Afternoon Tea News - Royal Afternoon Tea at The Arch London

Hello there,

Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends. Today we're sharing another new afternoon tea adventure taking place in London.

Fancy an afternoon tea fit for Royalty this summer - well you might like the newly launched afternoon tea at The Arch London ....the Royal Afternoon Tea.

Royal Afternoon Tea - The Arch

The stately spread features a procession of dishes worthy of the Royal seal of approval. Classic British savoury delights will include Chicken liver parfait with spiced fig chutney; and Rare roast beef, watercress and crispy shallots. With a nod to Wimbledon (27 June – 10 July), which the Royals regularly attend, a quintessentially British dessert of Eaton mess will be served, along with Victoria sponge, Battenberg, and Strawberry tart.  

This is a colourful and pretty looking afternoon tea spread, served on contemporary china....

Royal Afternoon Tea - The Arch

The Royal Afternoon Tea, priced at £25 per person or £38 with a glass of bubbles, is available from 1 May until 31 July 2016 throughout this summer’s Royal events. Afternoon tea is available from 3pm until 6pm and can be enjoyed in the hotel’s Martini Library, Hunter 486 restaurant or Salon de Champagne lounge.

For more information about this afternoon tea pop by The Arch website.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel & Lorna

Time for Tea.....Lancaster London

Hello there,

Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends, last week Lorna and I were lucky enough to be invited back to the Lancaster London for a spot of afternoon tea again.

You might remember that we last visited Lancaster London in December 2014 - in fact it was our last afternoon tea of 2014! We enjoyed Chef Ben Purton's creations so much back then and we were super excited to go back again.

As with our last visit, the service was fast and friendly - with everyone who we encountered knowledgeable about the afternoon tea. Once we had picked our teas the afternoon tea stand was brought out.

Afternoon tea sandwiches - Lancaster London

The savouries included something for every taste including the following sandwiches:

Ham & English mustard 

Piquillo pepper and hummus 

Lancaster London home smoked salmon 

Free range Barradale Farm egg and wild cress 

In addition to the well made finger sandwiches there were another two savoury delights to enjoy - a warm Coronation chicken tartlet and roast English beef with horseradish cream and watercress.

The finger sandwiches were made with fresh bread and there wasn't a crust in sight! The amount of fillings matched the bread, making them very enjoyable. The in house smoked salmon was scrummy. I also really enjoyed the coronation chicken tartlet - I might have enjoyed more than one of those!

Next came the scones - we had three each, one plain, one fruit and one apple. These were served with strawberry preserve and clotted cream

Afternoon tea scones - Lancaster London 

The scones were a good size - not too big, not too small. But to be honest two were enough as there is plenty of other treats on this afternoon tea stand. We also weren't overly keen on the apple scone.

Finally we moved onto the sweet treats - a very pretty selection indeed! 

The treats included:

Signature chocolate & honey lolly pops

Pistachio and Amarena cherry slice

Raspberry tart with vanilla custard

Honey apple cup cake

Lemon macaroon

Afternoon tea sweet selection - Lancaster London

There were two stand out items for me - the chocolate and lolly pops were amazing.....they were so good that we might have eaten them whole! Plus the mini raspberry and custard tart - the pastry was crisp and buttery and the filling light.

I wasn't so keen on the pistachio and amarena cherry slice, the flavours weren't quite right for me, but that's just personal preference. If you love macaroons, then you'll love the lemon macaroon on this plate - it's crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle!

Afternoon tea sweets - Lancaster London

This afternoon tea costs £30 per person, or if you'd like to add a glass of bubbles it's £40 per person. We were offered refills of both tea and food throughout the afternoon tea , and could change our tea choice if we wanted. Overall this afternoon tea is great value - perfect for sharing with friends.

For more information please visit the Lancaster London website.

We'd like to thank Chef Ben and his team at the Lancaster for looking after us so well, but please remember that this has not affected our taste buds and all opinions expressed in this article are our own.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel & Lorna

Time for.....a cocktail or two!

