at a guess, tea spoons might be nearly twice the size). Soup spoons should go nowhere near a tea cup :D Having said all that, I've noticed that London hotels sometimes use oblong and not square napkins and could be any size!!
Wow! Thank-you, Miss Jane for such a quick response. It’s most appreciated. After reading your answer, I remembered that vintage American sterling silver flatware used to have a five o’clock spoon that was smaller than a teaspoon, but larger than a demi-tasse spoon. I don’t know if British sterling also made such a spoon. In any case, etiquette just like your video is fascinating.
Hi Theresa - thank you. There are thousands of different views as to whether jam or cream first is best - but essentially it's up to your taste preference! The only polite aspect might be respecting the ways of the county you are in. There are only 2 counties that matter in this respect and when in Devon, they favour cream first. When in Cornwall, they insist on jam first!! I live in Essex so can eat it any way I want! :D
And in Yorkshire,well !! Heaven help us, they just will not understand that one has to be polite,and slobbering is just not permissible,yup !correct n right, classic sloberers of a very high standard !!!
I was always taught that cream goes in the cup first so as not to etch the hosts china setting. Very hot tea can etch the china. You could always tell a person's upbringing if they put cream in first; definitely a person of breeding. Only put cream after if it was a beaker not china. The little pinky was used in olden days so as a cup stop so it didn't bang the cup which was viewed as very rude. Saucers were always used with pink stop so no banging. Spoon onto saucer after it is used. A English biscuit was picked up and put on saucer being held never to mouth first, you wait a moment then pick up 'bikie' and take one small bite then back to saucer. Everything else said I fully agree with. I will say in olden times it is different than perhaps it is today where class is not an issue and neither is very expensive china. 😉
Hi Jennifer - thanks so much for your interesting reply. Well done. My research doesn't actually agree but I love your reasoning. I understand (and researched for months and checked with people who worked at Buckingham Palace too) that the milk went in first because in Victorian times, in the servants' quarters, they used cheap clay mugs and HAD to put milk in first because they would definitely crack without the cold milk diffusing the heat of the tea - whereas the lord and lady had 'posh' porcelain, which could withstand the heat of the tea alone. The little finger is not supposed to stick out at all but be tucked in - however it's thought that Queen Victoria broke her small finger so it was in a splint which made it stick out - and people copied that wrongly! We don't ever add cream to tea by the way - it's milk (unless people prefer it without milk or even with lemon). Meanwhile, loving your biscuit explanation - haven't heard of that before :D x
@@niksrathore6280 Very true Niks - but it's remained 'etiquette' in a smart hotel, to pour the tea first, all the same. Have it how YOU prefer, of course!! :D
If you pick up the cup AND the saucer isn’t there the risk that teaspoon will fall off and stain the tablecloth? Also I believe that the tea should be added to the milk (an emulsion) rather than the other way round (a solution).
In my case there's a definite risk, because I have a shaky hand these days!! However, it still remains the considered etiquette! Tea or milk first is much debated and I've even seen scientific arguments made for both ways. In short, have it how you like it BUT the tea first method is considered the best etiquette and then you allow the guest to add however much milk (and sugar if required) that they wish. PS My hubby loves milk first! :D
Triplets - and a quad! I just bought mine, after seeing someone on RUclips make a cozy for hers - and happened to see the same pot the same day. Mine is brown, and hers is green. Love it!
Bless her. I give many many talks each year on this topic and always 'survey' the audience. In my experience, about 55% say scone/tone/bone and 45% say scon/gone and that includes Her Majesty. It just depends where you were brought up really! :D
@@EnglishCreamTV she was from yorkshire but went to boarding school & university in the southeast. she always said it was the working class who used the 'bone' sounding. i call it the 'american' because they use it in their tv shows & movies. maybe that influences the % increase. i'm confused re the queen. does she use the 'bone' or 'gone' pronunciation? i've listened when speaks & it's very similar to my mother -- except my mother said she tried to be less 'received.' i found your video by accident, but will look for more. we all need to refresh our etiquette periodically lest we become too casual.🌹😁
A bit bothered about the napkin tip. Making the fold away from you, to dab mouth, pick up the two ends close to you, fold one side down, wipe on the opposite side of the top fold, then close so as not not to show stain.
I think that might be the American way to do it. I know it's the logical way but I have it on absolute authority that the fold does go towards you. Annoying. I like your suggestion better!
It tastes the same regardless of the order of adding to the cup. I add tea first because I know how much tea I want but I might not know exactly how strong or tannic the tea is, then add milk and sugar to taste.
There are a number of schools of thought. One is that tea cups did not originally have handles and so a particular way of holding the hot cup without all the fingers emerged. The belief I like best is that Queen Victoria had broken her little finger and it was in a splint sticking out....and those in court took this to be the new way of holding your cup. However, it is NOT considered the right thing to do so little fingers should be in not out! Lol x x
@@EnglishCreamTVI remember seeing this in a tea commercial: At a train station, a man is doing mime to ask a woman on the opposite platform for a date, first he asks her for dinner by tucking napkin into his collar then pull out a chair for her, no; then he shakes a shaker and pour a cocktail, no; then he holds a pot and pour something into a cup, hold the cup up with a little finger pointing out, yes, along with all the other people on the two platforms. This drinking tea with a little finger pointing out is so recognizable.
@@siewheilou399 Oh that's sweet! Whether it's correct or not, lots of people still hold their little finger out whilst holding the cup. It's an idea that caught on!!
