Taking time out of a busy schedule to indulge in the
centuries-old tradition of afternoon tea is a pure indulgence. So when you
allow yourself this luxury, you want to ensure that you are going to experience
the best. And afternoon tea does not come much better than that served at the
Rose Lounge, Sofitel London St James where the service is always spot on.
The Rose Lounge, decorated in calming shades of cream and
pink, provides an intimate yet
sophisticated ambience in which to listen to the soothing sounds of the harpist
while savouring finger sandwiches, freshly-baked scones and exquisite pastries,
all served with a French twist.
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| Afternoon tea |
During May the
afternoon tea menu pays homage to the Chelsea Flower Show. Of
course, the tea itself plays an important part in this ritual. And as you would
expect from specialist teas emanating from Damman Frères, the largest and
oldest French teahouse, they are delicious. I picked the White Tea
Passion de Fleurs, a delicate white tea with delicate rose, apricot and passion
fruit aromas which was most enjoyable.
After nibbling on a selection of sandwiches including smoked
salmon and crème fraîche and ham and cheese on beetroot bread, it was time to
turn my attention to the warm scones. It was hard to decide between the plain,
apricot and sultana so I had to try them all.
I did save some room for what I call the main event, the
pastries. Well, this is something at
which the French excel. The cakes may not have resembled flowers, but
the flavours were redolent of their aromas. The Rose Macaron filled with
raspberries was my favourite. I was also seduced by the Mimosa, which was light
and tangy.
Whiling a couple of hours here is something I could easily
get used to.
By Daralyn Danns
The Chelsea Flower Show Afternoon Tea will be served
throughout May from 12pm to 6pm in the Rose Lounge For more information visit www.sofitelstjames.com
