The Afternoon Tea Club Cuts the Cake

Ah January, detox month – time to ask for gluttonous forgiveness and get over those overindulgent chocolate binges and festive drinks.

Whittard's Green Tea.

But if you’re anything like us, the chocolate pile from Christmas, doesn’t just disappear come the last verse of Auld Lang Syne. With all the good intentions of gym memberships, substituting orange Matchmakers for carrot sticks and fitting that 20 minute run into your lunch hour, it just seems a little bit sad, wasteful, criminal even, to throw away those untouched boxes of Malteasars.

So rather than punish ourselves, we declared February would be our realistic detox month – time to ditch the cake and start the detox!

Goodbye cake, hello fruit ... tea.

The lovely people at Whittard got us into the spirit with a detox package perfect for tea lovers like us. Bundled together with the Whittard seal of approval was a beautifully presented tin of green teas, caffeine free fruit tea and our very own Pao mugs equipped with infusers – suddenly, detox didn’t seem so scary!

Superior Green Tea selection.

Putting our new mugs to the test, we went for the loose fruit tea. There’s something about the smell of the Strawberry and Kiwi tea that just wakes you up. It’s refreshing and airy and though we did leave it to brew for quite a long time, it doesn’t hit you in the face which is good if you’re feeling a little bit un-enthused about the whole cutting-down thing.

Gotta love accessories.

From the green tea selection our favourites had to be the Strawberry and Rhubarb and Gunpowder flavours. On completely opposite ends of the tea spectrum, the Rhubarb flavour was subtle but pleasant, something to wind down with, whereas the Gunpowder was, as you would imagine a little heavier and smoky.

The verdict? If you’re hoping to battle the February fitness climb, these teas are the perfect companion to give you a little sweet fix and feel good about it. 

For more info visit www.whittard.co.uk and let us know how your tea detox is going at @TeacupReview!

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Chocolate and Orange Scones by Sconnoisseur

A few weeks ago the guys at Sconnoisseur (cool name, right?) sent across a lovely parcel of Chocolate and Orange scones for us to try out. Now, I'm not usually a fan of chocolate orange treats - show me a Chocolate Orange at Xmas and I'll run for the hills - but after looking through the Sconnoisseur site and seeing the team's commitment to using only the finest ingredients and luxury combinations, I knew I had to give them a go.

For around £11 you can buy a box of four individually wrapped scones, with jam and tea, and whilst this may be a little more expensive than supermarket varieties, the Sconnoisseur presentation really makes the product, offering a bit of luxury for those after a treat - just look at that box!

Flavourwise, they don't disappoint either with the subtle blend of chocolate and citrus combining really well to create a zesty but dense scone - making for a lovely alternative to the traditional raisin and a far cry from the overpowering chocolate orange sweets I've tried in the past.

All in all, I'd definitely recommend Sconnoisseur to anyone looking to treat a loved one to Afternoon Tea at home - a great way to inject a bit of luxury into your celebrations!

Take a look at the full range of Sconnoisseur goodies here

What's your favourite variety of scone?

  

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Carlo's Bake Shop, Las Vegas

If you’re a fan of any TV show that involves cake then you’re bound to have come across Carlo’s Bake Shop on the popular TV show Cake Boss. On a recent trip to Las Vegas we were lucky enough to sample some of the sweet treats this famous bakery has to offer.

Carlo's Bake Shop, Las Vegas.

Yeah we won’t lie, we got in to a bit of a daily routine of stopping by the shop for a morning croissant and latte – the novelty certainly didn’t wear off!

But the main attractions that caught our eye were the wonderful biscuit miniatures - presented in a cute Carlos Bake Shop box. This bite size box was perfect for taking home to share … or eating in the hotel and then rushing back to buy some more for friends back in good old Blighty.

Biscuits to go.

The biscuits come in all shapes and sizes with pink and green sprinkles, jam and chocolate flavours alternating through each one. Apologies for the post-US Airways-battering, evident in the photo. That’s either the airline’s fault for poor transportation or ours for failing to take a decent photo before munching on the first batch – we’ll take the fall for this one.

The taste? As you would expect from one of the US’s favourite bakers: buttery perfection.

Have you tried any famous bakes? Tweet us at @TeacupReview #FamousCakes

The Afternoon Tea Club Reviews: Manchester House, Manchester

A few weeks ago, we donned our finest attire and headed to one of Manchester's most exclusive restaurants and bars to sample their afternoon tea menu. Here's what we thought:

Manchester House is one of those places that always has rave reviews. From its towering city views, to its impressive menus, this restaurant has quickly become the talk of Manchester's dining scene, with everyone and their mother wanting a piece of the action. 

As the restaurant is almost always booked up, we were delighted to hear that their Afternoon Tea was something that we'd be able to get in for on relatively short notice - and boy were we excited!