Too true A.L. I had a previous channel with 700K viewers (but RUclips accidentally killed it!) and I must have been told off about 200 times already! :D We could still cut that bit out, but....what the heck!
I've spoken to thousands of people about scones over the last 8 years and always 'survey' them on their preferred pronunciation! Well over half use scone/tone/bone and under half use scon/gone. Each to their own! :D
I'm in my mid 60s and Scottish and I remember being taken to my "posh" Auntie's for tea. As well as the adults being served first and children last, it was considered "proper" to eat savoury and sandwiches first, sweet things and cakes last...which was very frustrating when you were eyeing up the meringues and knew there weren't enough left to go round 🤣
Hello m'dear. So I wonder if you're in America because I've heard the idea of the fold towards you, from that part of the world. I do have it on the very best authority that it's fold towards you in the UK though. Re the milk etc, in theory the host will have passed you your cup of black tea and you'll be invited to add your own milk/sugar (however you like it). Delicious! :D
Scone eating was always particularly challenging to the British, then ya go and complicate things by adding Cream,and if that's not enough, Jam, Strawberry or Plum !! No self respecting social climbing aspirational can take on this challenge without slobbering !One would require the dexterity of a house trained mountain goat to achieve a reasonable standard of etiquette for the noble task of eating an unassuming scone that is bereft of an adequate number of raisins !! Noblesse oblige eeeee,,indeed !One would require a black belt in Tripe n onion chewing to take on this insurmountable peak, our special advice for the discerning reader is to have a rabid drooling pooch parked under the table, he will take care of all casualties that hit the floor !!Yup !!
Trust us Brits to make things complicated!! We love a bit of protocol :D Maybe the Queen keeps corgis under the table for just those casualties mentioned - and failing that, Paddington Bear. Sounds essential! :D
Not quite so, Libby!! So, I've given over 300 talks to large audiences on the subject of Scone or Scon (and written a best selling book called that too!). I always poll the audience and so far 68% overall say scone/tone/bone. I know that the Royal family say scon/on ....but it's one of those grass/grarss or bath/barth pronunciations - just depends what you were taught growing up. I'm never going to tell someone from 'up north' that its barth not bath/hath/math....because that's regional. :D
"Stir forward and back"...come on, that's ridiculous. I highly doubt stiring the normal way would be seen as completely uncivilized . Some of these etiquette tips are outdated and nonsense. I think an etiquette tip many "posh" folks miss is to not make your guests feel less than for not following every etiquette they're used to.
I completely agree that etiquette means consideration and that always means making guests feel welcome and comfortable. Of course! Separately though, for those who wish to know what the perceived etiquette is re stirring - the information provided is correct. That fact being true has NOTHING to do with actually telling a guest they are doing something wrong! The latter would be a complete no-no! I don't think any so-called 'posh' people would ever do such a thing, luckily! :D
I am indeed! :D Some say scone/tone/bone...others say scon/gone/wan...luckily noone says scin or even scun (though scone does look similar to done!!) :D xxx
Hi Veronica...I give talks all over the UK and always poll the audience. Over 60% say Scone/tone/bone. The Royals say scon/gone/on. It's like bath (hath) vs bath (hearth) - it just depends on your region etc. So it's not wrong either way in my opinion - but you definitely are a little bit Royal! :D
Hi Chlarie...the thing is that knowing what the accepted and historical etiquette is at some social events, gives people confidence - and that's a good thing. :D
I get your response a lot, Steve and of course people must enjoy these things just how they like to....however, IF IF IF they want to know what is considered to be the proper etiquette, then this is it! Some people are just keen or interested to know these things particularly if they are to dine in a top hotel etc. That's all m'dear :D
Hi Jim, I give around 100 talks a year on this topic and always 'ask/survey' the audience - and way more than half use the scone/tone/bone pronunciation. It's not really about who is correct and who isn't - it's about realising that there are a duet of ways to refer to this lovely treat - often based on the part of the country in which you've grown up. Bath/Barth...Grass/Grars etc! Etiquette is about consideration overall, not really about shaming people who have been brought up to say something differently! PS I also wrote a best seller called Scone or Scon(e) - the essential guide to British Afternoon Tea. It's such a topic of controversy, it made it into my title!! Viva la difference :D
@@EnglishCreamTV Hello, Scone pronounced as in tone is wrong and those that use that are somewhat wrong. If HM says scone as in on and I am a geordie and thats is how I was taught was the polite way, then that is good enough. The elongated a funnily enough is a post war phenomenon because it is pure East End London. As with the gottal stop in words like gatwick. All I would say is yes there is a difference, but in this case wrong
@@EnglishCreamTV Oh definitely sharp A. Elongated A happened post WW2 in the South East, the cockneys used it for centuries. The Queen still uses sharp A. I also dont like the glotal stop in Gatwick or Whitehall, or the lorrnorder instead of law and order or drawring and not drawing
One of the things I do miss about England is the afternoon teas. I loved to take my nan out and I took her for afternoon tea at Harrods , unfortunately there was a bomb scare and we all had to be evacuated. She was the last to leave the tea room saying ,,, they didn’t get me during the war they won’t get me now .
What a character your nan was! Fantastic x
God bless your Nan, my friend...
Your nan is savage
Milk first or second is personal choice. There is no hard and fast rule. Twinings tea company says milk first. That the milk cools the tea rather than the hot tea heating the milk. I read another tea company (Ridgeway i think) says milk first as pouring the tea afterwards distributes the milk fat evenly.