Hello there,

Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends....today we have something a little different for you.....today we have no afternoon tea photos to share....but we do have some cocktails!

Recently we had a new bar and restaurant open in Farnham called The Botanist, and I was lucky enough to be invited to the opening party to enjoy cocktails, canapes and live music with the Botanist team.

If you've never heard of The Botanist before (they currently have 9 locations), then let me tell you a little more about them.....think rustic interiors with a pretty vintage feel, lots of live music and an extensive cocktail list.....oh and apparently their hanging kebabs are rather tasty too!

Opening night was a lavish affair with flower crowns, trays of cocktails and nibbles, live music and some bubbles to celebrate. As we enjoyed the gorgeous interior, marvelling at the attention to detail, live music was pumped around the building to entertain us. Live music is a big feature of The Botanist, with different acts performing throughout the week.

The Botanist Farnham - main bar area complete with chandelier

From the main bar area to the toilets - I loved all the fixtures and fittings.....it felt like somewhere I wanted to live! In the main bar area there is a fabulous chandelier that I could probably gaze at for hours, as its made of so many different objects!

The walls are adorned with all kinds of pictures and hangings. Everywhere you look there is something different to make you smile.

As for the cocktails....well there is something for everyone on the menu. I counted 15 different long cocktails listed, including delights such as the blueberry and apple cooler which features Blueberry purée, Ketel One vodka, Crème de Mure, apple juice, lime juice, ginger beer and sugar or The Botanist which is made of Ketel One vodka, Bacardi Carta Blanca rum, elderflower liqueur, red amaranth, mint, jasmine syrup, lime juice and topped with lemonade. 

There are also a selection of short cocktails such as the Chocolate Rose made with Ketel One vodka, rose liqueur, rose syrup, liquid chocolate, milk and cream or the Rose Mai Tai which features Dried pink rose buds, Bacardi Carta Oro rum, rose liqueur, almond and rose syrups and lime juice.

  

In addition there is also a wide selection of martinis on offer and also several different cocktails to share with friends....including the Raspberry and Sage watering can or the Rose Garden Punch Bowl. 

On the opening night we had the pleasure of sampling quite a few different cocktails, and although we enjoyed some more than others, they were all really well made by the bar staff. 

Don't worry if cocktails don't float your boat though as there is also a good selection of wines, bubbles, craft beers and spirits (including an impressive selection of gins). 

Cocktails and flower crowns!

 Although we didn't get to try any of the full menu on the opening night, I've heard really good things about the food on offer and look forward to returning to try out deli board (diners pick four items from a selection of meats, cheese and other items) and the hanging kebabs!

Opening night at The Botanist Farnham

It was very exciting to be part of the opening night and I'd like to thank The Botanist Farnham for inviting us. For more information about The Botanist pop by their website.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel

Time for Tea.....Scoff and Banter, Oxford Street

Hello there,

Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends - we hope you are well today. Last weekend Becca and I enjoyed a rather unique afternoon tea at a fairly new tearoom just off Oxford Street. Scoff and Banter was been open for about eight months now, and offers guests the chance to personalise their afternoon tea experience - picking items from a menu.

When we heard about this afternoon tea experience we knew we needed to give it a try, and our timing was perfect as Scoff and Banter were running an offer that gives guests enjoying an afternoon tea a bottle of Prosecco to enjoy too!

The tearoom itself is located just off Oxford Street, on the second floor of a hotel (perfect for a mid-shopping break!). It's a light and modern tearoom, with a lovely feel to it....

