A stylish, colourful tea party with Lorraine from Tamarind & Thyme

Content Creator and recipe developer, Lorraine Maharaj from Tamarind & Thyme, shares her secrets for styling and hosting a perfect tea party using our Dahlia Daze range.

Concept, images, words and styling by Lorraine Maharaj.  

When it comes to tea time eats, do you prefer savoury or sweet? 

I definitely have a sweet tooth so I always go for the sweets first. But in sayingI never over-indulge. I love a little balance, so there has to be savoury too. Scones is a must. Remember, the key is to keep it light.

What is your all-time favourite tea time treat? 

Freshly baked scones. Nothing beats a fresh scone with a dollop of cream and jam. It is such a simple, easy treat to bake but there is something very comforting about serving it for tea.

Who would you invite to a tea party?

A tea-party just won’t be a tea party without a bunch of beautiful ladies. I love having people with colourful personalities, as colourful as a tea-party should be.  There is nothing worse than having a dull tea-party. Thankfully I have quite a colourful group of lady friends that will each add their own personality to make any tea party one to remember.

What is your favourite drink – tea or coffee?

Definitely tea at a tea party. I love coffee too but there’s something so lady-like about drinking a cuppa tea. I especially love the addition of all the different speciality teas.

Please share your three top tips on styling a tea party. 

1.A good tablecloth sets the tone for a beautifully displayed table. You can use one in keeping with a theme or crisp, white linen. Personally, I love a clean, crisp white tablecloth.

2. Ensure that your place setting is correct. Each place setting should consist of a teacup, saucer, teaspoon, snack plate, napkin and utensils.

3.What’s a tea-party without colour? Add lots of colour to your tea party with the use of beautiful flowers, fruit and herbs.

What if the secret to hosting a relaxed and beautiful tea party? 

A buffet table work well for a relaxed tea party. That way guests can help themselves to food and drinks without the pressure of stressing about etiquette. A tea party should be fun and guests should feel relaxed and comfortable. The key is to keep it simple but elegant.

Ensure you have a selection of tea for different palates. Traditionally dainty sweet treats and sandwiches are served at a tea-party. You can serve a few dainty sweet treats like petit fours, mini cakes, scones and cookies. Always cut off the crusts when making tea time sandwiches and cut them into neat little squares. Be sure to have some berries and flowers for garnish on hand.

Create your own Dahlia Daze tea party: