cdkitchen > cooking experts > pamela chester
Teatime is a lovely tradition frequently associated with the British Isles. It's the perfect way to warm up on a misty morning or take a nice pause in the day to enjoy a soothing cup of fresh brewed tea. Small snacks of finger foods or more complete meals are almost always served alongside tea.
When you think of a traditional teatime, what usually comes to mind is Great Britain. However, it is actually Ireland that has the largest per capita tea consumption of anywhere in the world.
Teatime is just as important to Irish culture as stout beer, so to be truly Irish, make sure to incorporate a "cupan tae" (cup of tea in Gaelic) into your St Paddy's Day plans. As a custom, it is served three times a day: elevenses (sort of like a morning snack), afternoon tea, and high tea, which usually functions as the evening meal.
Irish tea is a blend of Assam and other dark tea leaves, mostly from Kenya. There are a couple popular brands of Irish tea that can easily be purchased in the United States, either online or in specialty stores.
The Irish prefer a strong cup of tea made from loose leaves or teabags, meant to be mixed with a generous pour of milk and a little sugar. In fact, the order in which the steeped tea and milk are combined is considered crucial to preparing a proper cup of Irish tea as evidenced by the mantra "Milk In First" (MIF).
Now, there is some scientific as well as cultural logic to following the MIF rule. If using traditional china for serving tea, it's possible that the steaming hot black tea will crack or discolor the cup. So the milk will cool the tea as it’s poured into the cup. From a flavor standpoint, pouring the hot tea into the cold milk will gradually heat up the milk, resulting in a richer, less bitter taste.
In an Irish home, there is always a teakettle on the stove, ready to brew up a cup for guests. The teakettle signifies hospitality, an important part of Irish culture. To brew a proper kettle of tea, start with fresh, cold water and bring to a boil. Then steep one teabag per cup of tea, plus an extra teabag for the pot.
Or, if you’re using loose leaf tea, measure one rounded teaspoon for each cup. Steep for up to, but no longer than, five minutes, lest the tea become too bitter. Each tea drinker can adjust with milk and sweetener to his or her liking. Serve tea with a selection of fresh baked goods such as cakes, cookies or scones, along with fruit preserves, whipped or clotted cream, and some heavenly, deep-yellow Irish butter, to round out a comforting cup of afternoon tea.
Irish scones are just barely sweet and sometimes include savory ingredients such as cheese or herbs. There are many variants on whether to use buttermilk or cream, and to include eggs or chill the butter. The recipe below resembles Irish soda bread, sans caraway seeds. You can form one large round, cut across the top into even sized segments for a rustic scone. Or if you prefer, roll the dough out to about a one inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter or juice glass into the more traditional round shape.
This St. Patrick's Day, take a break from your busy day of wearing green, attending parades, drinking beer, and general merrymaking to enjoy another Irish custom, a cup of authentic Irish tea accompanied by some delicious Irish treats!
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/1343-irish-tea/
Scones and Tea, Irish Style
Teatime is a lovely tradition frequently associated with the British Isles. It's the perfect way to warm up on a misty morning or take a nice pause in the day to enjoy a soothing cup of fresh brewed tea. Small snacks of finger foods or more complete meals are almost always served alongside tea.
When you think of a traditional teatime, what usually comes to mind is Great Britain. However, it is actually Ireland that has the largest per capita tea consumption of anywhere in the world.
Teatime is just as important to Irish culture as stout beer, so to be truly Irish, make sure to incorporate a "cupan tae" (cup of tea in Gaelic) into your St Paddy's Day plans. As a custom, it is served three times a day: elevenses (sort of like a morning snack), afternoon tea, and high tea, which usually functions as the evening meal.
Irish tea is a blend of Assam and other dark tea leaves, mostly from Kenya. There are a couple popular brands of Irish tea that can easily be purchased in the United States, either online or in specialty stores.
The Irish prefer a strong cup of tea made from loose leaves or teabags, meant to be mixed with a generous pour of milk and a little sugar. In fact, the order in which the steeped tea and milk are combined is considered crucial to preparing a proper cup of Irish tea as evidenced by the mantra "Milk In First" (MIF).
Now, there is some scientific as well as cultural logic to following the MIF rule. If using traditional china for serving tea, it's possible that the steaming hot black tea will crack or discolor the cup. So the milk will cool the tea as it’s poured into the cup. From a flavor standpoint, pouring the hot tea into the cold milk will gradually heat up the milk, resulting in a richer, less bitter taste.
In an Irish home, there is always a teakettle on the stove, ready to brew up a cup for guests. The teakettle signifies hospitality, an important part of Irish culture. To brew a proper kettle of tea, start with fresh, cold water and bring to a boil. Then steep one teabag per cup of tea, plus an extra teabag for the pot.
Or, if you’re using loose leaf tea, measure one rounded teaspoon for each cup. Steep for up to, but no longer than, five minutes, lest the tea become too bitter. Each tea drinker can adjust with milk and sweetener to his or her liking. Serve tea with a selection of fresh baked goods such as cakes, cookies or scones, along with fruit preserves, whipped or clotted cream, and some heavenly, deep-yellow Irish butter, to round out a comforting cup of afternoon tea.
Irish scones are just barely sweet and sometimes include savory ingredients such as cheese or herbs. There are many variants on whether to use buttermilk or cream, and to include eggs or chill the butter. The recipe below resembles Irish soda bread, sans caraway seeds. You can form one large round, cut across the top into even sized segments for a rustic scone. Or if you prefer, roll the dough out to about a one inch thickness and cut with a biscuit cutter or juice glass into the more traditional round shape.
This St. Patrick's Day, take a break from your busy day of wearing green, attending parades, drinking beer, and general merrymaking to enjoy another Irish custom, a cup of authentic Irish tea accompanied by some delicious Irish treats!
Irish Scones
Made with currants or raisins, Irish butter, buttermilk, egg, flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt
Made with currants or raisins, Irish butter, buttermilk, egg, flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder, kosher salt
Serves/Makes: 8
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted Irish butter, cut into small cubes and chilled
- 3/4 cup currants or raisins
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with nonstick baking mat or parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, and baking soda and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in currants or raisins.
Make a well in the center of the dough and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Combine gently with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, just until wet dough forms.
On a floured work surface, form into a round mound, about 1 inch thick and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving several inches between dough and sides of pan to allow for spreading. Using a sharp knife or a pastry cutter, cut round into 8-10 equal wedges and sprinkle with a light dusting of flour. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown.
Serve warm with more Irish butter and preserves.
share this article:
related articles
Write a comment:
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/pamela-chester/1343-irish-tea/