Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1912-09-05
Good
Afternoon Tea Etiquette.

The duties of hostess should be
added to the modern curriculum Of edu-
cation
Have simple entertainments gone out
of fashion. submerged in the tidal
wave of extravaganza?
There have been Of late many refer
ences made to the king and queen of
! England having expressed their wish
| that afternoon tea, as fashionable
function. should be abolished as being
an unnecessary and unhealthful GUS
tom. Whether the king and queen
really did make such a statement and
issue royal command to that effect
has not as yet been authoritatively
made public, and In the meantime rs
O'Clock teas" flourish apace both in
England and in this country.
1t is possible to give to this enter
tainment such distinctive originality
to make of the simple repast suitable
function to which invitations are
eagerly sought, so that small wonder
is it that women and men alike fall
victims to its charm.
Every good housekeeper has some
recipe that she guards with jealous
care. and to be known as having the
most delicious of cakes, biscuits or
sandwiches at afternoon tea Is every
whit as desirable as in the olden days
when every woman was taught the art
of making cake. In all we'll appointed
households the tea table Is made ready
at 5 o'clock. even though for the mo.
ment the hostess may not have return
ed from her afternoon drive. The tea
service is set forth on a low tea table
lin winter near the ire, in summer
on the pleasantest corner of the We
randa. Only the tea service Is for the
tea table. If there Is lower shelf
the cups and saucers may be placed
on it. A pile of small tea plates, each
with its dainty tea napkin. occupies
one shelf of the "curate's assistant"
three tier stand. On the remaining
shelves are hot biscuits Of diminutive
size and small tea cakes and one large
cake. All kinds Of sandwiches. from
the wafer thin bread and butter to the
endless variety Of tomato, lettuce.
Included. Only there must not be too
great a variety served the same time.
The hostess makes the tea. Ii the
head of the house be at home II is her
duty. but If she be not present then the
eldest daughter takes her place at the
tea table. The kettle must be boiling
then the teapot be warmed. A spon.
fy1l nft ton fT,. =
the teapot is the rule A small quan
tity Of the boiling water is then poured
on the tea and stands for three min
utes. and then the teapot Is filed with
boiling water. Or the tea table must
be cream, sugar, saccharin and sliced
lemon. In winter a small decanter of
rum is also added. The cnmomile tea.
so fashionable now, must not be for
gotten. for it is said to have the most
marvellous effect upon tired nerves and
sleeplessness. 1t is brewed in the same
fashion as other tea. and no tea table
should be without it.
The older woman or the young giri
of today who makes Of the afternoon
tea hour an entertainment Gn the best
sense of the word, for her friends finds
nothing paws SO well for the time ana
thought given 1t, while for the woman
who from forced economy cannot give
dinners and hncheons as she would
there is nothing to take its place And
there is no time nor place where II wo
man is seen TO such advantage At
tired in becoming gown in front of
fire with the tea table and tea service
artistically arranged. she must shin.
as Il hostess. And, May | bring an en-
tertaining friend In for tea?" often in
PRODUCES stranger Of note into tie
charm of the American home life in n
way he could never have found through
n formal dinner or dance
All young girls should be instructed
how TO play hostess at the afternoon
tea. should know now to make tea and
If not. how to make the cakes and sand
witches and to tell how they should b.
made; to take interest in having the
silver tea service kept In perfect con
dition and above all, be taught how to
make the guest feel he or she is wei
come to the home life and not regarded
as an outsider. And afternoon tea is
possible even with the smallest Of I'm.
comes, for it can be most delightfully."-
served in the house where but one
maid or no maid at all Is kent.