A Guide to Afternoon Tea at Home

Visiting the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon every day sounds like a delicious, if somewhat impractical, idea. After all, there’s no such thing as too much cake.

But don’t worry: because the good news is that there are many ways to enjoy an Afternoon Tea at home which are almost as extraordinary as a proper trip to Fortnum’s.

Read on to discover some of the key teatime tips and traditions - and when you've tried them yourself, don't forget to share your Afternoon Tea at Home moments with us, by tagging @diamondjubileeteasalon.

The Cream Tea Selection

Delivered in one of our signature picnic cool bags, you will find sweet surprises in the form of our beautifully buttery Piccadilly Clotted Cream Digestive Biscuits, the perfect accompaniment to a cup of Afternoon Blend Tea. Up next, we’ve packed freshly-baked Mini Scones with both Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve – we’ll leave it to you to decide which to spread or dollop first. Finally, pop open a bottle of Fortnum’s Brut Reserve Champagne N.V. After all, no occasion is complete without a little fizz.

Prefer to Pick and Choose For Yourself?

Whatever you want from teatime, it all starts with finding the perfect tea...and knowing how to brew it

Something to Sip On

When perfecting the art of the Afternoon Tea, you should always start with the supreme element - the tea itself. You might opt for a classic, like our Royal Blend, or even one with a twist such as Victoria Grey – made using Fortnum's Salisbury Plain Honey. We always recommend brewing loose leaves for the best flavour.

Choosing the Perfect Cup

And saucer, strainer, teapot, and so on

If you would like to replicate the full experience of our Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon, then our elegant St James collection is the exact fine bone china we use every day (of course with so many collections to choose from, that isn't to say you necessarily must). Don't forget an elegant strainer for your loose leaf tea.

"Instead of cutting the scone in half, break it off piece by piece. Spread it with clotted cream and then jam. Or jam and then clotted cream. Why not try both in turn? It’s time to show the world just what a rugged individualist you are."

Selecting the Perfect Nibbles

All things delicious

Never ones to cut corners, just our crusts, we like to load up the cake stand with a checklist of treats at Afternoon Tea. Cakes, biscuits, scones, finger sandwiches - opt for any, or preferably, all. Hint: our Piccadilly Lemon Curd Biscuits taste wonderful with a cup of Earl Grey.

Just Add Bubbles

Even tea-total ones

However big or small, Afternoon Tea is always a celebratory occasion. And nothing starts the festivities than the sound of a popping cork, whether that be a fine bottle of Champagne from our world-famous cellars or our zero-alcohol Sparkling Tea.