Afternoon Tea at The Dorchester

The Dorchester.

Earl grey tea

This week's post is a little bit of London right before I jet off for fall break!

Although tea has already been featured on this blog, this tea time is in a class all its own.

Afternoon tea at The Dorchester is one of the more posh tea services in London along the likes of The Ritz or Fortnum & Mason. Although it costs a pretty penny, afternoon tea here is an unforgettable, luxurious experience that really encompasses the peaceful aura of tea time. For two full hours, you are treated to a perpetual stream of savories, sweets, and tea that will leave you in a completely dream-like food coma.

Smoked salmon, chopped egg, and seafood finger sandwiches

Chicken and cucumber finger sandwiches

From the moment you sink into the plush cushions of your seat to the moment you (try) to stand, the delectable tea treats do not end. The bread used in finger sandwiches is of great importance; it should compliment the textures and flavors of whatever rests inside. Each sandwich at The Dorchester had its own personality yet the flavors were still light on the palate.

Chocolate-coffee mousse in a chocolate cup

A truly amusing amuse bouche that toyed with the idea of coffee during afternoon tea. 

Raisin scone with clotted cream and jam

And of course, tea is not tea without its scones. Quaint little scones that had bursts of sweet raisin to add to the sweet jam and marmalade.

A rainbow of sweets

A raspberry macaron, passion fruit-coconut cake, strawberry tart, apricot financier, and mint chocolate tart finished afternoon tea with just as much flavor and variety as the finger sandwiches. But even beyond the superb food and service, the atmosphere at The Dorchester is magical. A live pianist softly singing to his own music, the clink of teacups on saucers, the quiet chatter amongst tables...they all make afternoon tea a little vacation or escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Bea's of Bloomsbury

Meringues = eton mess.

Bea's of Bloomsbury.

Bloomsbury, London.

A story of serendipi-tea:

Bea's is a bakery cafe that my roommate and I happened upon while walking through Bloomsbury. Little did we know, it is headed by Chef Bea Vo, a Nobu pastry alumna who set off on her own to create this labor of love and found success along the way. It's a humble little spot that doesn't need too many words and is best explained through pictures.

Fruit salad, a duffin, and chai tea.

Come throughout the day and see a magically different display every time. 

Breakfast offers muffins, scones, breads, and pastries along with the curious "duffin".

Duffin!

What is a duffin you ask?

A muffin-shaped cake doughnut filled with tart berry jam.  Breaking it open reveals a buttery, dense cake kept moist by the toasty sugar crust. 

Assam Breakfast Black Tea.

At around 3PM, afternoon tea begins! For something lighter than the "Afternoon Tea" , there is the "Sweet Tea" with all the usual confections minus the tea sandwiches.

Solitary brown sugar cube in white tea cup. Modern art with political undertones?

Nothing is nearly as beautiful as the swirl of milk in tea.

Never take your tea with both milk and lemon because the acid in the lemon will cause the milk to curdle.

Top tier: cassis and caramel cupcakes, walnut brownies, blondies.
Bottom tier: homemade passion fruit marshmallows, brownies, scones, mini meringues.

Scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserves.

And what is tea without scones? Bea's scones are tender and quaint in comparison to the hulking, dry monstrosities sold in some US coffee/tea shops. Served with a little warmth from the oven, they are to be slathered with strawberry preserves and clotted cream, a thick cream with sunny color due to high butterfat content.

Cassis cupcake.

Italian buttercream, you either love it or you hate it. 

Here, the moist cupcakes are hampered by unctuous Italian buttercream. Overwhelming lardy flavor weighs down the cassis even though the frosting is whipped so much it seems almost illusory.

Mini raspberry meringues.

Sweet Tea ends beautifully with ephemeral bites of meringue and wobbly passion fruit marshmallow.