Scoff and Banter, London

Lot's of wooden furniture, pretty china and white linen

Afternoon tea at Scoff and Banter, London

Once hot beverages have been selected you are left to peruse the menu, which is split into four different sections - hot dishes, scones, sandwiches and desserts. Each guest can pick two options from each section of the menu. The hot dishes include items such as Lobster brandy soup with a warm cheese scone or Oysters Rockefeller and the scones include a savoury cheese scone and chocolate version. In the sandwiches you will find Rare venison, gin and tonic relish on rye bread or a traditional Cucumber on white bloomer. The desserts menu includes a fresh strawberry tart with whipped cream and a Chocolate whisky cake. You really are spoilt for choice with this menu!

Once you have ordered, the hot dishes are brought out first - served on plain white china. 

Hot dishes at Scoff and Banter, London

As you can see the portion sizes are rather generous! Becca and I both decided to try the warm caramelised onion tart (on the left in the photo above), which was scrummy. The pastry was buttery and rich, and the filling was creamy and full of onion. Becca had the Lamb cutlet (also pictured above) which she thoroughly enjoyed and I had a small bowl of Sticky Beijing fillet of beef which was rich and flavoursome - really scrummy!

Once we had finished the hot dishes, the afternoon tea stand was brought out. This contained the rest of our afternoon choices - the sandwiches, scones and sweets. And I think you'll agree...it's a pretty impressive stand.....

Afternoon tea stand
Scoff and Banter, Oxford Street

Let's start with the sandwich options....which frankly looked like mini masterpieces....no standard finger sandwiches here! Becca opted for the Chicken Caesar and rosemary focaccia, which was an open sandwich, and the Smoked salmon, crayfish and dill crème fraîche, toasted bagel. I enjoyed the Steak and balsamic onions on toasted multigrain and the Croque-madame.

Afternoon tea savouries - Scoff and Banter, Oxford Street

Everything was freshly made, was well balanced in flavours and a feast for the eyes too! I really enjoyed the little croque-madame, which was served warm with a runny yolk. We really liked the selection on offer, there is definitely something for everyone here.....although afternoon tea traditionalists might have frowned at the lack of finger sandwiches.

Next came the scones, and to be honest this is where the afternoon tea fell down slightly. The scones were of the mini variety and the flavours we could pick from included:

Pecan and apple (v)

Maple syrup and sultana (v)

Vanilla (v)

Seville orange (v)

Valrhona chocolate (v)

Cheddar cheese

They are served with pots of clotted cream and two homemade preserves.

Afternoon tea scones - Scoff and Banter

Becca had the pecan and apple and the cheddar cheese, while I picked the Seville orange and the Valrhona chocolate. Becca's cheese scone lacked cheesiness and she wasn't given anything other than the clotted cream and jam to eat with it! Both the Orange and the chocolate scones were bland too, and a tad bit claggy. Becca did however enjoy the pecan and apple.

Finally we moved onto the sweet selection, which included both cold and a hot selection. We could pick from the following:

Fresh strawberry tart, whipped cream 

Chocolate whisky cake, candied orange 

Lemon meringue, blackberry compote, lime syrup (v) 

Trifle, roasted balsamic strawberries 

Sticky toffee pudding, salted caramel ice cream, macadamia nut brittle (v) 

Poached rhubarb and custard, ginger bread biscuit (v) 

Dark chocolate crème Chantilly 

Raspberry and Prosecco jelly

What a fabulous selection....again there is something for everyone there!

This time Becca picked the lemon meringue and the sticky toffee pudding (which is served hot and brought to the table when you ask for it) and I went for the chocolate whiskey cake and the dark chocolate creme Chantilly.

All I can say is that I was very jealous of the sweets that Becca picked...just look at the meringue.....

Afternoon tea sweets - Scoff and Banter

Not only did it look scrummy, it tasted wonderful too! The flavours worked so well together, especially the lime syrup. 

The sticky toffee pudding was served in a little expresso cup and that was super scrummy too....

Sticky toffee pudding - Scoff and Banter

On top of the scrummy food and relaxed environment, all the staff we encountered were friendly, professional and very knowledgeable about the menu. They gave good suggestions on menu choices and we enjoyed the friendly service. 