I find that tea with milk poured afterwards tastes uneven and watery. But of course one always consults ones guests preference before pouring.
I must say i do miss sugar cubes and the question: "one lump or two".
Hello m'dear! Of course personal preference is important - always! My husband is a Milk First chap and I'm Milk Second! :D However, the tip I gave relates to the considered best etiquette.
Scones are a relatively modern part of the cream tea. In my mother's generation (b. 1901) the base for the cream and jam, in Devon, would have been small, round bread rolls called toughs, splits or chudleighs. The combination of bread, cream and something sweet is said to have originated from Tavistock Abbey in West Devon. Another Devonian treat is 'thunder and lightening' which is clotted cream and golden syrup on a slice of fresh white bread. The Cornish like a spread of cream on their delicious slice of saffron cake. This is quite an expensive treat because of the cost of saffron. As far as I am aware, the scone is an introduction from Scotland rather than an indigenous West Country recipe. It is only in the last 50 years or so that clotted cream has become available nationwide. Before this, it was a great thrill to receive a tin of cream sent up from Devon by post (those were the days when one had more than one postal delivery per day!
Yes I remember cream coming by post! I've never heard of chudleighs before - how interesting! :D
I must find recipes!! I was so excited when I found clotted cream in the very posh grocery store in my city in America. Before that I only had it when visiting family in England
It's good to teach us the correct way
Ahh, knowledge is great - even if we then ignore it! :D x
Hahah… I love d way she laughed at d end … simple and interesting and she seems to be so sweet while explaining. 👍
Aww those are nice words - thank you! :D
I have to say that throughout this week I've been serving afternoon tea to all my English students at a ESL school in the Brazilian countryside to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee. I bake my own scones, make the clotted cream and luckly I had a stock of tea bags for a lifetime hehehe. Before we gather around the table for the tea I always show this video to all my classes. This video is not only informative but also entertaining and most of all unpretentious. Ms Jane Malyon is a joy to watch and her beautiful accent makes the video extra especial. Also she says some very interesting expressions that allows me to teach the more advanced students, like some idioms and a more advanced vocabulary! Thanks ever so much The English Tea Company for posting such a quality video!
Oh that's amazing. Thank you so much for your kind words - very happy to help! Take care - best wishes, Jane M x
@@EnglishCreamTV You have just made my day! Thanks ever so much for replying Ms Malyon! You're truly a remarkable lady!
@@vonhaek7067 Well thank you kind sir! :D x
@@EnglishCreamTV I agree wholeheartedly. Your relaxed delivery is such a joy to listen to; it's so inviting. And I love the way you said, "Excuse me, I have to try this scone." I wish I was sitting at the table with you & enjoying this pleasantry. BTW, your room is beautiful.
Loooooooopppppppp
Delightful presentation with a beautifully clear accent delivered with clarity and charm. Thank you 🙏
Well that's very kind!! Thank you :D
What a lovely presentation! But shall we speak with the scone in the mouth as she did in the end?😊
Oh Adam, you'll have to get in line - I've been told off around 500 times already for that! LOL :D x
Same thought
I love scones, paradoxically, although I'm apparently not British, instinctively followed most etiquette rules discussed in the video. We definitely keep our elbows off the table, however, for us it's considered "bad manners" to rest our hands in our lap, instead we rest our wrists on the edge of the table. I remember my mother, when I was a child, reminding of the fact that both hands must be visible while eating, I had the habit of resting my left hand under the table😳!
Most important etiquette (and actually common-sense, thus true for every one in the world) rule of all: keep your mouth closed and avoid talking while eating. 😊
Very good Olga - that sounds brilliant!
Quite correct,keeping the gob closed whilst masticating is essentially a basic rule,,have you ever been exposed to a Belgian or indeed two of them ? My advice is not to take the risk, they have no breeding whatsoever ! A house trained Oranutang springs to mind !
I went to an afternoon tea bus tour in London without knowing some of these rules. I kept looking back and forth to all the other passengers to see what they were doing like a lost child. I remember especially putting my scone sideways to cut it with the knife 🤣 Oh well, for my defense I was a foreigner ! However I loved that experience and it made me want to learn more about this tradition which I really want to bring back home for my family to enjoy 😊 Thank you for this video !
Aww thanks for sharing that Cirice! It is nice to know these things - just gives a little confidence, that's all. Well done for your adventure and I hope you get to enjoy many more afternoon tea treats! :D
I'm American 🇺🇸 and I use to do a French themed afternoon tea.
Well how lovely does that sound!! Well done you x
RE: tip #4 - there was a time in Britain when there were no handles on drinking cups. One held the mug with a pinky underneath to keep it from slipping out of grasp. Then Europe imported cups from China which had handles. What an invention! Handles!. The pinky tradition was started then, when people would quietly indicate that they were so sophisticated, they drank from a cup with a handle.
Re: tip #6...That tip about elbows on the table is still mindlessly observed. It is archaic. 'Way back, tables used to be simple boards balanced/resting on angular legs. It was easy to tip the table over, hence the rule. Good rule to observe if the table is an improvised board loose atop angular legs. Unnecessary rule for most first-world tables.