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by one of the bar's lovely hostesses who was ready and waiting to show us to our table - even in spite of us being around 10 mins late - so sorry to keep you waiting!

We were very excited at the prospect of trying food from Manchester House and really wanted to love it, and whilst we didn't hate anything that was put in front of us, we couldn't help but feel let down by its quality. The sandwiches in particular were disappointing, presenting a simple trio of cucumber, cheese and egg, alongside a ham bagel/roll, which I found to be quite limited and not what I'd anticipated. The cakes were better, offering a good selection of Northern inspired treats such as the Eccles Cake and Manchester Tart, however, again I still felt slightly uninspired by the colour schemes and options available - I'd rather have had something a little more delicate and patisserie style. 

Whilst the Manchester House afternoon tea didn't exactly rock my world, their full menu is still something that I'd definitely like to try. Their reputation in the city is second to none and I don't doubt, that I would be impressed if given the chance to sample their savoury delicacies.

When spending money on a premium afternoon tea, I like to be wowed - perhaps with an original presentation like the IC Westminster's recent Chelsea Flower Show Green House, or an unlimited supply of food like the Milestone hotel - but unfortunately on this occasion, I wasn't.

I had very high expectations of Manchester House, and whilst their offering was by no means bad, it definitely didn't live up to my imagination. 

On a brighter note, the views and surroundings are definitely some of the finest that the city has to offer, so if you're looking for a comfortable and elegant surround then you will be impressed by what Manchester House has to offer.

For more information and prices, please visit their website here

Have you tried afternoon tea at Manchester House? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

A Year in Tea - Top Tea Reviews from 2014

As another great year for Afternoon Tea addicts comes to a close we look back at some of the best teas we tasted in 2014. 

WARNING – Prepare to experience some serious food envy.

Grand Pacific, Australasia, Manchester

Sushi Afternoon Tea

“Gone are the cucumber sandwiches of traditional afternoon teas, in favour of tuna, salmon and mushroom Sushi and Nigiri on the base, whilst a wonderful Asian seafood and noodle medley replaces the scones. With neither of us being particular sushi fans prior to this afternoon tea experience, we're pleased to report that Grand Pacific have managed to convert us.”

Review here.

The Rosewater Bakery

Tea for Two at home.

“Now, we don’t know about you, but there’s little more exciting than a huge pink box filled with cake - it's just a fact. Wrapped in luxury gold gift paper, the Rosewater Bakery’s delivered Afternoon Tea hamper is a winner from the get go and girly girls will absolutely love the array of rosy accents and ribbons.”

Review here.

The Wellbeing Farm, Bolton

The Wellbeing Farm.

“Located in the rural backdrop of Bolton, this tea room is surrounded by stunning views of green fields and hills with a few animal friends to keep you company – it was a shock to drive past a free roaming llama we must admit!”

Review here.

The Milestone Revisited – Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea, London

“Gentleman's afternoon tea has always been a temptation that we've lusted after, but never dared pursue. Reluctant to betray our cakey treats, we've remained faithful to the end, leaving the scotch eggs to the lads. However, when we heard that our favourite hotel had launched a male option, our resolution gave way.”

Review here.

Urban Afternoon Tea - Hilton Doubletree, Manchester

Urban Afternoon Tea.

“Usually, city centres are not exactly our location of choice on a scorching summer's day but the moment we stepped out onto the hotel's eleventh floor balcony we thought 'ah, this is where the fresh air lives!'.”

Review here.

Edible Garden Afternoon Tea at the IntercontinentalWestminster, London

Greenhouse Afternoon Tea.

“After we'd devoured the allotment stage, we moved on to the garden itself. Presented underneath a fantastic glass greenhouse, this second part of the tea really is its crowning glory … every cake was a spectacle and very much a feast for the eyes.”

Review here.

Bettys, York

Classic Bettys Tea

Caroline – “As a little girl, I loved nothing more than going to Bettys with my parents. The gentile surroundings and beautiful tea services, fascinated my curiosity for times gone by and secured the establishment's place in my heart. As an adult, this love has continued, making Bettys one of my go to places for a good pick me up or escape from reality.”

Review here.

Charlotte in the City – The York and Albany, Camden

The York and Albany

“The trendy townhouse restaurant is part of Gordon Ramsay’s portfolio and is known for its comforting starters and meaty mains. We had planned a week-night quickie but after the first sip of Earl Grey & Grapefruit Sour cocktail, served in a large glass tea pot, we decided clock-watching was off the cards and a mid-week hangover most likely.”

Review here.

It’s been a pretty good year for tea and cake (we all managed to get over #bingate eventually) but as the new year approaches it’s time to start looking forward to all of the teas that 2015 has in store. Tweet us with some of your fave teas from 2014 and tell us about the ones you’re looking forward to in the new year @TeacupReview #YearInTea.