The standard afternoon tea at Scoff and Banter is £34.00 per person, this rises to £39.00 if you want to include a glass of Prosecco. There is also the option to upgrade to a glass of champagne. 

All in all I think this is a great value afternoon tea (even with the slightly disappointing scones) - the food isn't limitless, but its great quality and very filling. I really liked the choice that we had, it made it a very personal experience.

For more information about this afternoon tea please visit the Scoff and Banter website.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel

Time for Tea.....Squire's Garden Centre, Badshot Lea

Hello there,

Happy Saturday! Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends.

I have officially "broken up" for Christmas now (yes, I'm aware I sound about 8 years old right now) and to celebrate my friend Kirtsy and I went to Squire's Garden Centre in Badshot Lea for a spot of afternoon tea. A bit of an odd choice of location for an afternoon tea adventure maybe, but we had seen the teas advertised previously and decided to try one. Squires is a family-owned garden centre group with 15 centres across West London, Surrey, Berkshire and Sussex.

We opted for the standard Champagne afternoon tea rather than the festive option which is currently available. We had to pick the sandwiches we wanted and whether we wanted a fruit or plain scone when we booked our afternoon tea, we also had to pay a deposit of £5 per person.

When we arrived at our table, it was dressed with a red table cloth and we had crackers and plain white china waiting for us. Each table also had a reservation sign....

Once we had our 1/4bottle of Laurent-Perrier champagne and choice of tea from the menu, the afternoon tea stand was served....

Champagne afternoon tea
Squires Garden Centre

When we booked our tea we had to each choose a sandwich filling from the following choice....

Coronation Chicken

Egg Mayo & Cucumber

Gammon Ham & Dijon Mayo

Smoked Salmon & Dill Crème Fraîche

We were told we could pick one filling each and we would get four finger sandwiches. We decided to be a bit clever and pick the coronation chicken and the egg mayo between us and then we would share....this plan of action worked very well and gave us some savoury variety....

Afternoon tea sandwiches - Squires

Both sets of sandwiches were served on soft, fresh bread and were filled generously. There was the odd bit of crust still on the bread, but generally these were great sandwiches. The egg mayonnaise and cucumber was a little odd served together...I would have preferred just egg if I am honest, but it was still enjoyable. The coronation chicken was so good - big chunks of chicken combined with a creamy, curry sauce....perfect!

Next we moved onto the scones....take a look at the size of these....

Afternoon tea scones - Squires 

We got one each....but you wouldn't have wanted anymore!

The scones were served with Roddas clotted cream (one mini tub each) and a pot of strawberry preserve each. The scones weren't warm, but they were fresh and a lovely consistency. 

On the top tier of the cake stand we had two pieces of cake each....

Afternoon tea cakes - Squires

The cherry bakewell was nice, but it was the chocolate and cherry cake that really stole the show. It was a little gooey and really chocolately......really, really scrummy!

It's worth noting that you receive one 1/4 bottle of champagne between the two people, this gives you a glass each. 

You will also not be given any extras with this afternoon tea...what you see is what you get....however at £29.95 for two people I couldn't fault the value. The food is a good quality and very fresh and the service was professional and friendly. All in all a great afternoon tea, in a relaxed environment....perfect for catching up with friends.

Afternoon tea - Squires

For more information about this afternoon tea please visit the Squire's website. 

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel

Christmas afternoon tea....Corinthia London

Hello there,

We hope you are well today - we thought we would share another scrummy looking festive afternoon tea with you.....and today it's the Laurent-Perrier Festivi-tea Afternoon Tea at Corinthia Hotel London which is available from now until 4th January 2016.

Corinthia London are serving a selection of festive fancies, inspired by the festive season.....

