Unusual afternoon teas
by Simon Ward | 22 February 2012 | 
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From fashion to royalty, art to Alice in Wonderland, here are some weird and wonderful afternoon tea experiences
Freshly-cut cucumber sandwiches, a selection of petite pastries and cakes, a china pot of tea leaves… afternoon tea is a quintessentially British tradition.
But if you’ve done the sandwiches ‘n’ scones thing a few times, here are some different takes on the traditional afternoon tea. As it’s London Fashion Week this week, we’ll kick off with a couple of fashion-themed offerings:
A Zandra Rhodes-designed tea
Fashion designer Zandra Rhodes got to do some designing of a different kind when she put together her Iconic afternoon tea for the Mandeville Hotel in London’s Marylebone. And her tea is as colourful as the lady herself - clouds of pink meringues, buttery butterfly lavender shortbread, jewelled éclair fingers and macaroon buttons mingle with the classics. There’s also a men’s afternoon tea.
Where: The deVille Restaurant, The Mandeville Hotel, Mandeville Place, London
Cost: From £26.50 per person
Prêt-à-Portea – the tea that changes with the seasons
Just like the fashion world itself, the Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea at London’s Berkeley Hotel (pictured at the top of this article) changes its designs with the seasons. So you could be served a Stella McCartney polka dot sponge cake dress or a Burberry Prorsum stylish black and white double breasted chocolate biscuit coat with snow white vanilla icing.
Where: The Caramel Room, The Berkeley, Wilton Place, London
Cost: From £37.50 per person
A toast to past queens
In this Diamond Jubilee year, the Andaz Liverpool Street hotel in London is devoting a series of afternoon teas to past queens of England. It kicks off this month with the Bloody Mary afternoon tea, to mark the reign of Queen Mary I. This has Spanish themes, reflecting her marriage to Prince Philip II of Spain, with chorizo and squid in pimento bread, tortilla, and churros with chocolate and lemon saffron crème. The teas continue with Queen Elizabeth I in March, Queen Anne in April and Queen Victoria in May before Queen Elizabeth II’s turn during her Diamond Jubilee month of June.
Where: 1901, Andaz Liverpool Street, 40 Liverpool Street, London
Cost: £45 per person (Monday to Friday only)
An artistic tea
If you fancy indulging in some edible art, then head for the Merrion Hotel next time you’re in Dublin. Its Art Tea features cakes inspired by the works of artists such as Jack Yeats, John Boyd and Louis le Brocquy.
Where: The Merrion Hotel, Upper Merrion Street, Dublin
Cost: From €36 per person
Tumble down the rabbit hole
Heston Blumenthal would surely approve of the Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at the Sanderson Hotel. Among the sensory delights are exploding hazelnut praline ice cream lollipops, chocolate rabbit’s clocks and a rainbow array of finger sandwiches on beetroot, saffron and spinach breads.
Where: Courtyard Garden, Sanderson London, 50 Berners Street, London
Cost: £35 per person
Fondant fancies
If you fancy a spot of cabaret with your tea, why not try the Voluptea or Afternoon Tease at the Volupté supper club? As well as sandwiches, scones, tea and a glass of bubbly, you’ll also enjoy some top-class burlesque and cabaret.
Where: Volupté, 9 Norwich Street, London
Cost: £42 per person (tea and show)
Indulge in some ceremony
“We’re putting the tea back into the ritual” says the blurb on TeaSmith’s website. To that end, its afternoon tea ceremony features cakes and chocolates paired with teas, rather than the other way round. You’ll also learn a lot more about the huge range of teas they serve.
Where: TeaSmith, 6 Lamb Street, London
Cost: £20 per person
Comments
by Nupeater | on 28 February 2012
I agree with Kev. A good friend of mine saved up and took a few friends and her mother and daughter to the Ritz to celebrate her birthday. I've no idea what it cost but it was a tremendous and very special afternoon. We dressed up and lapped up the luxurious atmosphere. The food was generous with a huge variety; buttery tea cakes, cream, jam and scones, huge choice of sandwiches, exquisite little cakes both traditional and exotic as well as a large choice of teas. None of us is likely to do this again but I cherish the memory of my friend's happy face for she died shortly after of cancer. I wouldn't spend £3.50 on a sandwich but 1000s do in London with a pint you are already up to £6.50. and it takes no skill to produce them and one cannot compare the atmosphere of a bar with one of these swanky hotels. Much more than five time better.
by TheTeaseMaid | 1 day ago
I'm reading this rather later than it was written as I have been blogging about afternoon tea for 2 years and will soon contribute to a magazine. I have never felt compelled to write into a website to air my views...but I just had to at some of the ridiculous comments this post has generated!
smithbuckley: afternoon tea IS a nice meal. You can pay as little as £20 for a lovely tea experience and you will walk out of there completely full. I have had afternoon tea at 2pm and have not felt compelled to eat until the next day - you don't just get a sandwich and a cake, you get a banquet. I think you'll find that in many cities including London you cannot get a decent meal in a restaurant for £20.
And miramoore "I am NOT comfortable with this topic": I suggest you read a newspaper and have a look at some genuinely uncomfortable topics, so that you may understand the absurdity of your statement. Afternoon tea, as mentioned, IS a treat. Am I to understand that you never go for a nice meal on a special occasion? You never wear a bit of make-up when you're feeling washed-out, never open a lovely bottle of wine to celebrate something?? If not, I would think that your time is perhaps better spent as a missionary in Africa than perusing the internet and reading about food at all. Surely food is some kind of disgusting indulgence and during these times of austerity we should make pies out of mud and eat them instead? I'm telling you now, my grand-father did not fight a war just so that I could sit here and starve myself and be holier than thou. I happen to make cakes for charities like 'Free Cakes For Kids' and sold cake at the Big Chocolate Tea Party for the 'Sick Childrens Trust'. Don't demonise cake - it's a symbol of generosity, kindness and sharing, a symbol of enjoyment of life and of creativity.
Get a grip. www.afternoon-tease.blogspot.co.uk
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