The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Gluten Free Afternoon Tea!

This week The Afternoon Tea Club was invited to sample some products from Warburtons Newburn Bakehouse - the home of Warburtons fantastic new Free From range. We thought what better way to do so than to create a very special, gluten and wheat free afternoon tea!



Gluten Free Afternoon Tea

We received a generous sample box from Warburtons' wheat and gluten free bakery, which aims to produce Free From products that taste just as good as those created in the Core Bakery. We were very excited to get our hands on this tasty lot: White Sliced Loaf, Brown Sliced Loaf, Spiced Fruit Loaf, Large Seeded Loaf, White Baguettes, Lemon and Poppy Seed muffins, Blueberry and Cranberry Muffins and Fruity Teacakes.

Here's what we thought!

Fresh Bread



Afternoon Tea has to make a great first impression. It must look good and get off to a good start with a tasty selection of fresh breads to create the perfect finger sandwiches. We put the Newburn Bakehouse loaves to the test with some of our favourite sandwich fillings and we were very pleased with the results!

The Sliced White Loaf was really soft and made for a wonderful substitute to a traditional white loaf. It was a good size and thickness too, which means it would be ideal to toast without the worry of getting lost in the toaster! Same goes for the Sliced Brown Loaf - almost incomparable and although the colour was a little bolder than perhaps standard brown bread, the taste was really wholesome and fresh.

By far the most interesting loaf we received was the Spiced Fruit Loaf. Absolutely packed with raisins and sultanas, this loaf has enough flavour to go solo without any classic fillings. The spicy infusions gave it a real kick that wasn't too overpowering and the texture was a real feat - just a lovely, juicy treat.

Fruit Teacakes

Up next, we thought we would give this afternoon tea a bit of a twist by utilising our Fruity Teacakes and giving them pride of place on our middle tier - and rightly so! These fruity nibbles are just the right size and the aroma when toasted is absolutely mouthwatering. With a dollop of butter, these are the perfect companion for an afternoon cuppa and they're positively bursting with currants and sultanas. We would love to wake up to these in the morning!

Blueberry and Cranberry Muffins

And finally, and possibly the bit we were looking forward to the most, the muffins. We were treated to both Lemon and Poppy Seed and Blueberry and Cranberry flavours. Both were absolutely full of flavour, especially the Blueberry and Cranberry which oozed taste from both of its distinctive fruits. The muffins are a really great size too making them perfect for a fruity snack to go with your coffee break.

We were pleasantly surprised to discover just how similar these gluten and wheat free products were to normal bakery products. There is a common belief that Free From products never quite match up to their peers but this new range definitely proves otherwise.

Overall - a scrumptious alternative to traditional afternoon tea!

For more information, check out our interview with Chris Hook, Managing Director at the Newburn Bakehouse here or to find out where to buy go to: www.newburnbakehouse.com

Afternoon Tea News: Theo Fennell Bijoux Afternoon Tea by The Langham Hotel, London

Last week the Langham Hotel London announced its latest Afternoon Tea collaboration with top jewellery designer Theo Fennell. Here's a little of what you can expect:

The Langham Hotel is renowned for its high class afternoon teas and you can't get much classier than a tea inspired by diamonds and pearls. Designed by the Langham's in-house Pastry Chef Extraordinaire, Cherish Finden, in association with Theo Fennell, this tea will offer guests a taste of the high life, with fusions of eclectic flavours and fabulous colour schemes.

Inspired by Fennell's exclusive Jewellery range, the decadent menu will include delights such as: Foie Gras and Smoked Duck with Mandarin, Beetroot Cured Scottish Salmon with Grey Goose Vodka Cream plus Pearl Las and Broccoli Quiche with Piquillo Peppers, Salted caramel Pearl and Pistachio Fudge and the Kentish Strawberry with White Balsamic Macaroon.