The menu includes delights such as 

Mince Pie

Spiced Mince Pie Macaron, Sablé Breton

Plum Amaretto Tart

Almond Mousseline, Roasted Plums

Golden Choquette

Chestnut Bramley Apple Choux Bun, Marron Glacé 

Christmas Pudding Gâteaux

Candied Fruits, Lemon Brandy Mousse 

Gingerbread

Pumpkin and Fennel Pavé 

Blackforest

Manjari Swiss Roll, Cherry Jam

Citron

Lemon Brûlée, Scented Pine, Spiced Sablé

Scented Mulled Wine

Pain D'éspices, Panna Cotta, Chocolate Crunch 

In addition guests will enjoy a selection of savoury items and of course warm scones served with cream and preserves.....not forgetting the bubbles!

To find out more about this festive feast pop by the Corinthia London website.

Have you tried this afternoon tea? If so we'd love to hear what it was like.....leave us a comment and let us know!

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel & Lorna

Time for Tea.....The George in Stamford

Hello there,

Welcome back to another tea-riffic guest post here at Tea With Me and Friends, this week we are joined by the lovely Victoria Redshaw who enjoyed a rather scrummy afternoon this week at The George of Stamford. Let's find out about Victoria's afternoon tea adventure....

The George of Stamford is a former coaching inn, acting as an oasis in this Lincolnshire town, which is renowned for its Georgian architecture.  Traditional décor, with sofas and comfortable armchairs are the order of the day in the lounge, heated by a large fire, which is where my mother and I took our afternoon tea.

Afternoon tea
The George of Stamford

Perhaps unusually, people are unable to book for afternoon tea with the argument being that there are many nooks and crannies in which to find a spot to eat.  Afternoon tea is served from 3.30pm, but we were incredibly early (by an hour!) so my mother took herself to buy ANOTHER pair of shoes whilst I enjoyed a pot of tea and was able to people watch.

We ordered the Champagne Afternoon Tea for two, which included a glass of champagne each; cheers!  

Cheers!

A pot of English Breakfast tea was also taken by us, but other options were available.  

So, onto the main event.  Four finger sandwiches each were served with different fillings: smoked salmon, egg mayonnaise, cucumber and cream cheese and rare roast beef – and not a crust in sight!  They were very traditional and delicious, with the right amount of filling.

Afternoon tea sandwiches - The George of Stamford

The scones were on the top tier of the stand, but knowing our afternoon tea etiquette, we sampled them next.  Delicious and light, they were served with a homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream.  By this time, we both needed a little rest before attempting the sweet treats.

Deliciously light sweet treats ensured that my eyes really were larger than my stomach!  A small pastry case with a raspberry and strawberry, on top of a bed of crème patisserie took my fancy first.  This was swiftly followed by a light Victoria Sponge, almond sponge and then that delicious looking chocolate layer cake.  Suffice to say, I have the “cake shakes” as I’m typing this!  My mother was slightly more sensible and opted to have her two remaining cakes boxed up and sent back to my husband in a food parcel.

Afternoon tea sweet treats - The George of Stamford

The George is a traditional place to have a traditional afternoon tea.  At a cost of £28.95 each, including a glass of champagne, in such great surroundings this tea is worth it!  The service was attentive, without being fussy and the food was fresh.  

Now, who should I take next time…

Now doesn't that afternoon tea look wonderful? We do love a traditional afternoon tea!

A big thank you to Victoria (and her mum) for sharing this afternoon tea adventure - we always love to hear about the teas you have enjoyed. For more information about this afternoon pop by The George of Stamford's website.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel & Lorna

Time for Tea...Cafe Royal, London

Hello there,

Welcome back to Tea With Me and Friends, we hope you are having a tea-riffic weekend!

Last weekend Lorna and I enjoyed a rather wonderful afternoon tea adventure with our mum and the lovely Becca at Cafe Royal in London. Tea is served in the The Oscar Wilde Bar, which was formerly the iconic Grill Room, it has now been restored to its authentic Louis XVI detailing and is quite stunning.....just take a look....

Tea With Me and Friends enjoying a spot of afternoon tea!

