“St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time -- a day to begin
transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic.”
Adrienne Cook
Tea was first introduced to the upper
classes in Ireland around 1835, but by the mid-19th century it had
become more affordable and its use spread to all social classes.
Irish tea just might be the national beverage of Ireland. Believe it or
not, the Irish drink more tea per capita than any other country in the
world. There are over 4 million people in Ireland and 3 million are tea
drinkers. The average Irishman or Irishwoman drinks about 4 to 6 cups a
day.
Tea Time in Ireland
Elevenses is served like the name suggests at 11:00 AM. It’s
served with scones and biscuits (cookies). This should hold you over
until lunch.
Afternoon Tea is served between 3:00 and 5:00 PM. You should serve light sweet items for this tea.
High Tea is served at 6:00 PM. It’s also called supper or dinner
depending on what part of the country you’re in. High tea is more
popular in the north than the south. You serve much more substantial
fare with this tea such as meat or fish, breads and fruit. And cheese, I
almost forgot to mention Irish cheese. Mmmm, Mmmm, Mmmm.
You should always at any tea have at least five item choices for
your guests. There should be a selection of different kinds of sugars.
Whole milk, cream, and flavored creams are good to have for the tea.
Powdered chocolate, ground nuts, and cinnamon are nice to have on hand.
You should definitely have some clotted cream for the scones. Jams, marmalades, and custard sauce should be there too.
