With the Jubilee coming up it seemed fitting to take a trip to the Goring Hotel for a very special afternoon tea. On a dreary Bank Holiday Monday afternoon my friend and I ventured into the grand hotel that so famously housed the Middleton family before the Royal Wedding. Newly refurbished, the interiors glow with prosperity and a very English elegance.
The month of May sees the launch of a new afternoon tea at the Goring: a fashionable menu designed by celebrated British jewellery designer, Alex Monroe. Collaborating with the hotel, Alex has created a beautiful gold shrimp necklace to accompany his shrimp themed tea. The necklace, based on Alex’s childhood memories of shrimp sandwiches in Suffolk, is available exclusively for May 2012 and will be presented to guests at the end of each tea purchased (priced at £195 pp, or the tea can be bought separately for £35 pp). The Goring serve a variety of classic teas alongside the Monroe speciality… the Traditional tea (£37.50 pp) offers a selection of sandwiches and scones and the more extravagant Bollinger tea includes a glass of Bollinger Champagne and fresh strawberries (£47.50 pp).
Our Alex Monroe tea started and finished with a perfectly brewed pot of Earl Grey. Before the food pageant arrived mini lobster and shrimp appetisers were brought in shot glasses, a creamy amuse bouche. I was pleased to see that tea here is not excessive as it so often is in London; our discreet waitress placed a three tier stack of treats in front of us, offering seconds of anything we needed. The trimmed sandwiches were neat, delicate and very fresh with well flavoured fillings: including a particularly delicious cucumber and cream cheese variety. When we felt satisfied with the savoury course we moved to the second layer, a plate of homemade scones, still warm from the oven. These were absolutely divine, crumbly and soft with a buttery flaky texture… perfect sandwiched with the strawberry jam and fluffy clotted cream.
The top layer was an array of stunning delights from the pastry chef, immaculate little cakes and puddings to complete the meal. I particularly enjoyed the zesty lemon tart and rich chocolate slice, though each and every piece had its own unique and wonderful taste. The hotel dining area is a lovely place to sit, relax and chat while sipping tea and nibbling cakes, it couldn’t have been a more perfect afternoon activity.
The Goring has proved itself the Queen of afternoon tea, serving up delectable snacks in an exquisite setting. And for girls that love jewellery and cakes, the Alex Monroe tea is a dream come true.
Visit the Goring website here for more information.