Sounds great. Here's what the Langham had to say about this exciting new menu:

The Langham, London is delighted to announce its annual Bijoux Afternoon Tea collaboration with luxury jewellery designer Theo Fennell. The partnership celebrates Theo Fennell’s love of fine craftsmanship and eclectic design alongside The Langham’s illustrious past as Europe's first 'Grand Hotel' and the birthplace of the afternoon tea tradition over. Award-winning Head Pastry Chef Cherish Finden, recently voted ‘Pastry Chef of the Year’ at the Craft Guild Awards, has created a selection of irresistible treats, inspired by Theo Fennell’s exquisite jewellery collection.

Served in the glittering Palm Court, the centre piece of The Langham, London since 1865, The Theo Fennell Bijoux Afternoon Tea is a modern day interpretation of the classic British tradition. Decadent savouries include Foie Gras and Smoked Duck with Mandarin, Beetroot Cured Scottish Salmon with Grey Goose Vodka Cream plus Pearl Las and Broccoli Quiche with Piquillo Peppers. 

Cherish’s inspiration for the pastries derive from Theo’s exuberant use of colour as well as his attention to detail. The Salted caramel Pearl and Pistachio Fudge is inspired by Theo’s intricately crafted 18ct Yellow Gold and Pearl Tropical collection, a handcrafted homage to our most beloved ocean dwellers. Cherish also celebrates Theo Fennell’s signature Art Pendants in her Kentish Strawberry with White Balsamic Macaroon. Other pastries include Victoria Plum with Sakura Sponge Mango and Passion with shortbread plus Royal Gala Apple with Champagne.

We think it sounds fabulous and can't wait to try it for ourselves. Have you booked? Let us know what you think - we always love to hear your thoughts!

The Theo Fennell Bijoux Afternoon Tea, priced at £49.00 pp, will be served at the Langham from 8th April until November 2013. For more information and how to book, please visit their website, HERE.

The Afternoon Tea Club: Baking Mad Competition

Fancy yourself as a keen baker? Or maybe you're just starting out and looking for some cake-spiration? Well we have a fantastic prize to give away that might be just the thing you're looking for!

We at The Afternoon Tea Club recently teamed up with the folks at BakingMad.com to take part in their Baking Challenge and chose from their huge range of recipes to create the perfect homemade afternoon tea. Take a look at how we got on here.

We're offering you the chance to get your hands on two fab BakingMad.com books which tell you all you need to know about great British baking and cake decorating.

For your chance to win, simply answer this question:

Name one of the three things we made in our Baking Mad Challenge.

Email your answers, along with your name and address, to theafternoonteaclub@hotmail.co.uk remembering to put 'Baking Mad Competition' in the subject line. The closing date will be midnight on Sunday, March 24 and the winnner will be announced on Monday, March 25.

Good luck!

Terms and Conditions: Open to UK residents only. Only one entry per person. Competition will close at midnight on 24/03/2013. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on 25/03/2013. The Afternoon Tea Club's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. There will be no cash alternative. Winner will be notified via email. By entering the competition the winner agrees to participate in such promotional activity on our website and Twitter. No responsibility can be taken for any entries which are not recieved for any reason. The Afternoon Tea Club operates as a separate entity to bakingmad.com.

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: The Radisson Blu Edwardian, Manchester

Last week the Afternoon Tea Club headed off to the Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel in Manchester to sample some of their lovely afternoon tea in the Opus One Bar. 

Environment

Caroline:

Located in the historic Free Trade Hall on Manchester’s Peter Street, the Radisson Blu Edwardian is a building of grand proportions. From its beautiful Victorian exterior to its undeniably modern interior, this hotel is bubbling with ambiance and has a certain je ne sais quoi which makes for a wonderful afternoon tea.

The striking red themes which run throughout, create a vibrant and luxurious atmosphere, whilst the side room where tea is served extends this theme, also offering a lovely bright aspect onto the street outside, through the inclusion of wonderful feature windows. The furniture is also very comfortable and includes brilliant red-velvet swivel chairs which were an absolute delight and a personal highlight of the afternoon (who can resist a swivel chair?!)