Cheers Louis. Yes I've come across 3 different explanations for the pinky finger positioning including yours which definitely holds water - but I still go for the Queen Victoria one, personally - as it came from our national 'hero' Stephen Fry who's researchers said it was definitely so! :D
Louise Hansell. I agree entirely about the elbow rule. However, one could get into a spot of bother if the table was one of those silly circular offerings with an unfortunately inadequate base. Hard to find a table of the correct height for the chair. One seems to be barely able to get ones knees under, or, more commonly in my case, barely able to see over the edge. (Goodness knows what is in the soup bowl). I accept this might be a slight exaggeration, nonetheless, it is a pet peeve of mine.
This video is adorable. Thank you!
Aww you are kind! :D
She's the most loveable woman I have ever seen online! Oh Dear, how nice she is.
Well isn't that kind!! Thank you so much :D
Oh isn't that sweet of you. Thank you!! :D
Yes! Don't hamburger the scones together. My very first tea I did just that and my Grandmother kicked me from under the table. The chefs clue you in nowadays by making scones so high that you can't pile and squish them together. Cut in half and have two separate scones. Oh, and don't forget to talk. Afternoon tea is partly a social event so have some opinions on something. Weather never fails.
Uh oh. Grandma's can be like that but I do agree with her concept - no burgers please!! Nice idea about the opinions - well done x
The 2 important rules I was taught 1) be polite to the staff remembering to say please and thankyou 2) do not be so loud that it interferes with the conversations on surrounding tables. Unless it is a really good bit of gossip that you do not mind being caught sharing. Do not worry too much about formalities afternoon tea is supposed to be a nice moment to relax during a long day.
Very nice rules. Loving them!
Thank you Love, for your extreme kindness & warmth to us all in your presentation & in your comments. Very much appreciated! May warm days & sweet nature embrace you & yours!
How kind of you :D
Thank you so much for these fabulous tips!
Aww thanks right back :D
Really helped rn I’m in afternoon tea
Enjoy your treats Kat! :D
Thank you. It's very useful
Aww that's kind of you. Thanks :D
Them there scones that funny lady gots there look fantasmic
They ruddy well were too! :D
Nice 😊🎉
Well thank you!
Charmante❤ merci!
Aww merci beaucoup! Thank you so much :D
Last month I traveled on a British cruise ship and enjoyed afternoon tea on multiple occasions. I’m glad to see that this Yank did not make any major faux pas.
Oh, and in order to be diplomatic, I often prepare one half of my scone à la Cornwall and the other Devon style … except that I never remember which is which. 😊
Lol - you are indeed the Henry Kissinger of scone etiquette, with diplomacy at your forethought!! So Cornwall wants to show off the cream as the crowning glory, so they are always jam first and cream on top!! :D Well done x
That was my thought exactly!
That, and "resist the temptation to just pour the contents of the 'for everybody' bowls together, mix and shovel straight onto my scone, just to see the faces".
Bad, bad girl.
@@Julia-lk8jn Lol!!
THANK YOU! What a delightful video on Tea Etiquette! Greatly appreciate all your effort on this wonderful video lesson. I will be sure to practice these manners all the time. Best wishes to all!
Tea culture is very interesting, in the states we just brew a cup and off we go doing whatever, japanese and chinese the occasion of having a tea party is the respect is of the utmost importance and that we all maybe inndifferent classes but were equals as we enjoy this tea together.
I do agree about the nuances and interesting aspects of tea culture. A great point there.
I thoroughly enjoyed these Tea Tips...! I am from America and would love to take a class in England...! ☕
Oh Dolores you would be welcomed indeed!
Thank you ❤❤😊😊
Aww Betty! Thank you x
Silly, just enjoy your tea time your own way. Just have common table manners and be happy 👍🥰💚
There's tea time and then there's having afternoon tea in a lovely London hotel - and sometimes people really like to know about that etiquette. But of course, the most important aspect is to enjoy and be happy, I do agree!
It’s culture. Manners are at the root of etiquette.
Es una pena que no ponga subtítulos en español.
Me encanta su inglés y no el de otros que hacen presentaciones y levantan dolor de cabeza.😢
Clearly, you are from very far away and have no idea what's the difference between your tea time at home in your PJ's in fron of the telly or afternoon tea, or high tea. Perhaps educate yourself before commenting.
So complicated, just enjoy the tea
Some etiquette rules are based on deduction, and then some rules are ridiculous. One ridiculous rule that I will never adhere to is placing my napkin on the seat of my chair when I leave the table momentarily. Disgusting!!! I'm not putting my napkin where people sit their smelly rumps!
Thank you very much. You r lovely😊
Aww that is kind!
Thank you so much. My family has lived in the States for many generations dating back to the founding of Jamestown but our ancestry is English. It is said that my earliest ancestor sounded the attack at the Battle of Hastings. I came looking specifically for rules for afternoon tea. Now all I need is a recipe for scones. 😁
Oh bless you. Email me for one! jane at englishcreamtea dot com (as it were!) :D
No. Thank YOU very much! I love English tea. We’ve taken it on several cruises with the Princess cruise line. And we recently relocated to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, which is only about a 90 minute ferry ride to beautiful B.C., Canada, where we can go to enjoy a genuine English tea a few times a year. I think I’ve been doing most things correctly, except perhaps how I tend to hold the cup. I generally grasp it gently in both hands, as if my hands were cold and I was letting the lovely warmth of the tea warm them up! Also, they may not have been telling me proper English Tea etiquette, but I had a few English friends who told me Bris put the milk in the cup before pouring in the tea. This seemed odd to me, because I usually gauge the right amount of milk 5:07 I pour it into my tea by the color it turns the tea. If I were to put the milk in first, it could end up being too much or too little, depending on the tea itself.
