The British Etiquette Guide to Afternoon Tea

What could be more British than a classic afternoon tea?

還有什麼比經典的英式下午茶更能代表英國呢？

Here's my quick guide to the etiquette, so we can make sure you're eating elegantly.

這是我為大家準備的禮儀速成指南，確保各位能優雅地享用下午茶。

Now, the first thing is the tea.

首先是茶的部分。

Loose-leaf tea, if you know what's good for you, which means you'll need a strainer to catch the tea leaves.

懂享受的人都會選散裝散葉茶，這代表你需要一個濾茶器來過濾茶葉渣。

And when we stir our tea, we go back and forth in a delicate, gentle 6-12 6-12 motion,

當我們攪拌茶時，要以前後細緻溫和的六點到十二點鐘方向來回移動，

rather than round and round,

而不是一直繞圈攪拌，

because it will prevent splashing, looks a lot more elegant,

因為這樣能防止茶水濺出，看起來也優雅得多，

and it dissolves any sugar we may have added a lot quicker.

而且也能讓我們加入的糖更快溶解。

Now onto the food, and we start with the sandwiches.

接著是食物的部分，我們從三明治開始。

Crusts cut off, of course, and as small as possible.

吐司邊當然要切掉，而且要做得越小巧越好。

In a private house, these will be small squares. In a hotel, they'll be rectangular.

在私人宅邸裡，這些會是小方形；如果是在飯店，則會是長方形。

Now, the best part of an afternoon tea: the scones.

現在來到下午茶最棒的部分：司康。

And yes, we do say "scon", not "scone".

沒錯，我們發音是唸作「scon」而不是「scone」。

Now, never use a knife to cut into your scone to open it.

切記，絕不要用刀子切開你的司康。

Instead, we break it in half.

相反地，我們要用手把它掰成兩半。

When it comes to layering your scones, it really doesn't matter which way round the jam and the cream go.

至於抹醬順序，果醬和凝脂奶油誰先誰後其實真的沒關係。

Unless you are in the South West of England.

除非你身處英格蘭西南部。

The Cornish insist that the cream goes last. The Devonians insist the cream goes first.

康瓦爾人堅持奶油要後塗；德文郡人則堅稱奶油要先抹。

The final course, if you have any room left, is the cakes and pastries.

如果你肚子還有空間，最後一道就是蛋糕與糕點。

And you'll actually only get one of these in a private house.

在一般私人家庭中，通常只會提供其中一種。

In the summer, it will be a Victoria sponge, or in the winter, it'll be a fruit cake.

夏天通常是維多利亞海綿蛋糕，冬天則會是水果蛋糕。

You can either use your fingers, or if you want to spare sticky fingers, a small fork.

你可以直接用手指拿著吃，或者如果你不想讓手指黏答答的，可以用小叉子。

Hopefully my quick guide means that you're now able to enjoy afternoon tea the correct way.

希望這份速成指南能讓大家現在都能以正確且優雅的方式享用英式下午茶。