How to Experience Afternoon Tea Without Visiting London

One of the routines that I wish America would adopt from other countries is the art and love of enjoying food and taking our time when eating. I know that I am very guilty of eating while multitasking, and not enjoying my meal. Europeans are particularly well at slowly enjoying each meal, one of these including the afternoon tea. Although you may not live in London, you can still experience afternoon tea without visiting London.

The history of afternoon tea

Afternoon Tea began in Britain in the early 1840s and was created by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford. During this time, it was common to eat only two main meals a day, with breakfast scheduled early in the morning and dinner occurring late in the evening. She decided to schedule a time to take tea and snack each afternoon to reduce hunger before dinner. This first took place in her bedroom, but over time it evolved into a routine where friends and family members joined. Nowadays tea rooms, hotels in London and beyond offer a variation of this centuries-old tradition.

A few weeks ago, my friend Luisa and I experienced Afternoon tea for the first time at Hotel Ella. Afternoon Tea began with us picking a tea for us to drink. Hotel Ella sourced their tea from Austin local company- Zhi Tea. We both ended picking the desert blend, which is a blend of red rooibos, coconut pieces, cacao, anise, cinnamon, safflowers, and stevia leaf. The tea in itself was delicious, so much so that I might order some tea online to make it at home. Along with tea, there is a 3-tiered stand of crafted sweet and savory items. The bottom tear was tiny cream cheese, croissant sandwiches, the second tier was biscuits with mascarpone cheese and jam, lastly, the top tier was sweet macaroons. It is usually eaten in that order and each tier perfectly transforms from savory to sweet with each bite.

Hotel Ella is a historic boutique hotel that hosts an afternoon tea for $25 per person on Saturdays and Sundays from 3-5 pm and requires a reservation of 48 hours before. Along with Hotel Ella, Brentwood Social House also serves a traditional afternoon tea.