Napkin Etiquette at Teatime

Let's talk tea today.  What's in my teacup?  It's a loose tea "Florence Tea" from Harney Tea.  I know I carry on all the time on my Instagram about the fabulous teas from Harney, but there are so many to love!  This is a China black tea with hints of chocolate and traces of almond and hazelnut.  It's delightful y'all! 

From my etiquette book collection...I love this classic book by Dorothea Johnson, "Tea and Etiquette: Taking Tea for Business and Pleasure."  Of all the etiquette tips she taught me, napkin etiquette will remain with me forever!

Today, in all dining situations, the napkin is properly picked up and unfolded on the lap, not above the table level.  A large dinner napkin is folded in half with the fold facing the body, while a tea napkin (12" serviette) is opened completely on the lap. Don't iron the napkin folds flat (iron the napkin but not the folds).  Remember that all napkin folds on your table should face the same way. 

Wait for your hostess to take her napkin and place it on her lap.  Then pick up your napkin and place it on your lap. 



Please don't wipe your mouth with the napkin.  Blot it.  Lipstick is never blotted on a cloth napkin; discreetly blot the lipstick onto a tissue before you begin to eat.  Don't use a napkin as handkerchief.  The napkin should remain on the lap during tea.

If you need to leave the table temporarily, place your napkin on your chair, not on the table.  Push you chair back under the table if the setting is appropriate.  Return the napkin to your lap when you are seated.  The host or hostess picks up his or her napkin to signal the close of the tea.  At the end of the tea, the napkin is not refolded but picked up by the center and placed loosely to the left of the plate.

Little Book of Etiquette

This book, by etiquette and protocol maven Dorothea Johnson, is a handy reference for those who need to brush up on their dining etiquette.  The pocket-size book will show you how to "Eat at ease as a guest or as a host in business and social arenas worldwide."

There is a lot of information packed into this tiny book (it's 3" x 3"), covering:

Dining Dos and Don'ts

Table Talk

American and Continental Styles of Eating

The Dining Tutorial

Eating Various Foods

Finessing the Business Meal

Forms of Service

This book is available on Amazon and would make a great gift for new college students, those entering the business world, or a gift to young people.

Good table manners are the ultimate symbol of who you are and how you were raised.

Teatime for Children

National Hot Tea Month is the perfect time to have tea with children. Teatime is the perfect opportunity to teach children how to behave at the the table.
The secretary is set today for a Children's Tea.
"Children's Tea & Etiquette," by Dorothea Johnson, John Harney, and Ann Noyes is the perfect little book for those who want to breed good manners in young minds! This book is available on my sidebar under: "Miss Janice Recommends."From the invitations...to the thank-you notes, Ms. Johnson takes the reader through Introductions at Tea, Taking Your Chair, Napkin Etiquette, Drinking Tea, Eating the Tea Foods, Leaving the Table, Using Magical Words, The History of Tea, and Recipes for the Adults.

Children should be taught how to sit at the table...Sit up straight, with the hands resting on the lap. The tea napkin {serviette} is picked up and unfolded on the lap, not above the table. A tea serviette is opened completely. Children should be taught to blot their lips with their serviette...no wiping!

For children ages 3-5, serve a beverage like pink lemonade. It's important at this age that they learn how to hold the teacup and how to sip a beverage. For 6-8 year old children, you might serve a fruited tea at room temperature. For children 9 and up, you may serve a light hot tea.

Handling the Teacup:
Place the index finger through the handle, with the thumb placed on top of the handle to support the grip, and the second finger below the handle for added security. The next two fingers naturally follow the curve of the other fingers. It is considered an affection to raise the pinkie finger while sipping tea or any other beverage. Look into the teacup while sipping the beverage.
Savories, scones, and tea cakes are not necessary for 3-5 year-old children. It's best to serve them cookies/ cupcakes. For 6-8 year-old children, tea cakes, PBJ's, and fruit are more appropriate. For children ages 9 and up, a full course Afternoon Tea is de rigueur.

I placed a tea knife and fork at the setting, as this is the perfect time to teach children how to eat a cupcake with a knife and fork {we don't want to be messy, especially at teatime}.

There are two basic methods of handling & using table utensils at tea--the American style or the Continental style. You may teach your children one or both of the styles, but I believe it's easier for young children to learn the American style.

In both American & Continental style you cut your cupcake the same way. The fork is held in the left hand to secure the cake, and the knife is held in the right hand to cut the cake. Cut at the most one or two bites at a time.

In the American style, after you cut your cake, you then lay the knife on the tea plate, near the upper right edge with the cutting edge facing the center of the plate, and switch the fork to your right hand. Your left hand should remain in your lap unless you are cutting food. Holding the fork with the thumb over the end and the index finger underneath and the tines up, you then pick up the cake with the tines or slipping the cake onto tines and eat!

Be sure to rest your fork with tines at the 10 o'clock position and the handle at the 4 o'clock position when you are sipping your beverage. The knife rests on the upper right edge of your plate.

