Time for Tea
The English tradition of tea has had a bit of a make over. Raised pinkies, cucumber sandwiches and polite chit chat are being replaced with fashion inspired biscuits, beef and horseradish rolls, and tri-flavoured drinkable potions.
No longer a meal reserved for aristocrats, tea is making an appearance in some of London’s most desirable and trendy locations. As part of this new movement, the Sanderson Hotel invites you to their Mad Hatter’s tea party, with all components inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’. Your cake stand arrives brimming with clock-shaped tiramisu cakes, tiny bottles of fruity concoctions labelled ‘drink me’, strawberry mouse hearts inviting you to ‘eat me’, and lollipops that turn your tongue from hot to cold. Being a bit of a traditionalist at heart, I was pleased to see some of the old favourites were still there, too. The scones were light, fluffy and delicious, particularly when coated in clotted cream and jam. Finger sandwiches (with the crusts removed, naturally) were soft, tasty, and brightly coloured with natural dyes. We chose to sit outside in the covered terrace and enjoyed our earl grey among the beautifully landscaped indoor garden, complete with waterfall and tropical plantation.
The more traditional, but equally stylish Berkeley Hotel offers a ‘pret-a-portea’, which takes its inspiration from various fashion houses. Try the Valentino orange and ginger clutch bag cake, Dolce and Gabbana éclair dress or the spicy (and sparkly) Miu Miu shoe biscuit. All are beautifully crafted with immaculate detail and wonderful flavours to match. My favourite was the Botegga Veneta pear mousse with handmade button macaroon. Stunning to look at and its combination of subtle flavours made it impossible for me to turn down a second. Combined with a glass of champagne, this tea is a wonderful way to celebrate a girly birthday or finish a long day of shopping in glamourous Knightsbridge.
Both teas are priced under £40 (the Sanderson at £35 and Berkeley at £37.50 per person), with the additional option of champagne. Their portions are extremely generous, and the Berkeley replenishes your plate almost as soon as you’ve finished your last mouthful and gives you a delightful bag of goodies to take away. These are just two of the options among a number of exoitic teas making an appearance on the London scene; a refreshing change from the somewhat stuffy conventional version.
Anna Templeton happily sampled many a designer cake (and potion) for your future tea time enjoyment. She’s now eating regularly-shaped cookies in her flat and trying to make peace with this fall down a less luxurious rabbit hole.
