Spring is upon us, the most beautiful time of year when the baby livestock are born, the flowers are in bloom – adding colour to the beautiful towns and cities we live in and the sun starts to shine once again. Leaving behind the slump of a long winter and encouraging people to break out into a gleeful skip, enjoying more time outside amongst nature. However, spring as we know it is a combination of rainy spells that have come through from the winter season and often enough that completely ruins the fun weekend plans we have outside. Well, I have the perfect weekend alternative for you, something just as fun and very delicious indeed!
Royal Lancaster London has launched their smashing new Bloomin’ Brilliant Floral afternoon tea and it’s definitely somewhere you want to be on the weekend, adding that spring in your step, even on those gloomy, wet weekends.
It had been a while since I last visited the Lancaster London, which they then refurbished and rebranded to be the Royal Lancaster London (which actually used to be their name!) but for the 50th anniversary of the hotel, bringing back the old name felt right. Quite rightly too, because the hotel has truly transformed into something ‘royal’ now.
We started our afternoon tea with a glass of Moet & Chandon Rosé champagne, ready for an afternoon of indulgence.
To accompany the main part of our tea, we chose a couple of teas to try between us. I was throughly impressed by the selection of teas that were available, so it was an incredibly hard choice. We ended up ordering a pot of Spiced Chai and Persian Pomegranate. The Chai had a divine flavour of a range of spices and tasted very similar to the spices I use when making typical Indian tea. It definitely delivered the afternoon pick me up I needed though. The Persian Pomegranate was fruity, a little tangy whist delivering a sweet infusion into the mix.
Shortly after our teas, the full stand of afternoon tea arrived too. Complete with the savouries and sweet treats. The best part about afternoon tea at the Royal Lancaster is that they bake the scones so they are fresh for you. You just have to notify your waiter or waitress 5 minutes prior and they will come out piping hot.
The savouries were made up with cucumber, rock salt and crush black pepper on saffron bread, bouquet of English asparagus, sun-blushed tomatoes and red amaranth, free range Barradale farm egg with wild baby cress and my citrus chamomile tea-smoked salmon rose sandwich was replaced with a piccolo pepper rose sandwich instead. My favourite was definitely the asparagus and sun-blushed tomato sandwich, all the flavours came together so well and I have not had anything quite like it before.
My favourite part of an afternoon tea is the scones by far. Nothing beats a well made scone, especially when they are so fresh and warm that the clotted cream melts onto the scone perfectly. Mmmm!
We were served up a plain and raisin scone each, served with Cornish clotted cream and home-made strawberry preserve and marmalade. Heaven.
The sweet treats tier included a range of delicious pastries, macrons and desserts. We were served lemon and elderflower sable domes, Valrhona chocolate flower pots, with crystallised violet, fresh strawberry tarts with lime custard and basil, orange blossom and ginger macarons that had the Royal Lancaster London branding on it and lastly the delicious milk chocolate and lavender lollipop. Breaking into the centre, you got a ganache like chocolate inside that made for the best sweet finish to a fantastic afternoon tea.
The Royal Lancaster really know how to put together a fantastic afternoon tea. The Blooming’ Brilliant Floral afternoon tea will be available to the public from 2nd May until June 2018. So be sure to get into the spring spirit whilst you can!
Until next time…