We decided to opt for the The Champagne London Royal Tea....after all, a glass of bubbles with your afternoon tea is always lovely!

The crockery was all plain white, but this was perfect in the very ornate and shiny Oscar Wilde Bar (be warned....there are mirrors everywhere!). Each table had a very beautiful red rose....

Afternoon tea - Cafe Royal

Now, unfortunately we arrived slightly late for this particular afternoon tea adventure and so our amuse bouche was served with the rest of the savoury treats on a three tier stand....

Afternoon tea savouries
Cafe Royal

We couldn't believe how much food was provided as part of this afternoon tea - it's a real feast! As well as the amuse bouche there are another five different savouries on that little stand! 

So, on our top tier we had the amuse bouche which was a Low Sidecar muffin with goat's cheese and tomato, plus a finger sandwich containing Cucumber, cream cheese and beetroot. I'm not a huge fan of goats cheese....and the muffin had rather a lot on it and so I didn't really enjoy it.....however Becca (our resident goats cheese lover) really enjoyed it!

The finger sandwich was fresh and well filled, and there wasn't a crust in sight!

The next tier down contained  a Prawn brigade with spices and London honey and a Smoked "Wilde" salmon, quail's egg and cress round. Both of these were really tasty - I particularly enjoyed the prawns, with the slight sweet taste.

Finally on the bottom tier we found a Smoked wild boar roll with pickled apple, English mustard and crackling and the most amazing Chorizo, caramelised white onion and thyme "Wellington" - I could have eaten rather a lot of those! Again, the wild boar wasn't for me - but mum really enjoyed it.

We were offered a second helping of savouries.....but very wisely we declined. 

Next we were served the pre-dessert....an iced fruit tea and a crown biscuit. The tea was indeed very fruity and super sweet and the crown biscuit was buttery and delicate - the perfect biscuit!

Afternoon tea pre-desserts
Cafe Royal

Once we'd enjoyed these treats the scones were brought to us. 

They were served warm with strawberry preserve, lemon curd and of course clotted cream. The scones smelt wonderful when they arrived at the table, but unfortunately they were slightly claggy in texture. We all only ate one scone each.

Afternoon tea scones
The Oscar Wilde Bar - Cafe Royal

By this stage we were all rather full already...

...but just take a look at the six sweets that were served next.....

Afternoon tea sweets
Cafe Royal

So, in the name of afternoon tea adventures we pushed on. 

On the top tier we discovered a Spitfire lollipop and a round of Victoria sponge. The lollipop had a rich chocolate centre and the Victoria sponge cake was light and filled with fresh cream and a little raspberry preserve....both were very enjoyable....

On the next tier there was a small piece of Battenberg  and an Underground themed macaroon. The macaroon was particularly good - both crisp and chewy...

Finally on the bottom tier we found a Pearly King and Queen Opera and a Raspberry "Regent". The Opera cake was rich and chocolately with pretty pearly buttons on top....but it was the raspberry regent that stole the show....

The raspberry regent was the perfect size to be popped in your mouth in one go - I'm not sure whether this was good manners or not but the taste explosion in your mouth is worth the risk of offending fellow diners with your bad manners! 

Just when we thought we were going to burst we were offered a slice of cake from the cake trolley! Yes, there was even more food to come! There were three different types on offer....I opted for the lemon drizzle...

Lemon drizzle cake - The Oscar Wilde Bar

I didn't manage to eat the whole piece, but it was a lovely lemon cake!

This whole feast, including a glass of Veuve Clicquot and your choice of tea costs just £55 per person, which we think is exceptional value. The quality (and quantity) of the food is really good and the service was excellent. 

As well as the serving staff there is also a toastmaster who speaks several times during the sitting, the toastmaster also pops around and talks to guests to ensure everyone is enjoying their experience. 

For more information about this afternoon tea please visit the Cafe Royal website.

Thank you for popping by today,

Rachel & Lorna