Office restrictions don't stop us hankering after the romance of the past, as proved by this week’s winning post on AnOther Loves; this triangular silver Tea Set chosen by AnOther fashion assistant Emma Corbett...
As synonymous with the notion of Englishness as bad weather, warm beer and a stiff upper lip, the tea party has long been a fundamental tenet of our cultural heritage. It is the third of the four pillars in our culinary repertoire, taking its place after the excesses of the Full English Breakfast and the lavish Sunday roast with all the trimmings, forming the elegant sugary stopgap in the arid desert of the afternoon before the final extravagant chapter of the black tie Downton dinner party. Sadly the restrictions of an office environment mean we are more likely to be drinking PG Tips out of chipped Ikea mugs than engaging in a full tea ceremony, but it doesn’t stop us hankering after the romance of the past, as proved by this week’s winning post on AnOther Loves; this Art Deco Tea Set chosen by AnOther fashion assistant Emma Corbett.
"Forget a preponderance of floral dresses, fussy doilies or tiered cake stands in pallid pastel shades, this tea set is a masterpiece of sleek triangular design, adding a luxurious modern twist to the most traditional of homeware."
Forget a preponderance of floral dresses, fussy doilies or tiered cake stands in pallid pastel shades, this tea set is a masterpiece of sleek triangular design, adding a luxurious modern twist to the most traditional of homeware. It is a concept that extends beyond the tea table too, as taking this most ordered of meals and subverting it has often been a means of exposing rupture and disorder in literature and film. There is the iconic Mad Tea Party in Alice in Wonderland, where all the conventions of good manners, menu and etiquette are demolished by the Hatter and the March Hare, and in Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, lavishly iced cakes and exquisite morsels fill the rooms, forming an extravagant counterpoint to young courtiers who lie amongst them, paralysed with ennui and excess.
On this unseasonably chilly May afternoon, tea is an essential balm to our freezing fingers, so we ask Corbett what drew her to this masterpiece of Art Deco design, and who she would invite to her ideal tea party.
Why did you Love this tea set?
I love Art Deco and I love tea so it's an overall winner.
Where would you keep it if you owned it?
I would definitely have it on show, perhaps on a kitchen shelf or in a Herbert Hirche sideboard if I was lucky enough to own one. Definitely out of reach of dirty fingers.
What's your ideal menu for afternoon tea?
A really good selection of teas, smoked salmon sandwiches and ginger cake.
Would you dress up in the floral 50s style or subvert tea party tradition with an unconventional dress code?
If I was drinking from this tea pot I would go for a 1920's look.
Who would be on your ideal tea party guest list?
Philip Glass would be there providing a soundtrack on the grand piano. David Attenborough, Stephen Fry, Larry David, Julia Davis. Some entertainment, some learning and some laughter.
Tea or coffee? Éclair or scone? Biscuits or cake? Milk first, milk last?
Definitely tea. Tea is far less pretentious and I can't handle the caffeine content in coffee. Scone, cake and no milk. Milk with a herbal drink has never really made sense to me.
Where's your favourite place to go for a decadent tea party?
I would love to have afternoon tea at Eltham Palace.
What are you looking forward to about May?
I fear it's nearly over. It would be nice if the sun made an appearance. I am looking forward to exploring London over the bank holiday, despite the rain.
What was the last thing you bought?
I just ordered a photography book by J.D. Okhai Ojeikere. He is a Nigerian photographer who took photographs of 1000 African hairstyles. They are really amazing sculptural designs and you really get a feel for the people and cultures he photographed.