Laura: 

Any unabashed Twi-hard would delight in the fab decor inside the Opus One Bar . Cool and classy, it's kitted out in patent black and red with huge chess pieces dotted around the bar. A very good start and there’s a noticeable contrast moving through to the afternoon tea area as the atmosphere changes, positively of course, as we find ourselves allocated a window table – this is definitely a place to watch the world go by.

There's a lovely feel to this section of the restaurant as the large windows invite great natural lighting and give the illusion of outdoor dining - without having to brave the cold!

The layout is pristine and crisp with white table cloths and super slim fire places. I absolutely loved the scarlet, rotating chairs which made it incredibly easy to get in and out of our seats without any tea spillages - more places should invest in these!

The Radisson Blu Edwardian is modern yet quite understated and certainly makes for a perfect afternoon tea location.

Food

Caroline:

The food at the Radisson was delicious and offered a good selection of traditional classics served on a three tiered silver stand, including: a selection of Finger Sandwiches in a variety of flavours (Beef, Ham, Tuna, Cheese, Prawn and Egg), Plain and Fruit Scones (with Clotted Cream and Tipton Strawberry Jam) and a wonderful array of Cakes and Pastries (Strawberry Tart, Banoffee Pie, Chocolate Cake and Summer Fruit Jelly)

The sandwiches in particular were quite special, being served as a double layer for twice the taste sensation - very impressive. The cheese mayo was my personal favourite - so much so in fact that I also claimed Laura’s for my own! The scones were also lovely and light, being served warm with a dusting of icing sugar for extra effect, whilst the patisserie crowned the stand, taking pride of place at the top. The selection here was very impressive and offered a real focal point to the display. Of this choice, my favourite by far was the Strawberry Tart which had the hidden surprise of a cream filling, which was a very welcome alternative to the usual crème patissiere and got me in the mood for summer!

Laura:

This was the dessert selection I had been waiting for. But before I get down to cakey business, let’s look at what else was on offer.

There are 3 different types of afternoon tea available at the Radisson Blu with one particularly exciting option - a Gentleman's Afternoon Tea. As tempted as I was by the sound of mini Yorkshire puds and pork pies - my sweet tooth got the best of me and I chose to sample the Traditional Afternoon Tea.

There was a great selection of sandwiches with a good mix of fillings including beef, prawn, tuna, egg and ham. My favourite was definitely the beef - simple and not overdone by other toppings that might otherwise make it too fussy.

Next up were the scones. I was very happy to find we were given a fruit scone and plain scone each and both were incredibly soft and still warm with a good amount of jam and cream.

And finally, the the final tier, the fabulous dessert selection. Oh my. Picture this; banoffee pie, chocolate cake, strawberry tart and summer fruits jelly - perfect. The banoffee pie was lovely and fluffy and the chocolate cake was just delicious.

The fruit jelly was certainly very different and made for a great refresher at the end of our tea.

These desserts were all quite rich which might be a bit much for some diners when presented together - but if you can't manage to finish it all, the lovely staff will box anything left over for you to take home.

Of course we found no problem in finishing the entire thing!

Service

Caroline:

I always feel that I tend to say the same things when reviewing service, but once again the waiters at the Radisson worked to a very high standard. All staff were very attentive and made sure that we were well looked after, whilst the personal welcome from the charming bar manager was also a nice touch. On a purely aesthetic note, I really loved the fact that everyone was wearing suits - It gave the place an executive/business feel which I liked very much. Great Job!

Laura: 

The service here was carried out to such a high standard. Our server took extra care to explain all of the different tiers and was very attentive when it came to topping up our hot drinks.

Each member of staff we encountered was friendly, with one lovely lady engaging in a joke with us when collecting our coats. This gave the service a much more genuine feel yet still remained top class.