Excellent!! These days I too hold my cup that way because I'm a bit shaky!! Let's set a new trend in the double hand hold! What fun to go by ferry to BC. I love it in BC and have many relatives in Calgary and Edmonton plus my son lived in Vancouver for years. Gorgeous! :D x
@@EnglishCreamTV I would love to live in B.C, if only as a visitor for a year. It may be why hubby and I decided to retire here on the Olympic Peninsula, so close to Canada. I have a question for you. What is the significance of the word “cream” in the phrase “English cream tea?” Does it reference the clotted cream (to die for!), or the cream (milk) in one’s tea? Must one use milk to be a proper cuppa, or is it okay to use another type of creamer, such as half-and-half, a coffee creamer, or a nut “milk?” I’m wild about a good lemon curd with the cakes/scones! When I was younger (I’m now looking at 75), I had hoped to open an English Tea room, but it never came about. I have a lovely collection of tea pots, tea cups and saucers, both mine and my late mother’s, some dating back to WWII Europe, and they are rarely used. I’m new to this town, and one thing on my To-Do list is to see if there are any other women interested in having a monthly tea, rotating hostess/homes. Perhaps I’ll try to get a group together! With all the madness going on in our world today, a proper English Tea is something so civilized and needed! I loved your video, and hope to see and learn more from you. 💐🫖
@@cydkriletich6538 Oh your collection of tea items sounds wonderful - what fun!! Well done :D This Thursday on X (Twitter) at 8pm UK time, I host #CreamTeaHour and the topic is Planning a Tea Party! You'd be most welcome to chip in :D Just put in that hashtag in the search box and we should appear! I'm @englishcreamtea on Twitter. Regarding English Cream Tea it bears no relevance to what goes in your cuppa - and that can indeed be whatever type of milk/milk alternative you enjoy (or have it black without milk). The phrase English Cream Tea specifically refers to the great British treat of a Scone, Clotted Cream, Jam and a Cup of Tea. That's it. If you add in cakes and sandwiches, you've turned it into Afternoon Tea instead. You're quite right thought, the word cream in that context is all about the luscious fresh (not heat-treated jarred stuff) clotted cream, often from Cornwall. YUM! :D x
@@EnglishCreamTV Thank you for that clarification re: Cream Tea vs Afternoon Tea. Whatever it’s called and whatever may be served, it’s such a lovely tradition. Unfortunately, I don’t have a Twitter account, and, at my age (!) I am overwhelmed enough by technology; I just backed out of years on FB and am cutting way back on my social media time. But, I will still check out your YT videos regularly!
Thank you. I went to a High Tea once & I didn't know the protocol involved. At the table, one of the other guests was very snide with me because I didn't know what to do with the tiny spoon. I thought it was to stir the tea but it wasn't, & she barked at me, "you're using that spoon wrong". She said it so loudly that all the other guests stopped talking & looked at us. I was so embarrassed.
How rude of them. Sorry they spoilt your time.
@@okbutthenagain.9402 Agreed!!
Ohh Dee Dee, that wasn't kind! The point of etiquette is consideration NOT in showing up other people! Sorry you had that experience, poppet x
I'm fairly sure that most of the 'audience' was a heck of a lot more shocked by that woman's rude behavior than by you using the wrong spoon, oh the horror. As the OP said: good manners is about making everybody comfortable.
That person sounds suspiciously like some troll who fell for that "ettiquette is about which spoon" cliche, learned everything about cutlery and then jumped at the chance to show off.
Thanks for lesson
Aww you are welcome m'dear! :D
My mom always said, Mable Mable strong and able keep your elbows off the table
I just love that!! :D xx
The end of that one is
This is not a horse and stable,
But a respectable dining room table!
Great video! I have a question, though : I thought the correct way to eat a scone was to break off little bits, and then apply cream & jam as you eat it. TY :)
That is indeed a most elegant way to eat a scone or a bread roll, Jenifer - definitely keep doing it the way you know! :D
@@EnglishCreamTV Thanks! At home, I just eat it the normal way. However, I'm going to Afternoon Tea in a couple of weeks ; I want to make sure I'm doing it properly. :)
Lovely, this. Her Majesty took scones the Cornish way. I don't know about His Majesty. Devonian for me, but it's just cream and jam, innit?
Innit indeed!! :D I'm a bit Devonian in the way I enjoy the too Steve xx
Always enjoy your videos. Would love you to make many more!
Bless your heart Sonya W. I hope to do just that!! :D
I so enjoyed your video. You are darling.
Aww Deborah! Thank you x x
Sweet video, however I have a question. Could you please give the size of the napkin you’re using? I’ve seen and been given much smaller napkins for tea. In reference to another commenter’s remarks about the size of the spoon. The tiny spoons used in the cafeteria at a British school were for tea and/coffee. They only had the tiny size and soup sized spoons, which would be way too big for a dainty sized cup. Don’t you think? In the US, the tiny sized spoons would be used for demi-tasse. It would be interesting to see another video from you about the proper size of the flatware and napkins being used, please.
Ahh thank you for your question. Technically (!), the correct size for an afternoon tea napkin is around 12-15 inches, whilst larger sizes are for lunch or dinner and smaller sizes for canapes! Tea spoons are a separate size, larger than tiny coffee spoons (at a guess, tea spoons might be nearly twice the size). Soup spoons should go nowhere near a tea cup :D Having said all that, I've noticed that London hotels sometimes use oblong and not square napkins and could be any size!!
