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Thanks to a plethora of delivery services that conveniently emerged during the first lockdown, these days afternoon tea can be experienced from the comfort of your own home.

We sat down with Fortnum & Mason’s archivist Dr Tanner and Ionut Popescu from the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon to bring you this expert guide to afternoon tea:

Afternoon tea is steeped in history. It’s thought that the tradition started with Anna Maria Russell, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, while she was a guest at Belvoir Castle in the mid 1840s.

Back then, dinner was served very late in the evening and the long gap between breakfast and supper left people feeling hungry. So, the duchess created a small meal consisting of cakes and sandwiches paired with darjeeling tea.

She enjoyed it so much that she started inviting her friends over to enjoy it with her and, before long, afternoon tea became a custom in many middle- and upper-class households.

Nowadays, afternoon tea is viewed as a reason to celebrate and so typically the dress code should be appropriate for the occasion and venue - but it does not have a formally recognised requirement, such as black tie.

Before starting with tea, it has become a well-known tradition to have a glass of bubbles; the best paired is said to be rosé champagne.

The afternoon tea stand should be enjoyed in this order: sandwiches, scones, top plate and cake from the cake trolley.

As they are called finger sandwiches, no cutlery should be used. In-between sandwiches and scones, the plates must be changed so as to not mix the savoury flavour of the sandwiches with the sweet flavour of the scones.

In terms of scones, it is very important not to pronounce scone like stone, but like gone. Again, fingers should be used to break the scone in half, leaving both sides on the plate. Jam and clotted cream should be scooped from the jar, placing just the amount you will use for one bite on your side plate. For jam, you are supposed to use a jam spoon and for clotted cream, use the starter knife.

It is still hotly debated as to which goes first — jam or cream. The Cornish method sees jam applied to the scone first, however the Devon method starts with cream. The latter became very popular in many of the Commonwealth countries, but it is rumoured that in Buckingham Palace Garden, it is strictly jam first. As is so often the case when it comes to etiquette, it’s best to approach with diplomacy. Therefore, if in Devon, we’d suggest spreading the cream first, and if in Cornwall begin with jam.

Before starting on the long awaited mini cakes, the plate should be changed again. As a general rule, we are permitted to use our fingers to take the cake from the stand and onto our plate, however a pastry or dessert fork must be used to eat them.

The cake trolley is an important part of afternoon tea proceedings, mainly thanks to the Battenberg. From a historical standpoint, the first cake was baked in 1884 to celebrate Prince Louis of Battenberg marrying Princess Victoria, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter and Prince Philip’s grandmother. It became a British symbol that now properly rounds off the quintessential afternoon tea experience.

Besides using loose-leaf tea, it’s important to note that the first cup of tea should not be a flavoured one. Instead, try a plain black tea that can go with or without milk. Darjeeling or ceylon teas pair best as they are not strong and will not overpower your palate.

The custom of adding the milk first dates back to the early 17th century. Tea was thought to contain great medicinal properties and was considered a luxury even for the rich, so it was kept under lock and key.

Soon all kinds of lower-grade tea started to circulate the empire. In order to make the taste better, someone thought to add milk to make it smoother. However, another theory is that it lowers the temperature of the tea in order to protect the cup.

Today, there is a scientific theory stating that adding milk first makes for a better combination and taste. If milk is added after, some of the molecules would be turned into curd, hence affecting the overall taste. The best milk to add to your tea is full fat — any other can be responsible for turning the liquid into a greyish/brown colour.

The saucer and teaspoon should never leave the top of the table, and the cup should be held by the handle between the cup and forefinger – no raised pinky.

According to William Hanson, the UK’s leading expert and coach in etiquette, stirring tea should be a soundless motion of back and forth and not circular, and certainly not touching the sides of the cup.

So whether you find yourself enjoying afternoon tea in one of the UK’s finest tea rooms, or at home, now you know exactly what to expect.

Start slicing those cucumber sandwiches and make sure the kettle's sparkling. We presented our panel with 17 at-home afternoon tea delivery services, looking for the most luxurious experiences. These are the ones they recommend.

If you can’t make it to the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon in person, this sweet selection is a great alternative. Packed with a generous array of gourmet biscuits, chocolate and preserves, it delighted our testers. Sadly you won’t find any freshly baked scones inside, however the three mini tea caddies perfectly conjure up the Fortnum & Mason afternoon tea experience. It includes the most popular pours: afternoon blend, royal blend and classic earl grey. And, of course, you’ll be left with the brand’s iconic single-handed wicker basket, wrapped up in an eau de nil bow. 

Contains: Piccadilly macadamia nut biscuits 200g, Fortnum’s earl grey shortbread rounds 125g, Fortnum's famous teas 3 x 25g, chocolossus biscuits 600g, Fortnum's strawberry preserve 200g, milk chocolate selection box 120g, mini classic world teas 3 x 25g, traditional shortbread fingers 160g, white chocolate strawberry and black pepper bar 75g, milk chocolate lavender bar 75g, 70% dark chocolate bar 75g Delivery: Mainland UK  Delivery cost: from £5.95

Containing Harvey Nichols’ silky English breakfast tea bags, the brand’s strong cafetiere-ready coffee and a mini bottle of DOCG Prosecco, this sleek black box is best suited to celebration breakfasts. All that’s required is a plate of warm croissants or a freshly baked loaf, in order to enjoy the classic chunky marmalade and champagne-spiked strawberry jam. 