Overall Thoughts

Caroline:
I really enjoyed our afternoon at the Radisson Blu Edwardian and would recommend it to anyone wanting to experience a traditional tea in a relaxed environment. The food is lovely and the service impeccable. Overall a very enjoyable afternoon, that I wouldn’t hesitate to repeat - Next time I'd love to try their Savory/Gentleman's tea which sounds fabulous!


Laura:

This was definitely one of my favourite afternoon tea menus. I would go back here simply for the choice and the service. It's an impressive space and you are made to feel extremely welcome. I think next time I will have try the Gentleman's Afternoon Tea, such a unique idea and certainly one to look out for. Just a delightful afternoon.

Cupcake Rating:






 

The Radisson Blu Edwardian Hotel is located on Peter Street, Manchester City Centre. Afternoon Tea Prices start from £16.95pp. For more information please visit their website HERE

Product Review: Twinings Fruit Tea

A few weeks ago the lovely people at Twinings sent us a selection of their yummy fruit teas to try and this is what we thought:

Fruit Teas

Caroline: 

I don't have a lot of fruit tea experience, being more of an Earl Grey and English Breakfast Tea kind of girl, but I was very excited to see what Twinings had to offer. The selection we received was very generous and included: Blackcurrant and Vanilla, Lemon and Ginger, Camomile and Spiced Apple, Mango and Strawberry and Apple Crunch.

I'll be honest, I liked some better than others, but this was largely down to personal preference - I've never been a fan of Camomile or Ginger - so inevitably these weren't to my taste. Due to this I feel that it would be unfair for me to comment on either of these varieties, as I may be unnecessarily biased.

The Selection

I will however offer my opinions on the other three varieties, which I found to be surprisingly good. For me, whenever I try something new, I have to break myself in and get used to it before I can really enjoy it - for example a few months ago I started drinking Nettle tea and hated it, but now it's one of my go to drinks (you do have to be persistent though!) - For some of these teas it took me a couple of tries before I could appreciate them fully, the Mango and Strawberry in particular, but once I got used to the flavours I definitely found myself being converted.

My absolute favourite out of this selection was the Blackcurrant and Vanilla, which was fresh and fruity whilst also being incredibly soothing. The aroma in particular was lovely, with initial sweet blackcurrant flavours  which later gave way to vanillary undertones. It's great as a winter warmer but also equally pleasant when served cold with a couple of ice cubes - a drink for the whole year 'round. The Apple Crunch was another favourite, with refreshing mellow flavours and a lovely aroma, whilst the Mango and Strawberry was surprisingly zesty, with orange hues which initially took me by surprise - However, after a few cups I was completely convinced! 

Twinings!

Laura:
I've always been much more of a coffee-head rather than a tea drinker but more recently I have swayed over to the fruity tea side, so I was really excited to try Twinings warming flavours.

Like Caroline said, we received a very generous selection and I must say it was difficult to choose where to start! I have tried lemon and camomile teas in the past - camomile being pretty much a staple when it came to destressing after a long day during my time at uni! Twinings Camomile and Spiced Apple flavour was certainly very different still wonderfully calming with the spiced apple notes proving very subtle - lovely.

I've got to say my favourite was definitely the Mango and Strawberry. Such a unique flavour and the aroma was perfectly calming yet the fruitiness still gave it a refreshing kick. A close second was the Blackcurrent and Vanilla. I wasn't too sure if I was going to love this one as I would never think to put those two flavours together but I was pleasantly surprised. Again, the flavours were quite neutral but enough to let both shine through.

I also shared the tea love with my family and encouraged them try a few cups - Lemon and Ginger came out on top in my household and we were left with an empty box rather quickly!

If you like your tea but want to try something different, I would definitely recommend Twinings great selection. Gorgeously fruity and perfect for relaxation - go try!

For more info and where to buy head to http://www.twinings.co.uk