Wow! Thank-you, Miss Jane for such a quick response. It’s most appreciated. After reading your answer, I remembered that vintage American sterling silver flatware used to have a five o’clock spoon that was smaller than a teaspoon, but larger than a demi-tasse spoon. I don’t know if British sterling also made such a spoon. In any case, etiquette just like your video is fascinating.
How very dainty. Thank you so much. My question would be, does pne normally wear an apron to afternoon tea?
Definitely not! If I had had company to share the tea with, that apron would have been off like a shot! LOL
😂
💕💕Thank you for the Tea tips..
And thank you for your thank you!!
Thank you 🙏
awww
Ah, it’s nice to see the reasons for all the small etiquette rules but one does stand out: What difference does it makes if it’s jam or cream first?
Hi Theresa - thank you. There are thousands of different views as to whether jam or cream first is best - but essentially it's up to your taste preference! The only polite aspect might be respecting the ways of the county you are in. There are only 2 counties that matter in this respect and when in Devon, they favour cream first. When in Cornwall, they insist on jam first!! I live in Essex so can eat it any way I want! :D
And in Yorkshire,well !! Heaven help us, they just will not understand that one has to be polite,and slobbering is just not permissible,yup !correct n right, classic sloberers of a very high standard !!!
I was always taught that cream goes in the cup first so as not to etch the hosts china setting. Very hot tea can etch the china. You could always tell a person's upbringing if they put cream in first; definitely a person of breeding. Only put cream after if it was a beaker not china. The little pinky was used in olden days so as a cup stop so it didn't bang the cup which was viewed as very rude. Saucers were always used with pink stop so no banging. Spoon onto saucer after it is used. A English biscuit was picked up and put on saucer being held never to mouth first, you wait a moment then pick up 'bikie' and take one small bite then back to saucer. Everything else said I fully agree with. I will say in olden times it is different than perhaps it is today where class is not an issue and neither is very expensive china. 😉
Hi Jennifer - thanks so much for your interesting reply. Well done. My research doesn't actually agree but I love your reasoning. I understand (and researched for months and checked with people who worked at Buckingham Palace too) that the milk went in first because in Victorian times, in the servants' quarters, they used cheap clay mugs and HAD to put milk in first because they would definitely crack without the cold milk diffusing the heat of the tea - whereas the lord and lady had 'posh' porcelain, which could withstand the heat of the tea alone. The little finger is not supposed to stick out at all but be tucked in - however it's thought that Queen Victoria broke her small finger so it was in a splint which made it stick out - and people copied that wrongly! We don't ever add cream to tea by the way - it's milk (unless people prefer it without milk or even with lemon). Meanwhile, loving your biscuit explanation - haven't heard of that before :D x
NO MILK IN FIRST👹
@@celestebredin6213 Are you saying that no milk to go in first or No! Milk must go in first! :D ?
Well today almost everyone has good porcelain dishware so we need not to pour the milk first.
@@niksrathore6280 Very true Niks - but it's remained 'etiquette' in a smart hotel, to pour the tea first, all the same. Have it how YOU prefer, of course!! :D
Knew all these ,my mother taught me well,but I don’t always keep to them!,
Bless (and none of us keep to them always!!) :D xx
If you pick up the cup AND the saucer isn’t there the risk that teaspoon will fall off and stain the tablecloth? Also I believe that the tea should be added to the milk (an emulsion) rather than the other way round (a solution).
In my case there's a definite risk, because I have a shaky hand these days!! However, it still remains the considered etiquette! Tea or milk first is much debated and I've even seen scientific arguments made for both ways. In short, have it how you like it BUT the tea first method is considered the best etiquette and then you allow the guest to add however much milk (and sugar if required) that they wish. PS My hubby loves milk first! :D
I come to a restaurant for my comfort and comfort of my party. Those rules put absolutely useless pressure and judgement on guests. Meh.
Nooo. It's just that some people like to 'know' (even if they ignore them) but I always say the main thing is to enjoy it all. :D
Excellent video
Oh you sweetie pie!
You have got the same tea-pot as I do! Funny!😍
Teapot Twins!! :D
@@EnglishCreamTV I got mine in a German BOOKSHOP! Of all places to purchase teapots!😂
Best regards to the UK!🤗
Triplets - and a quad! I just bought mine, after seeing someone on RUclips make a cozy for hers - and happened to see the same pot the same day. Mine is brown, and hers is green. Love it!
@@gillianedwards5667 😍😉🤗
@@gillianedwards5667 Oh bless!! :D x
Good job madam please keep it up
Thank you, I will aim for that. So sweet of you
Love to go high tea.
Ooh I hope you get that chance soon Joyce
She cute 🥰
Most kind, Mika!
Fabulous and fun
Thanks Doone - how kind :D
Nice
Thanks Dramna :D
@@EnglishCreamTV dffà vs moo
my mother was objecting from heaven every time you said 'scone' (the american way). she would have said scone, like 'gone.'😊
Bless her. I give many many talks each year on this topic and always 'survey' the audience. In my experience, about 55% say scone/tone/bone and 45% say scon/gone and that includes Her Majesty. It just depends where you were brought up really! :D
@@EnglishCreamTV she was from yorkshire but went to boarding school & university in the southeast. she always said it was the working class who used the 'bone' sounding. i call it the 'american' because they use it in their tv shows & movies. maybe that influences the % increase. i'm confused re the queen. does she use the 'bone' or 'gone' pronunciation? i've listened when speaks & it's very similar to my mother -- except my mother said she tried to be less 'received.' i found your video by accident, but will look for more. we all need to refresh our etiquette periodically lest we become too casual.🌹😁
@@bjtighe6484 Her Majesty pronounces it scon/gone! :D
No!