Remember to use the three-finger rule {use the thumb, middle, and index fingers} when picking up food with the fingers {cookies and cream puffs}:

Y'all have a tea-lite-ful day!!!

Celebrating National Hot Tea Month!

Today starts my month-long celebration of National Hot Tea Month! What's not to like about tea? It's tasty, easy to make, and affordable.

My love of tea started very early in my life. Like most Southerners, I was introduced to iced tea at a young age. But I didn't begin my love affair with hot tea until about the year 2000. At that time, I began researching and studying all about tea and etiquette. The more I read about world's SECOND most popular beverage, the more I wanted to know about it.

This afternoon I was happy to sit down a rest a bit after the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's rush. I'm looking over one of very favorite tea books..."Tea & Etiquette," by Dorothea Johnson & Bruce Richardson. Ms. Johnson, founder of The Protocol School of Washington, was one of my etiquette teachers years ago and she has teamed up with Bruce Richardson, owner of Elmwood Fine Teas and the author of twelve other tea books to write this richly-illustrated book.

This book is a must-read those who take tea for business or pleasure. It includes chapters on tea history, tea & health information, hosting an afternoon tea at home, tea faux pas, guest duties at a social tea, going out to tea, business tea etiquette, finessing the food at tea, tea types, steeping guides, and recipes. This book is available to order on the sidebar of my blog under "Miss Janice Recommends!"
"At tea, as in any other interaction, we are not free to act merely as we please; but we must act with mutual consideration, as befits our interdependence."
~Dorothea Johnson

My secretary is set with all the proper tea accoutrements needed for Tea for One!

Today I'm using my 'Blue Willow' teaware by Johnson Brothers. I steeped Pomegranate Oolong tea and made delicious Cashew Caramel scones.
A white battenburg lace tea serviette...placed to the left of the plate with the napkin fold facing the tea plate.

A tea knife {I used a luncheon knife} is used to slice through the scone horizontally. Place small dallops of the cream onto your tea plate...never spooning directly onto the scone. Break off a bite-size piece with your fingers and use your knife to dab a bite-size piece with cream.

A votive candle is used inside the silver teapot warmer to keep the beverage hot.

The teacup, is filled 3/4 full and sat on a doily on the tea saucer...with the handle always at 4 o'clock! The Pomegranate Oolong tea is available at Harney Teas. The leaves of Ti Quan Yin Oolong are infused with tangy pomegranate. This is a wonderful tea y'all..try it, you will love it!

A traditional English scone...

The Devonshire cream is placed on a butter pan plate and then served onto the tea plate...Remember, do not spoon the cream directly from the pat plate to the scone!

To sit and have a cup of tea is one of the most relaxing things that you can do. It is not the actual drinking of the tea, but the ritual of boiling the water, preparing the tea, and patiently waiting and anticipating some quiet time. It slows you down from your hectic pace and gives you a chance to take a deep breath and relax.

Thank you so much for visiting with me today. Remember, tea is considered the beverage of hospitality--so go steep some tea and...Make it Southern!

Tea With Miss Janice, Post #15

I honestly love teaching children and adults Social and Dining Etiquette and the Art of the Afternoon Tea. In today's world, I believe manners matter more than ever.

Hopefully, you are now ready to host an afternoon tea or to be a gracious guest. Maybe you are interested in one day teaching tea and etiquette--so I'm providing just a few websites that might be helpful if you would like to purchase tea magazines or tea books. I've also included various websites to find tea accoutrements and programs available to train to become a Tea or Etiquette Consultant.

Dorothea Johnson, maven of protocol, etiquette, and manners, was one my teachers when I studied etiquette for children. She is the founder of the Protocol School of Washington. Dorothea no longer owns the school, but you may visit her website here. If you are interested in teaching corporate etiquette, The Protocol School of Washington is the place for you. If you are interested in teaching etiquette to children or adults, try these: Emily Post, Academy of Etiquette, or Etiquette Leadership (These ladies are graduates of the Protocol School of Washington and are awesome!). If you are interested in becoming a Tea Consultant, visit Tea and Etiquette, The Elmwood Inn, The Tea Academy, or Tea U.S.A.

Are you looking for tea publications? Try The Tea House Times, Tea Mag, and Tea Time Magazine.

The only two books about tea etiquette that I love are "Tea and Etiquette" and "Children's Tea and Etiquette," both by Dorothea Johnson. You can order these books from the sidebar of my blog under "Miss Janice Recommends."

These three websites are great guides to tearooms around the country. If you are taking a trip or just looking for a tearoom near your home, visit Tea Map, Tea Guide, or Great Tearooms of America.

Finally here are some websites for tea enthusiasts to browse:

Harney Tea, Tea at Tiffanys, Sandy's Tea Society, Etiquette Collection, Teacup Traditions, Art of Tea, Tea Chat, and The Twiggery.

I hope that you have learned a lot about the world's second most popular beverage! I will leave you with a photo of my mother-in-law and myself having tea. Bless her heart...she's looking directly into the teacup...just like I taught her!

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."

Henry James