I felt quite cliché-ishly British this weekend as I popped
into London for a spot of afternoon tea with some friends. We went to the Hilton
in Mayfair, located just around the corner from Green Park.
The hotel delivered a classy, modern atmosphere yet
with soft cushions
and sofas to relax in and with warm lamps decorating reception
it indulged us in an undeniably comfortable undertone too.
The tea itself was beautiful. We started off with a glass of
champagne which truly added an extra sparkle of sophistication to the
occasion. Then a three tier tea set was brought out which was crammed full of
delicious delights. On the first tier there were scones with strawberry jam and clotted
cream, the second hosted a selection of hand cut sandwiches – cucumber, smoked
salmon, tuna and egg mayonnaise – and the top tier held a display of chocolate
sponge, a mini macaron, carrot cake and a divine shot of elderflower jelly set
around woodland berries.
Each item was precise, clean and delicious. The scones were light
and airy (although a touch more jam could have made them perfect).
The sandwiches were wonderfully soft and obviously made with
care. The salmon in particular was of very good quality and delivered a superb
smoky flavour.
The treats at the top were the stand outs of the show however.
The chocolate sponge was moist, light and delivered a thick rich chocolate icing.
The carrot cake was equally lovely, especially as the spices in the sponge were
prominent yet not overpowering. However, the elderflower jelly was a true shot
of sophisticated fun. I felt like a kid with a spoon in my hand as the
sweet-sour jelly filled my mouth. The berries too added a sweet-sharp extra to
this well thought out treat.
Overall, the whole occasion was excellent – excellent atmosphere,
excellent company and excellent food.
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