Tea time

Afternoon tea and treats at Claridge's hotel in London.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Whether you're at Wimbledon or a Beijing hotel, a spot of tea can be just the thing on a summer afternoon. Mike Peters reports.

The beverage is White Silver Tip, from the mountains of Fujian in far eastern China and one of the most prized teas in the world.

But we are not sipping this delicate brew in China. Rather, we're at Claridge's hotel in the heart of London, where enjoying afternoon tea is something of an art form.

"Following special training, all Claridge's waiters are adept at the correct way to prepare the perfect cup of tea," says Henrietta Lovell of the Rare Tea Company. "The exact amount of tea is weighed before being brought to the table along with water at the optimum temperature, which is used to steep the tea to the guest's preferred strength. Once served, the remaining water is drained off the leaves ready for a second infusion - which experts regard as being even better than the first."