Contains: Harvey Nichols Prosecco NV 375ml, Harvey Nichols handmade butter shortbread biscuits 170g, Harvey Nichols strawberry preserve with champagne 340g, Harvey Nichols old english thick cut marmalade 340g, Harvey Nichols house blend coarse ground coffee 200g, 25 Harvey Nichols english breakfast tea bags Delivery: Mainland UK Delivery cost: Free

For the true afternoon tea experience, freshly baked scones are a must. Lola’s are exemplary, and come complete with the obligatory clotted cream and jam. The savoury course is also provided, by way of a rustic French loaf, wedge of vintage cheddar and sweet vine tomatoes (although some self-assembly is required). To finish, a picture-perfect “naked” sponge cake, or fresh berries — depending on how virtuous you’re feeling. 

Contains: 8 scones, 8 clotted cream pots, 8 mini jam jars, 5in victoria sponge naked cake, 1 punnet of strawberries, 1 punnet of blueberries, vine tomatoes, 200g West Country farmhouse cheddar, 1 loaf of campaillou bread,  2 orange juice 750ml, 2 metallic rainbow-coloured straws and 8 English breakfast tea bags. Delivery: London, Slough, Reading, Guildford, Stevenage and Birmingham Delivery cost: from £6.99

If you’ve promised to host your next afternoon tea, we’d highly recommend leaving Mother Supper in charge of the catering. The team is well experienced, having worked in events and hospitality for years before moving into supper clubs, and now offer an at-home experience for your convenience. Exceptionally well presented, this is as much a feast for the eyes as it is the stomach, with pretty edible flowers, setting this apart from the others. We particularly enjoyed the cajun chicken focaccia, however vegetarians are also well looked after, with the likes of chilli jam and cheddar buns, as well as feta, spinach and sweet potato pastries.

Contains: Cajun chicken focaccia, serrano and parmesan bun, chilli jam and cheddar jam bun, sausage and leek pastries, feta pastries, cherry and chocolate cake, lemon drizzle, 3 scones, clotted cream and jam. Delivery: Mainland UK Delivery cost: Free

Dating back to 1886, Whittard knows a thing or two about tradition. Tea connoisseurs will appreciate this curated selection of mini caddies. Containing a mix of black and green blends suited to all times of day, highlights include the English rose, which was first thought to be enjoyed during China's Ming Dynasty, and the classic earl grey. To ensure there are no loose leaves in your finished cup, you’ll also find a silver-plated infuser included. Add a special gift message at the checkout, for when you can’t be there to deliver in person. 

Contains: English breakfast, earl grey, English rose, and mango and bergamot, plus a silver plated infuser. Delivery: Mainland UK Delivery cost: Free

Although Piglet’s Pantry does offer a more classic high tea, it was the vegan offering that impressed our panel the most. This gift voucher enables the recipient to redeem tea for two at a time that’s convenient for them. They'll receive both sweet and savoury courses, including tarts, rolls and a vegan take on a scotch egg, which cleverly uses beetroot as the filling. 

Contains: 2 chocolate loaf cake with lavender glaze, 2 raspberry, lychee and rose swirl cake, 2 vegan vanilla scones with pink sugar sparkle, whipped vegan butter, Tiptree jam, 2 spring vegetable scotch ‘eggs’, 2 leek and tarragon tarts, 4 spring vegetable vegan rolls, 2 tea pigs tea bags. Delivery: Mainland UK Delivery cost: Free

We like the thought of having fresh fruit scones on standby, ready for people to drop by — and Betty’s are suitable for freezing. We found them every bit as moist as they would be from the Yorkshire tearoom, and although this selection includes strawberry jam, you’ll need to add your own clotted cream.

Contains: Betty's Tea Room Blend 80 tea bags, Yorkshire tea loaf, 4 scones, strawberry preserve Delivery: Mainland UK Delivery cost: £3.95

If you live in London, Gail’s will package up the bakery’s best bits ready for you to enjoy at home. As nothing is travelling very far, every bite is as fresh as can be, from the smoked salmon and avocado sandwiches to the decadent chocolate brownies. The scones come with clotted cream, jam and zesty lemon curd; and were some of the largest we put to the test.

Contains: 4 scones, Rodda’s Clotted Cream, GAIL’s organic jam and lemon curd, 4 brownie fingers, 5 honey cakes, 4 smoked salmon and avocado yoghurt sandwiches, 4 avocado and egg sandwiches and loose leaf JING tea Delivery: London only Delivery cost: £7

It’s probably a stretch to call this afternoon tea healthy, but Cutter & Squidge does minimise the sugar and fat in its bakes, which are made by hand in London. Although there’s no savoury course, the light lemon drizzle cake and chocolate brownie slices will satisfy those with a sweet tooth. And, if you’re buying for a group (virtual catch ups aren’t going away any time soon), it’s easy to send boxes to multiple addresses. 

Contains: 2 brownies, 2 mini lemon drizzle cakes, 4 scones, 2 pots of Rodda's clotted cream, 1 jam, 1 Cutter & Squidge fine loose leaf tea Delivery: Mainland UK Delivery cost: £6