You would never want to intrude upon this sacred space with the slightest hint of criticism, cynicism or self-indulgence. You will not allow yourself to judge your host for poor time management skills. Neither will you allow yourself to think, “That map of Italy tablecloth looks tacky in here.” It is always easy to find fault, and indeed, finding fault has become our national pastime. But it takes the heart of an artist to find beauty and harmony while others dwell on discord.
As you and the other guests enjoy the food your host has prepared for you, set aside any food prejudices you may have. Perhaps you dislike the taste of anise and begin to feel annoyed with your host for adding anise seeds to otherwise perfectly good scones, just to pretend that they are Italian. Your mind wanders to the fact that scones are not and never have been Italian and do not even belong at this party. Discipline yourself to recognize these negative thoughts as a petty form of self-indulgence. Refocus immediately on the beauty of the occasion and the other lovely food items being served. If you really detest anise, skip the scones and eat the tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwiches.
One of the charms of afternoon tea is the fact that the host offers a variety of small bites for his guests to enjoy. Under no circumstances should any guest ever criticize any of the food. Comments like, “These cannoli are soggy. They were obviously sitting in the kitchen too long,” or “Why are your serving manchego? That’s a Spanish cheese, not Italian,” only feed the speaker’s ego and sense of superiority. Finally, keep in mind that afternoon tea is about the entire gathered community, not you as an individual person. Announcing to everyone that you don’t like anise would only detract from the harmony of the occasion.
As you and the other guests enjoy the food your host has prepared for you, set aside any food prejudices you may have. Perhaps you dislike the taste of anise and begin to feel annoyed with your host for adding anise seeds to otherwise perfectly good scones, just to pretend that they are Italian. Your mind wanders to the fact that scones are not and never have been Italian and do not even belong at this party. Discipline yourself to recognize these negative thoughts as a petty form of self-indulgence. Refocus immediately on the beauty of the occasion and the other lovely food items being served. If you really detest anise, skip the scones and eat the tomato, basil and mozzarella sandwiches.
One of the charms of afternoon tea is the fact that the host offers a variety of small bites for his guests to enjoy. Under no circumstances should any guest ever criticize any of the food. Comments like, “These cannoli are soggy. They were obviously sitting in the kitchen too long,” or “Why are your serving manchego? That’s a Spanish cheese, not Italian,” only feed the speaker’s ego and sense of superiority. Finally, keep in mind that afternoon tea is about the entire gathered community, not you as an individual person. Announcing to everyone that you don’t like anise would only detract from the harmony of the occasion.
