Tea table: serving features

Everyone knows the phrase "tea ceremony in China." Indeed, the Chinese cultivated this event, making it their special, significant tradition. But in Russia, tea drinking has always been given great attention, so the rules for table setting and behavior during a tea meal have been formed.

Traditionally in Russia, tea was served in large copper samovars, which were melted on coals with a special boot. Families were large, and such an attribute invariably gathered everyone at the same table.

It is worth noting that the culture of tea drinking with a samovar is beginning to revive. On sale, you can increasingly find a modern electric version for a different volume. Such a product is really able to attract attention and rally family members and friends over a cup of flavored drink.

Exotic lovers should try to embody the idea of ​​a real tea ceremony in China. It is important that the attributes match. Get a Chinese-style service, think over the decor of the table.

Proper table setting will help not to miss important details, organize the space on the table so that nothing interferes with anyone, but at the same time everything is accessible.Taking into account cultural characteristics, it is worth dividing the concept of serving into Russian and Chinese styles.

Purely Russian tea etiquette in modern times no longer exists. This phenomenon has undergone changes under the influence of Western culture for many decades. The best European houses are trendsetters in all spheres of life, including eating.

Everyone should be able to reach the teapot or samovar. If a large number of guests are expected and the table cannot accommodate everyone, arrange a tea party in the Swedish style.

When the table is selected, we proceed to serving:

• If tea drinking is a continuation of the feast, then changing the tablecloth is not required. A separate event forces you to cover the table with a beautiful tablecloth and provide each guest with a napkin and a dessert plate.

• The napkin should be folded and given a square, rectangular or triangular shape. Its place is to the left of the plate, and the free side is always turned to the right.

• Provide each guest with appliances. The tea ceremony involves the serving of dessert dishes, so there should be dessert forks or spoons, knives for butter or jam on the table, and there should be a separate spoon in jam, jam or honey.

• The fork and knife are placed to the left of the plate, with the blade of the knife facing the plate. The spoon is placed on the right.

• Be sure to put a saucer under the cup. This set is placed to the right of the spoon.

• If there is a special dessert, such as a birthday cake, provide each guest with a special plate.

• It is permissible to decorate the table with flowers in a vase. The stems should not be long, this may interfere with the review.All the participants must be able to see each other during the conversation.

When all the necessary appliances are collected on the table, it's time to move on to the arrangement of dishes:

• Make sure that there are teapots with different types of tea on the table - black, green, herbal.

• If you serve sugar in the form of refined sugar, the sugar bowl should be accompanied by tongs, loose sand is served with a spoon.

• Arrange a thinly sliced ​​lemon on a separate plate.

• You can use a multi-level stand for sweets and snacks, especially if the table is small.

To make the event truly Russian, place a samovar in the middle of the table. It will give an atmosphere of comfort and become an object of admiration. A tablecloth and napkins with traditional ornaments and patterns embroidered on them will help to maintain the surroundings.

China is the country that originated the ritual of drinking tea. It was there that they first learned to enjoy the taste and aroma of a hot drink, and also elevated this tradition to a cultural heritage.

The Chinese tea ceremony is famous for its special paraphernalia. To create the necessary surroundings, be sure to take into account the following nuances:

• In a small company, instead of cups, use special dishes - gaiwan. It consists of three elements: a saucer, a cup without a handle (100 - 350 ml) and a lid with a hole through which tea is drunk. The drink is brewed directly in the gaiwan.

• Pretty earthenware teapots with Chinese characters or traditional motifs are called yixin. In the original, yixin is molded by hand from special clay, which is mined near the shore of Lake Tai. It has excellent qualities after roasting and keeps the drink hot for a long time.

• After the tea has been infused, it is poured into a special jug - Cha-Hai.

• There are two types of cups used in China for the tea ceremony: high and narrow - Xiang Bei, wide and low - Ping Bei. Sometimes both cups are served at the same time on a special Bainch-Zhan porcelain coaster. A flat stand can be round or square, it is designed to combine cups into a harmonious ensemble.

• There is always a cauldron of hot water on the tea table.

• A special container Cha-He, in which dry tea leaves are stored directly. In China, it is customary to introduce guests to the type of tea that will be served. Thus, guests become clear about the status of the host. Previously, only the rich classes could afford large-leaf tea, while the poor were sometimes content with tea dust.

• A porcelain spoon at the tea ceremony is necessary in order to select tea leaves from tea and clean the teapot spout.

• A bamboo spoon serves as a dispenser for dry tea leaves.

• All the necessary utensils are brought to the table at the moment when all the guests have gathered, on a special wooden tray - Cha-Pan.

During the tea ceremony, a prerequisite is the identity of the painting on all objects of utensils. All cups, saucers and teapot are taken from one set only. It is not allowed for at least one saucer or cup to be chipped.

If during tea drinking guests need to sit each in their own place, then the table design scheme is based on the principle that everyone has their own necessary utensils and there is a cup and saucer and a dessert plate in front of the guest.

If the table is rectangular and long, ensure there are dishes on each side of the table. Elongated vases that are placed along the table look better. A tablecloth for a round or oval table should not hang below the level of the seat at the chair. For square tables, two tablecloths are sometimes used, which are spread on top of each other, but shifted by 45 degrees.

The buffet is served differently. A service with a teapot and tea leaves is grouped separately from sweets or other snacks. It is desirable that there are 1-2 more tea sets than the number of guests, in case something breaks.

One of the best occasions to gather at the table is to celebrate a birthday or a new year. No one imagines a name day without a cake with candles. In addition, you can offer guests sweets, cookies or marmalade.

Huge multi-level cakes are also ordered for the wedding. New Year's table can be decorated with cakes. In addition, pudding, jelly-based dishes, fruit salad are appropriate. If the party is buffet style, you should consider making sweet canapes on skewers or small cups with desserts based on berries, whipped cream and biscuit.

Fashionable cupcakes with coffee are suitable for meeting a large group of guests, as well as for a tea party for a couple of friends. Daytime and informal occasions involve any set of sweets - a croissant with jam and honey, some sweets in a vase, waffles, cookies.

Multi-level coasters really save space and allow each guest to enjoy sweets. Properly selected colors harmonize not only on the set table, but also in the interior as a whole.

A buffet with a samovar is an unusual mix of traditional Russian traditions and Western influences. Candles are used as an additional decoration.

The Chinese tea ceremony takes place in an atmosphere of tranquility and unity with nature, so there is no familiar understanding of the table and chairs. Guests can sit directly on the floor.

For information on how to properly serve a tea table, see the following video.