It's SCONE as in phone.
@@EnglishCreamTV So does William Hanson.
i'd eat them all, if i were alone! :)
Hahaahahah
I won't tell if you don't!
You are a beautiful, lovely and enjoyable person.
Well those are very kind words Gloria. Thank you!!
"skon".😉,
That's how Her Majesty pronounces it - well done :D
Lovely ❤❤❤
Oh bless! :D
Is it okay to substitute butter for clotted cream?
Yes - some people prefer it. However, the classic offerings with scones is of course, jam and clotted cream.
What about butter and jam and cream? Butter forest will prevent the cream or jam soaking into the scone and making it gooey.
How bout make it simple?
Politely but no strict manners😂
Remember me of yumchah in asia
Yes, it's not really about strictness - a kind hostess will always make their guests feel comfortable regardless of their manners! :D
dumb people just dont like the classical ages
Try scones with mixed vegetable atchaar. Thank me later.
I've never seen atchaar for sale - is it a homemade product? :D
I'm sure it would be available at most Indian/Pakistani shops.
@@PollyBFly OK. I'll have to look when I visit a city (we're based in a tiny rural hamlet!) :D
A bit bothered about the napkin tip. Making the fold away from you, to dab mouth, pick up the two ends close to you, fold one side down, wipe on the opposite side of the top fold, then close so as not not to show stain.
I think that might be the American way to do it. I know it's the logical way but I have it on absolute authority that the fold does go towards you. Annoying. I like your suggestion better!
U‘re adorable… tks
Aww you poppet! :D x
From the Anglo-American usa off the porth of san francisco California thank you ❤🎉
You are so welcome! We loved our trip to San Francisco a few years back!
I'm not at all trying to be rude, but the last chapter name says to 'enjoy your skin' instead of scone.
Lol - I see it does!! I'll gt that sorted! x
♥️
I beg to differ on #2. Milk and sugar then tea to taste.
My hubby likes milk in first but I'm just reporting on what is considered the best etiquette. Obviously have it however you like it!! :D
It tastes the same regardless of the order of adding to the cup. I add tea first because I know how much tea I want but I might not know exactly how strong or tannic the tea is, then add milk and sugar to taste.
Tip for you... scone is the stone... "scon" is correct because they soon will be gone
How did that little finger thing come about?
There are a number of schools of thought. One is that tea cups did not originally have handles and so a particular way of holding the hot cup without all the fingers emerged. The belief I like best is that Queen Victoria had broken her little finger and it was in a splint sticking out....and those in court took this to be the new way of holding your cup. However, it is NOT considered the right thing to do so little fingers should be in not out! Lol x x
@@EnglishCreamTVI remember seeing this in a tea commercial:
At a train station, a man is doing mime to ask a woman on the opposite platform for a date, first he asks her for dinner by tucking napkin into his collar then pull out a chair for her, no; then he shakes a shaker and pour a cocktail, no; then he holds a pot and pour something into a cup, hold the cup up with a little finger pointing out, yes, along with all the other people on the two platforms.
This drinking tea with a little finger pointing out is so recognizable.
@@siewheilou399 Oh that's sweet! Whether it's correct or not, lots of people still hold their little finger out whilst holding the cup. It's an idea that caught on!!
can i dunk scone to tea cup and eat tea soaked scone?
Not in polite company - that would be considered a bit rude! If you like to dunk scones or biscuits, do it at home, I'd suggest! :D
... if you don't to go missing, your body never to be found ...
👍😊🇹🇹
Yay! :D
Great! (But you spoke with food in your mouth. 🙂)
Too true A.L. I had a previous channel with 700K viewers (but RUclips accidentally killed it!) and I must have been told off about 200 times already! :D We could still cut that bit out, but....what the heck!
@@EnglishCreamTV 😂🤣
Scoowinne Nonono “Scone as in gone”
I've spoken to thousands of people about scones over the last 8 years and always 'survey' them on their preferred pronunciation! Well over half use scone/tone/bone and under half use scon/gone. Each to their own! :D
You've referred to having your tea "black". I was raised to refer to having plain tea "clear".
I've never heard the term 'clear' before in terms of tea but that is interesting. Thanks for your input :D
Me too Kate, mother was English from the south and called it clear 👍
@@titania145 Amazing and I've never heard that expression re tea ever. Good to know :D
@@titania145 I'm 3/4 English, 1/4 Scottish, with a teensy bit of Welsh in there somewhere. 🌹🌵🧅 (was aiming for rose, thistle and leek). 🇨🇦
WHICH COMES FIRST:
Scones, sandwiches, or cakes???
It's the savoury treats first Stuart - so that's the sandwiches. :D
I'm in my mid 60s and Scottish and I remember being taken to my "posh" Auntie's for tea. As well as the adults being served first and children last, it was considered "proper" to eat savoury and sandwiches first, sweet things and cakes last...which was very frustrating when you were eyeing up the meringues and knew there weren't enough left to go round 🤣
@@catherineroddie841 Catherine, I feel your pain!!! :D
You put the napkin the wrong way. Sugar goes first and then milk.
