Afternoon tea is a time for relaxation, elegantly served with music playing in the background, and featuring small sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries. For cooks who want to recreate this civilized experience at home, here are recipes from the finest tea rooms in the USA, Canada and England.

Afternoon tea is a time for relaxation and revitalization. Served in an elegant manner with music playing softly in the background, it typically features delectable small sandwiches, scones, cakes and pastries. For cooks who want to recreate this civilized experience at home, here are recipes from the finest tea rooms in the USA, Canada and England, along with tips on brewing the perfect pot and a guide to the world's teas. Accompanying the cookbook is a recording of chamber music for harp, flute, violin, and cello. The cookbook includes contributions from The Empress, Victoria; Fortnum & Mason, London; Four Seasons Olympic, Seattle; Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles; The Plaza, New York City; and Ritz Carlton, San Francisco. The music includes selections from "Greensleeves", Anon; "Gymnopedie", Satie; "Rondeau", Mozart; "Girl with the Flaxen Hair", Debussy; "Siciliano", Bach; and "The Swan", Saint-Saens.