Trifter

Home James, and don’t spare the horses! There’s no denying the English of their deep-seeded reputations of being a little toffee-nosed. But we also cannot deny them of the age old English tradition that is probably the most fantasised afternoon excursion for a female traveller with preconceived ideas of British lifestyle. That is of course, High Tea.

The sheer name is riddled with aristocracy. Many a time have I walked by hotel windows trying not to stare too long past the panes of glass that separate my humble life from the pompous, higher English class.

Such was my attitude toward the High Tea society before I sat down to afternoon tea with a fellow Australian in the Park Room of Grosvenor House on Park Lane.

I was late for my booking and just my luck, it was a hot summer’s day. Who’d have thought an English summer day would actually be hot? As I arrived, out of breath and slightly over-heated from my dash between the tube and Grosvenor House, I was greeted with a friendly smile from the once-thought-of pompous man in top hat and coat tails.

Still feeling slightly out of my comfort zone, I entered and was shown to the Park Room where two of my friends were waiting. Despite its imperial appearance, it had a Grandmotherly feel to it. With light olive and maroon décor, stately lounges, shorter than usual wooden tables and a pianist playing classics and more modern, I felt surprisingly more relaxed than I’d presumed I would have.

Aiding my relaxation was the champagne we’d ordered to begin our social afternoon. The cool glass of bubbles complimented the tropical fruit glass which was offered as a starter. The finely diced fruits were fresh and crisp, sweet yet refreshing and soaking in pineapple juice and was a great palate cleanser.

We each ordered an individual pot of tea and I opted for the aromatic Lady Grey. A lighter alternative to Earl Grey, it was refreshing, infused with the flavour of orange, lemon and bergamot and a perfect vessel to move from the crisp, fruity starter to the tower of goodies which followed.

The Anna’s Tea selection came as a three-tiered presentation of triangle cut sandwiches, scones and patisseries, and a side tray holding bowls of chunky strawberry jam, fresh clotted cream and thick, sticky honey.

Grosvenor House’s Park Room has taken inspiration from ten other High Tea establishments to perfect its menu and have changed its scone recipe 14 times in pursuit of excellence.

Starting with the triangle sandwiches, there was a selection of cucumber, ham and cheese, salmon and egg varieties. I tried the quintessential cucumber sandwich, for contextual reasons, and was genuinely surprised with the option I would not normally favour. It is possible to make a cucumber sandwich enjoyable if, in this case, it is on fresh wholemeal bread with some cream cheese and a dose of fresh cracked pepper. Secondly I indulged with the classic ham and cheese sandwich on soft white bread which was an almost creamy contrast to the former selection. Perfect.

Next were the anticipated scones which, to be truthful, I didn’t have much expectation. There are a lot of bad scones but you do get lucky sometimes with a good one. With its crusty outer shell and slightly dense and moist insides, I can honestly say that until that point I never knew what a real scone tastes like. A curse in some ways, because I will never enjoy scones again unless they taste like this one. Adding the not-too-sweet jam with real chunks of strawberries topped with thick, sticky, clotted cream is what dreams are made of.

We admired the selection of miniature cakes, tarts and patisseries upon reaching the top of the platter and decided the best thing to do was divide each item into three. Messy but fair.

The coffee flavoured profiterole was unbefitting actually. As far as profiteroles go it had a rich flavour and creamy texture with a light and crisp shell and would be enjoyed as an accompaniment to coffee. However, amongst the fresher, more complimentary selections, the intense flavour came across as bitter and a little out of place.

The vanilla slice with a twist of pineapple was a better option. Perfect texture, the smoothness of the custard filling welcomely interrupted by scattered crushed pineapple, the crispness of the pastry bringing out the flavour of the vanilla – a beautiful combination not always achieved to such perfection. However, there was a subtle burnt flavour on the top of the pastry.

The light fruit cake was too dry and had chunks of glazed cherries which did not allow other fruit flavours to come through. It was a let down for a fruit cake fan.

Another cake, chocolate this time, topped with miniature decorative and edible cherries. Lovely cream texture, the right balance of cocoa, moist and topped with a velvet chocolate icing – everything a chocolate cake should be.

Finally, a very light tasting custard with a lovely and sweet shortbread base and fresh berries on top – the mini custard tart with a berry topping, washed down with the last of my Lady Grey was the perfect way to finish.

Sitting in contentment with the food, surroundings and company, I realised to my surprise that those little items of food could satisfy three women. With Anna’s Tea at only £25, it was an impressive and well-rounded dining experience that could easily become a weekly ritual.

Perhaps my impression of the Old English is outdated but I felt, in the end quite at home and I honestly didn’t want to leave. Maybe it had something to do with the downpour that had begun. Sunshine, High Tea and rain, it truly was an all-round, quintessentiallyEnglish afternoon.