Afternoon tea

[Gemini]

I'm sure this is a topic close to many of our hearts
A good afternoon tea is a treat. A leisurely affair, over little tasty sandwiches, home made scones, jam and cream and a selection of tiny cakes. Usually arranged on 3 tier cake stands. Plenty of tea or coffee of your choice, sometimes champagne too, if you like! Good for celebrations, get-togethers, or just when you want to indulge and enjoy!

The only criticism I usually have is I would prefer more sandwiches and a couple less cakes. Bettys in York does wonderful afternoon teas, well worth treating yourself if you are there. Many hotels do very good ones. A local independent café, a favourite of mine, run by 2 ladies, do wonderful generous afternoon teas. We had DD1s baby shower and my 60th tea party there, excellent afternoon tea both times.

Yesterday I went to afternoon tea at hotel and spa out of town, with 2 friends. My friend and I had bought this as a birthday gift for our mutual friend. I had a lovely afternoon, sitting chatting to my friends, drinking tea and enjoying the food. However the sandwiches were a huge disappointment! It is customary to have 4 types (I of each for each person) and this was the case yesterday. They were: Egg, tomato, smoked salmon, cucumber. Now there is nothing wrong with a tomato sandwich, or a cucumber one for for that matter, but when you are paying almost £20 head, surely little chicken or ham, or some cream cheese with the salmon wouldn't go amiss!? I see a visit to Trip Advisor coming on!

So, what is your ideal afternoon tea, and have you had any good or bad experiences of them?

[Plantaholic]

I wouldn't be able to do justice to an afternoon tea, I would only manage one cake and one cup of tea. Sounds lovely though, perhaps if I didn't eat anything else all day I might manage it

[admin]

I'm not sure I could cope with the calories Gem unless I didn't have breakfast or supper My parents used to love going out for tea but as a couple we don't.

Whoops in as admin when you know it is Elisi!

[Oma]

I love afternoon tea and although it sounds a lot the sandwiches and cakes are all small finger sandwiches and dainty scones and cakes . I agree Liz a few more thought out sandwiches would be better , I have been to Bettys for tea it was lovely ,we also had afternoon tea in a hotel a couple years ago that was excellent but we went with friends to one once and it was £15 a head and very disappointing so I think it depends where you go

[Gemini]

We tend to have it in place of lunch Elisi, rather than as well as My mum is the same as you Plant. She does enjoy it, but can't eat lot. She tends to take a lot home in a napkin for later though

[WeeGranny]

DD took me to Afternoon Tea with Champagne in London several years ago! It tasted even better knowing that we weren't paying for it as a friend of DD's was in charge of the restaurant!

[Qwerty]

That wouldn't suit my OH he likes none of the above but it sounds like a lovely treat for your friend !

[Daisy]

I love the idea of afternoon tea. It conjures up pictures of leisurely days and time to linger over a non-essential meal. Gemini, my favourite sandwiches are tomato. When I was a student i had tomato sandwiches for lunch every day. I can't eat cream, but the concept of a cream tea without the cream sounds wonderful. It depends what the other cakes were - iced fancies, battenburg slices, anything with marzipan, anything with dried fruit - all would be lovely. The one thing I wouldn't want is champagne. I love champagne but it seems all wrong with afternoon tea. Give me a pot of proper tea, made with real tea leaves in a china cup and saucer, and I'm in heaven.

[Nanto2girls]

We never have afternoon tea, but it sounds like some of you have had some enjoyable ones.Agree with Gemini though,for £20 a head, I would expect maybe some ham or chicken.

[Gemini]

Yesterday, Daisy the cakes were : Small scones (delicious) tiny thin slices of fruit loaf, lemon loaf (both lovely) and banana loaf (YUKKKKK!!) Just my opinion LOL. On the top tier were what I call the sickly cakes! Tiny macarons, tiny squares of orange mousse cake, tiny tasteless creamy dessert in a shot glass, tiny éclair. So, if you avoided some of the top tier, and didn't have cream with your scone and jam, you would have been fine

[Daisy]

Gemini - yes, lots there I'd love, but not the banana loaf! It looks like we would both have left that on the plate! I would certainly have enjoyed it.

[Guest]

I've only ever had an afternoon tea twice, both were gifts. One was at the Radison in central London which was very poor, and I suspect expendive, the other was at Blenheim Palace which was excellent. I can't remember all the details now but it included champagne and fancy sandwiches followed by scones, tea cakes, and I think éclairs and lavendar flavoured meringues and other delights. The setting was lovely. Mind, we couldn't eat dinner after all that!

[Daisy]

One unforgettable afternoon tea was in America. We were visiting OH's sister and family and had been out to a brilliant themed restaurant for lunch and enjoyed typical huge American portions. SIL's Australian friend had invited us round for tea that afternoon, which we thought was just that - a cup of tea, but she'd done the full works - sandwiches, cakes of every description, all beautifully laid out. Our hearts sank because were were so full from lunch and all we really wanted was a cuppa. The friend greeted us very warmly and then apologied because her kettle had broken and she's made coffee instead of tea. We did our best to do justice to the feast, but it was a poor effort and we felt awful because the friend had gone to so much trouble.

[Avo]

Two weeks ago we had the weekend in London and stayed at The Royal Horseguards a five * hotel. We had afternoon tea it was £35 per person (£45 if you wanted a glass of champagne with it) and once you had finished the sandwiches the waiter came round with another two platefuls. Then there were the cakes and after that scones, jam and cream. As we were going to the theatre after we didn't bother with dinner. (Sadly the hotel did not meet our expectations in other areas and we would not return). We have also had afternoon tea at The Savoy where we have stayed a couple of times and The Goring when we stayed there (that's where the Duchess of Cambridge and her family stayed the night before her wedding). There is a lovely tea shop down by the river in Ely where we sometimes go for afternoon tea. Any excuse for a proper afternoon tea and i'm there!

[Oma]

Qwerty hubby like yours he doesn't like afternoon tea thinks its a waste of money but he has tagged along with me and our friends then the two men sit grumbling that its tiny while me and friend enjoy it . I do think its a woman type of thing