VGCC to host Afternoon Tea class


From left, B.K. McCloud of Oxford, British tea expert Jane Pettigrew and Constance “Connie” Lue of Oxford are seen here at the 2013 World Tea Expo in Atlanta. (Submitted photo)

From left, B.K. McCloud of Oxford, British tea expert Jane Pettigrew and Constance “Connie” Lue of Oxford are seen here at the 2013 World Tea Expo in Atlanta. (Submitted photo)

Vance-Granville Community College will offer a course on “afternoon tea,” the tradition that is enjoying a renaissance as fine hotels, inns and tea rooms across the country give guests an opportunity to retreat from the hurried pace of their lives. 

The course, called “Let’s Have an Afternoon Tea,” will meet on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 until 4 p.m., starting Sept. 29. The final class and “graduation” ceremony is an actual afternoon tea party planned and facilitated by the students at Magnolia Manor Plantation in Warrenton on Oct. 13, thanks to the generosity of owners Sheila and Larry Carver.

Sharing the teaching duties will be Constance Lue of Oxford, who established the course at VGCC in 2006, and Dr. B.K. McCloud of Oxford, a graduate of the course and a retired professor of education.

Both Lue and McCloud have studied under Jane Pettigrew in Great Britain. Pettigrew is an international tea expert who resides in London but travels the world as a consultant to tea businesses and hotels. Before her career as a tea educator, consultant and author, she owned and operated a tearoom. She has received the “World Tea Awards” for Best Tea Educator in 2014, and for Best Tea Health Advocate and Best Tea Personality in 2015.

“This fun, informative class is a way to recapture civility and learn etiquette and grace in a friendly setting,” according to Lue.

Students will learn about the history of tea; the difference between an afternoon tea party, a royal tea party and “High Tea”; and the proper way to make the best pot of tea. They will have tastings of a wide variety of teas (black, white, green, Oolongs and herbal) at each class meeting. Participants might use what they learn to hold their own tea parties for children as well as their adult friends. Afternoon Tea also can be a way to raise funds for churches and clubs.

Students who complete the course are eligible to join the Old North State Tea Society, which Lue founded.

The cost of the course is $60 for four class sessions, plus $20 for the final tea at Magnolia Manor. Students will receive a valuable resource manual with recipes for tea time, tips on flower arranging, and a section on etiquette.

The deadline to register for this class is Sept. 22. Prospective students can register online at www.vgcc.edu/ped or in person at Main Campus, Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, contact Gail Clark at (252) 738-3300 or ped@vgcc.edu.