As experts in the finger sandwiches and cake department, we
often get asked what some of our favourite components are for the perfect
Afternoon Tea. So we thought it would be a good idea to give you a little run
down of some of our top picks for a successful tea.
It starts with a simple sandwich ...
Savoury selection at IC Westminster. |
Every successful afternoon tea starts with a good range of
sandwiches. A simple ham sandwich on plain white bread is fine but this is
Afternoon Tea – it needs some pizazz! A nice range of breads makes a world of difference,
as do fillings with a slight twist in spread or presentation. We see this more
and more often these days but a good addition to a savoury palette is a mini
smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese – a traditional filling but the bagel
gives it a bit of added cool.
Top tip! For extra points, a completely different form of savoury
miniature is always a good option to go with. Think a homemade sausage roll or
pie.
Rosewater Bakery - Rosewater scones. |
You can’t have afternoon tea without scones – well you can,
but you best have a good replacement! A great way to make such a standard
component that little bit special is to have a signature flavour. We have come
across fantastic rosewater scones and apple flavours on our travels. These
subtle flavours just give this staple an extra kick and can really add to a
running theme that’s identifiable with a particular venue.
Top tip! If scones are a little too conventional, strawberry
shortcake makes a worthy substitute.
Some people can take them or leave them, we’re fans but
there has to be a point to them be that an interesting colour theme or unusual
flavour. Macaroons that surprise you with their flavour work really well, like
a chocolate style one that’s actually filled with blackcurrant flavour – yum!
Top tip! Mix things up, offer a choice of a couple of flavours
depending on the size of the tea.
Whilst it’s good to be quirky it’s important not to ignore
the basics. These things are classics for a reason. A good slice of victoria
sponge or lemon drizzle never goes a miss and is quite often more popular than
a fussy three layer cake.
Top tip! Adding a caramel swirl or a hotel signature brand on top can
give what would appear to be a boring old victoria sponge, just a little
sparkle.
You would not believe the amount of tearooms we visit that
neglect the importance of the tea part of Afternoon Tea. A choice of tea goes a
long way in our books, even if we do often go for a simple old earl grey but
this is where venues can really get creative and often miss the opportunity.
Top tip! Get creative with names and presentation. The irresistible aroma from an assortment of
tea can really set the mood and make for a much more interactive event.
Of course a tea has got to taste good but we eat with our
eyes first and presentation is so important for making a good tea. There’s no
one size fits all, whether its all matchy, matchy or a bit hotchpotch,
Afternoon Tea should have a style that makes you go wow.
Top tip! From cute glasses for a mousse to a miniature greenhouse,
Afternoon Tea should be something to remember and cool accents like this can
really set a tea apart.
So there’s just a few things that in our humble opinion,
make for a pretty perfect Afternoon Tea. What about you - What are some of your
essential components? Tweet us @TeacupReview #EssentialAfternoonTea.
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