You’d be hard-pressed to find a kitchen in the South whose refrigerator didn’t contain a pitcher of iced tea. We drink the syrupy sweet stuff by the gallon, no matter the season. But call it the Downton Abbey effect, something—and it’s definitely not the weather as it's almost 80 degrees outside—has me thinking about the old-school ritual of hot tea.

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And as I spent Monday’s holiday catching up on the addictive PBS period drama, I couldn’t help but be a bit envious of the Crawley family’s elegant teas. There is a certain nostalgic glamor to traditional teatime and its accoutrements that you just don’t get from a Starbucks run.

To set your table:

1.    Pick up mismatched vintage sets from Etsy or your local antiques or flee market.


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2.    Wee Teas. These tiny ceramic teacups by Gleena Ceramics fit into the palm of your hand.

Photo via Gleena

3.    But I love the simplicity of this sleek white porcelain set from Pillivuyt. And the cow creamer is a must, whether you take cream in your tea or not.

Photo via Pillivuyt