Tag Archives: afternoon tea

A Royal Afternoon Tea at The Pierre, New York

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It would be a challenge to find a prettier afternoon tea than the selection of treats served up at the Pierre Hotel. I have certainly never seen such an array… and I have tried an embarrassing number.

The Pierre Hotel is a picture of elegance and style… located on 5th Avenue at the tip of Central Park, it is the perfect stop off after a morning of shopping. We saved ourselves for this indulgent afternoon meal, barely letting a crumb pass our lips until 3pm so we arrived famished. I was thankful for our resisting as the feast that followed required a big appetite.

There are several teas on offer, but take my advice and pick the Royal Tea Service ($65-70) a fabulous assortment of sandwiches, scones and pastries accompanied by Demoiselle Champagne. From the extensive list of tea blends we chose Strawberry-kiwi and the unique Pierre Blend, both unusual but refreshing. The Strawberry-kiwi is sweet and strongly perfumed so if you prefer you’re tea lighter I’d recommend the perfectly balanced Pierre Blend. The Demoiselle Champagne is fiercely bubbly and is available as a rosé for those wishing to be really girly.

The food arrived on a three tiered dish, delicately arranged. The Pierre is generous with portions and variety giving little tasters with different flavours and textures.

Sandwiches etc:
Catskill smoked salmon on rye bread, balsamic onions & sour cream
American caviar & buckwheat blinis
Spiced chicken tartlet
Devilled eggs, brioche buns with red sorrel
Boursin cheese & Asparagus crostini with tomato jam
English cucumber with dill cream cheese
Dates & Babaganoush crepes

Freshly baked scones and butter cookies
Cranberry scones with Devonshire cream, Raspberry preserve and lemon curd.

Pastries:
Fresh fruit tartlets
Grand Marnier chocolate madeleines
Red cherry financiers
Walnut cream sugar squares
Lemon apricot sandwiches
Coffee opera cake
Lemon meringue tarts
Coffee & Strawberry Macaroons
Chocolate sand cookies

It is hard to believe that we managed to fit all this food on the table, let alone in our stomachs. Favourites for me were the Boursin & asparagus crostini and the Spiced chicken tartlet, but my guest preferred the Smoked salmon and crepes… each canapé was beautifully presented, carefully arranged with appropriate seasoning and toppings, they looked lovely all together on the plate. The scones were the best of the bunch, freshly baked and warm, they crumbled in the mouth, and smothered in thick cream and jam each mouthful encouraged the next. The pastry chef at the Pierre is clearly a perfectionist, each mini patisserie was carefully constructed to look as pretty as possible.

I thought afternoon tea was always best in Britain until I visited the Pierre, now I have to admit this version of the English classic meal is pretty impressive.

More information here.

Svenskt Tenn, Afternoon Tea, Stockholm

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Svenskt Tenn is more than just a beautiful design shop. Set up in 1924 by Estrid Ericson the shop sells everything from fabric to furniture, trinkets and tassels. The prints, the most famous of which resulted from collaborations with the Austrian designer Josef Frank, are bright and bold, colourful and charming. The products are arranged stylishly in the large shop to create a psychedelic and fun venue. Upstairs this iconic Swedish design house offers the prettiest afternoon tea in the city. You sit in picturesque surroundings and are treated to a tiered stand of delights.

The tea salon is subtle and quaint compared to the vibrancy and energy in the rest of the shop. When we arrived at two on Sunday afternoon, the petite room was full of girls conversing and friends catching up… sophisticated but sensible. Founder Estrid Ericson drank her favourite tea twice a day (two and a half cups in the morning and two and a half cups with lunch) so it seems fitting that a tea salon has opened here in her honour.

It is easy to relax at Svenskt Tenn,  we sat down and our waitress brought fresh apple juice immediately to quench our thirst. It was delicious tea, very refined and light, but different and special tasting too. My date doesn’t normally drink tea and even he admitted to enjoying this variety. The Svenskt Tenn tea was our favourite, a lovely, mellow taste.

Afternoon tea can be a rather dry affair (after sitting around all morning) and usually far too much is offered… endless heavy scones and sticky cakes. Svenskt Tenn provides the opposite: a delicate, dainty and modest selection. Attractive squares of Swedish rye bread were adorned with smoked salmon, cream cheese and marinated fennel, hot-out-the-oven small scones with jam and butter and petit fours. It was all delicious, particularly the homemade scones!

Afternoon tea is priced at 230kr per person (approximately £20). You receive all the food I have mentioned and a pot of tea. Svenskt Tenn designs and prints are available to buy in Libertys, though for the real experience I would recommend looking round the Stockholm store followed by their gorgeous afternoon tea, memorable for taste and design.

Visit the Svenskt Tenn website here for more information.

Thanks to visitstockholm.com follow them on twitter for news and information, @visitswedenuk

Afternoon Sport-Tea, Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill

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What better way to celebrate the Olympics and Paralympics than eating a sports inspired tea? No crowds, no queues, no trekking to East London, just lots of delicious food and plenty of style and sophistication. The Hyatt Regency, the Churchill Hotel is currently serving a fun themed afternoon meal offering guests and visitors an opportunity to be part of the games whilst enjoying the indulgences of this luxury hotel.

Conveniently located behind Marble Arch tube station, the Churchill is the ideal combination of traditional and contemporary with an eccentric collection of art from the Saatchi Gallery making the lobby and dining area colourful and quirky. We sat at a pleasant table by the window and enjoyed a relaxing tea. Service was modest and prompt, our waiter was friendly and often stopped by to check if we needed more tea or food.

The best things in life often begin with a glass of chilled champagne and at the Hyatt, the Lanson bubbly was utterly delicious, the perfect start to our weekend. We gulped it down and awaited our food which seemed to appear only moments later. Three elegant tiers of treats: cucumber, roast beef, prawn, smoked salmon and egg sandwiches, warm fruit and plain scones with clotted cream & jam and a variety of delicately crafted cakes.

Everything was fresh and immaculately prepared. My favourite sandwich was the cucumber and cream cheese which was made with a delicious herby bread and just the right amount of filling; my granny adored the plump pink prawn sandwiches. The scones were divine, scrumptious homemade buns piping hot from the oven. We indulged with plenty of thick cream and dollops of strawberry jam. To accompany our food, we each chose a favourite tea blend from the list, blackcurrant for my granny, and fresh mint for me… both light and refreshing.

I relished the swimming pool cake, a tiramisu-like flavour with layers of soft creamy mousse and espresso soft cake with an alarmingly blue icing. The macaroons were a little too chewy for my tastes, though I loved the aesthetics of the bright orange basketball decoration. We also received meringue topped shuttlecock cupcakes, chocolate ganache tennis rackets and a weight-lifting cake-pop. The patissier’s selection all looked beautiful and even though some of the cakes were a little bland, I was completely captivated by the invention used to create this assortment of sweets.

Whether you’re sporty or not, I can guarantee you’ll enjoy this chic afternoon tea, and with the sports in full swing there is no better time to try it.

Sport-Tea with a glass of champagne is priced at £35 per person.

See here for more information.