afternoon tea recipes

Send one of these afternoon tea recipes to each guest and host a tea potluck.

To each his scone: This sweet apricot-ginger scone is a good match for a robust cup of tea.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—If you’re looking for a fun break from the usual this weekend, invite your friends over for an English-style afternoon tea. It’s a fun, cozy, surprisingly easy alternative to the usual night out at a loud bistro or restaurant. You’ll be able to sample some different afternoon tea recipes, and try a new variety or two of antioxidant-packed, great-tasting tea.

Speaking of which, all true tea comes from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. Black tea happens when green tea leaves are fully oxidized, or fermented, to form a reddish-hued brew. Oolong is a flowery, lightly fermented tea, falling somewhere between green and black tea. Green tea and white tea undergo the least processing; green tea is withered and steamed, while white tea, which comes from very young leaves and buds, is merely wilted. Its smooth, light taste is great if you don’t love the grassy flavor and aroma of green tea. While all tea contains high levels of antioxidants, white and green tea retain the highest concentration of catechins, an especially powerful antioxidant.

There’s a ton of research that proves tea’s health-boosting power. A sampling: The antioxidant polyphenols in tea help fight stroke, heart attacks, and some forms of cancer. Scientists in Taiwan also found that people who drank (on average) just two cups of black, green, or oolong tea once a week for 10 years had 20 percent lower body fat and 2 percent lower waist-to-hip ratios compared to non-tea-drinkers. And U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers found that drinking black tea cut total and LDL cholesterol levels in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.

It’s best to store tea in a cool, dark place to help maintain its volatile oils. You’ll know tea is stale when you can no longer smell its wonderful aroma. When preparing a pot of tea, first warm a ceramic teapot by rinsing it out with hot water, then place one teaspoon of tea (or one tea bag) in the pot for each cup of water you plan to serve. Then, for black tea, bring water to a full boil in a teakettle, pour it into the pot, and let it steep for three to five minutes. With green or white tea, use hot (not boiling) water, and steep it for just two to three minutes. After steeping, remove the bags or strain the tea using a tea strainer, and the tea is ready to serve.

Read on to see recipes for mint-infused Darjeeling tea, basic scones, almond-tarragon chicken salad, and more.