A proper English 5 o'clock tea

…. is actually, in my opinion, quite satisfying, which may probably leave no room for dinner.  The last menu I saw of this 5 o’clock tea consisted of a glass of sweet wine, some sandwiches (salmon& rocket), some sweets (scones, roulade) and tea, of course. Enough?!  At the end, it is a 5 o’clock tea!  And obviously, it is a ritual. Everything about it is a ritual: the china,  the food, napkins, cutlery…. Good to see that people stick to such traditions.

Serving

Now, some different points of views:

My Turkish-self’s 5 o’clock tea: Simit (yummyyyy!!!) and Turkish tea. I would not say no to some cheese and tomato accompanying my simit! I would just have a bite and probably two “bardak”s- but Ajda bardak- tea and would go on with my life.  Then comes the dinner, when we are all together with the family.

My Spanish-self’s 5 o’clock tea:  Pardon me, 5 o’clock tea? I thought we would go for coffee, wouldn’t we? Yes, I consumed little tea when I was my “Spanish self”. It is not a complaint, you know, sometimes you just adapti or feel like adapting, to the general flow of the life wherever you are. I loved the coffee breaks when I was in Madrid- especially the ones with Alba. Or the ones  you would go for breakfast to get the updates from all or the afternoon coffees, which tended to be mini inter-departmental meetings, or a welcome coffees or farewell coffees… Tea? Yes, usually at the end of a nice lunch, especially mint tea…. Sip, I miss it all…

My English-self’s 5 o’clock tea: Absolutely would not be able to eat that much in! Unless I had lunch, maybe…. They are obviously delicious and which is better, it is the “tradition”: fancy and feel-good one.  A social occasion, going there, chit-chatting with mum, friends, sister… girly! Not dinner, not lunch, sweets involved…. Even better, when you have company- no, I would probably not do it alone, but you never know. Maybe one day to pamper myself? A break in the day, something different and uplifting. I like this tradition! I have now a list of some places where I am planning to take either mum or some dear friends when they are in London.

Last time I had a 5 o’clock tea ritual was 2 days ago :)  and here are the traces! 

Just a fraction of it, we didn't have a "regular" 5 o'clock tea but these scones are what and how you eat in a 5 o'clock tea

P.S. Reference for places available