Hello m'dear. So I wonder if you're in America because I've heard the idea of the fold towards you, from that part of the world. I do have it on the very best authority that it's fold towards you in the UK though. Re the milk etc, in theory the host will have passed you your cup of black tea and you'll be invited to add your own milk/sugar (however you like it). Delicious! :D
Scone eating was always particularly challenging to the British, then ya go and complicate things by adding Cream,and if that's not enough, Jam, Strawberry or Plum !! No self respecting social climbing aspirational can take on this challenge without slobbering !One would require the dexterity of a house trained mountain goat to achieve a reasonable standard of etiquette for the noble task of eating an unassuming scone that is bereft of an adequate number of raisins !! Noblesse oblige eeeee,,indeed !One would require a black belt in Tripe n onion chewing to take on this insurmountable peak, our special advice for the discerning reader is to have a rabid drooling pooch parked under the table, he will take care of all casualties that hit the floor !!Yup !!
Trust us Brits to make things complicated!! We love a bit of protocol :D Maybe the Queen keeps corgis under the table for just those casualties mentioned - and failing that, Paddington Bear. Sounds essential! :D
It’s pronounced ‘scone’ as in ‘on’ - definitely not ‘scone’ as in ‘own’
Not quite so, Libby!! So, I've given over 300 talks to large audiences on the subject of Scone or Scon (and written a best selling book called that too!). I always poll the audience and so far 68% overall say scone/tone/bone. I know that the Royal family say scon/on ....but it's one of those grass/grarss or bath/barth pronunciations - just depends what you were taught growing up. I'm never going to tell someone from 'up north' that its barth not bath/hath/math....because that's regional. :D
😆👍😋🙏
Glad you didn’t say scon 🇬🇧👍
Ooh you’re a scone as in stone sayer too!! :D x
Let’s all March down the road chanting SCONE SCONE 👍🇬🇧
@@davidweston4007 to the tune of Spam Spam Spam Spam? I’m there!!
😆😆😆👍👍👍👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏
Thank you!! :D
"Stir forward and back"...come on, that's ridiculous. I highly doubt stiring the normal way would be seen as completely uncivilized . Some of these etiquette tips are outdated and nonsense. I think an etiquette tip many "posh" folks miss is to not make your guests feel less than for not following every etiquette they're used to.
I completely agree that etiquette means consideration and that always means making guests feel welcome and comfortable. Of course! Separately though, for those who wish to know what the perceived etiquette is re stirring - the information provided is correct. That fact being true has NOTHING to do with actually telling a guest they are doing something wrong! The latter would be a complete no-no! I don't think any so-called 'posh' people would ever do such a thing, luckily! :D
@@EnglishCreamTV oh, okay. great. Thanks for sharing that.
She's saying scone not skin we don't eat our skin
I am indeed! :D Some say scone/tone/bone...others say scon/gone/wan...luckily noone says scin or even scun (though scone does look similar to done!!) :D xxx
Sorry, but it's 'scone to rhyme with gone' 😂
Hi Veronica...I give talks all over the UK and always poll the audience. Over 60% say Scone/tone/bone. The Royals say scon/gone/on. It's like bath (hath) vs bath (hearth) - it just depends on your region etc. So it's not wrong either way in my opinion - but you definitely are a little bit Royal! :D
Dutch:in Nederland noemen ze ten onrechte afternoon tea high tea😢
I find that all over the world actually. We'll forgive them!! :D
She holds her teacup incorrectly...she loops her finger through the handle, a BIG NO-NO.
Alas I have a shaky hand Anna - and needed a better grip to hold the cup fairly steady! It sounds like your hand behaves itself well :D
Lot rubbish
Hi Chlarie...the thing is that knowing what the accepted and historical etiquette is at some social events, gives people confidence - and that's a good thing. :D
What a load of bollocks!
There is no correct way to apply jam, or cream.
Or to stir or drink tea.
This is just silly.
I get your response a lot, Steve and of course people must enjoy these things just how they like to....however, IF IF IF they want to know what is considered to be the proper etiquette, then this is it! Some people are just keen or interested to know these things particularly if they are to dine in a top hotel etc. That's all m'dear :D
You cant even get the word scones correct. Shame on you! It is scone as in on not scowns as in own. Very common!
Hi Jim, I give around 100 talks a year on this topic and always 'ask/survey' the audience - and way more than half use the scone/tone/bone pronunciation. It's not really about who is correct and who isn't - it's about realising that there are a duet of ways to refer to this lovely treat - often based on the part of the country in which you've grown up. Bath/Barth...Grass/Grars etc! Etiquette is about consideration overall, not really about shaming people who have been brought up to say something differently! PS I also wrote a best seller called Scone or Scon(e) - the essential guide to British Afternoon Tea. It's such a topic of controversy, it made it into my title!! Viva la difference :D
@@EnglishCreamTV Hello, Scone pronounced as in tone is wrong and those that use that are somewhat wrong. If HM says scone as in on and I am a geordie and thats is how I was taught was the polite way, then that is good enough. The elongated a funnily enough is a post war phenomenon because it is pure East End London. As with the gottal stop in words like gatwick. All I would say is yes there is a difference, but in this case wrong
@@jimwalsh8520 And what about my bath/barth and grass/grars point - what are your thoughts on that m'dear?
@@EnglishCreamTV Oh definitely sharp A. Elongated A happened post WW2 in the South East, the cockneys used it for centuries. The Queen still uses sharp A. I also dont like the glotal stop in Gatwick or Whitehall, or the lorrnorder instead of law and order or drawring and not drawing
@@jimwalsh8520 Lol. We haven't even touched on misuses like 'of' instead of 'have'! :D