How to throw an Irish tea party at home
Easy ideas to throw an Irish tea party and home: how to set the scene, what to bake, how to get the kids involved.
Ireland has a real love affair with tea.
Tea is the first thing you get offered with you walk into an Irish home (although coffee is getting more and more popular) and it is a real comfort drink, one people brew before catching up with friends, family and when cozying up at home.
Sitting down with tea is a lovely tradition and one made even better by the many baked delicacies that often go with it.
Apple cake, brownies, scones….they complement tea perfectly and they are so typical of the country, they are a quick way to bring a taste of Ireland to your table!
One of the things I love most about Irish tea drinking is that is mostly a homely, uncomplicated affair. You do not need fancy china, trays or complicated food preparations although if you want to go fancy, you definitely can!
one afternoon, we had a kids themes themes afternoon tea at the Shelbourne, in Dublin, and it was fabulous!
Recreating an Irish tea party at home is easy. These are our top tips!
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How to throw an Irish tea party at home: our tips!
Set the scene with teapot and mugs
You don’t need a full china set to enjoy an irish tea party but, if you have one, you really want to take out at least a tea pot for this one!
Teapots come in all shapes and sizes and you can either buy one for the occasion or use an old family one. Irish tea parties are all about bonding so if you have a personal piece from a grandmother, even if not originally from Ireland, it will more than do the job!
Irish tea is usually served with milk on the side and an option of sugar, so a milk jug and sugar bowl also go on the table.
It is absolutely ok to have all these bits not matching each other: unless you want to make your tea party really fancy, you can use any type of cup or mug Just makes sure you do not use glass: with the hot tea, it can break and it is guaranteed to seriously hurt your fingers!
Brew your tea right
One of the thing I learned when I first moved to Ireland is that there is an art to making tea and people are pretty fussy about how to make it!
First and foremost, you always want fresh water so if you have water that has been sitting in the kettle for a little while or that has already been boiled and has cooled down, the purist tea drinkers will tell you to get rid of it and boil some new one!
The second thing is to get your tea pot ready: when your kettle boils, pour some of the water in the teapot and swing it arond so that the pot gets a little warm. Them trow rhis water away and add your tea bags.
Now you are ready to pour your tea in the pot! The water will be just off boiling but it must still be very very hot so be vareful is doing this with kids.
Close the pot and let the tea brew to your liking, then our onto each individual cup. Add milk and/or sugar if you like them.
Keep your tea warm
Teas is always nicer fresh but if you have a big pot, you don’t want it to go to waste. In this case, you can keep it warm for a little while with a teapot warmer. You can get them online but they are also an easy souvenir to carry back from Ireland if you are planning a trip to the Emerald Isle!
Have it with cake! These are the best cakes for an Irish tea party
Tea goes with cake and Ireland does cakes amazingly well! Some of our favorite for an Irish tea party are:
Apple cake, not to be confused with apple pie, is a traditional Irish cake and absolutely wonderful with tea!
It is very easy to make, so much that you can easily bake it with the kids, and it is fluffy inside with a golden crust on top.
The most traditional way to make it used Bramley apples, which are Irish cooking apples, but if you don't have access to them, for distance or season, we fond that normal apples work too.
Banana Bread is not originally from Ireland but is so popular here the Irish Times has recently said is 'almost the new national dish' so it definitely belongs on an Irish tea party table!
Like the cake above, it is super easy to make and, usually, a children's favorite thanks to the delicate banana flavor.
I know the name 'flapjack' means different foods in different parts of the work but in Ireland, it means one thing: an oat bar!
Oat bars made with Irish oats are absolutely delicious and easy to make (they also keep quite well, a plus if you are looking for an easy school snack too).
You find them in all Irish shops and cafes, sometimes homemade, sometimes prepackages but always delicious, especially when made with lovely Irish butter and added nuts and seeds
Maybe the most iconic of all tea party treats, the scones are another Irish traditional food and a must on your party table!
There are several ways to make them with buttermilk or without (this last version is my favorite), with more or less sugar, depending on what you want to serve them with.
My favorite version comes from my mother in law and is the one you find here: so easy to make and oh so tasty!
Cupcakes are not a traditional Irish food but they can be, if you theme them Irish with green frosting!
their small size goes perfectly well with tea and they are so pretty, they dress up any party table in no time!
Get backgroud music
Ireland has such an amazing musical tradition, it would be a shame not to indulge in listening to irish songs while festing on your tea!
You can choose among the many playlists on Spotify and go as melancholic or energizing as you wish or you can turn on irish radio to really feel like you are in Ireland!
if you ate dong this with the kids, I recommend you tune into RTE Kids Radio, which is the Irish National radio and has lovely kid friendly programs and music
Get crafty with the kids
if your kids love making things, then an irish tea party is. great opportunity to get them making Irish insipred crafts!
Shamrocks and flags are the easiest but you can also create leprichauns or fairies: they will also make you feel a little closer to ireland, no matter where you are!
I hope you enjoyed this ideas on how to throw an Irish tea party at home. Happy party planning!
Mama Loves Ireland
Céad míle fáilte! A thousand times welcome! I am a travel-loving Italian Mama lucky enough to call Ireland her home. Let my articles help you plan your trip to Ireland and get ready to fall in love with the Emerald Isle, just like I did. With love. M x
