The tradition of taking tea and that little bit of something between lunch and dinner had long been a feature at Fortnum & Mason. In this post we experienced possibly the classiest afternoon tea ever at the amazing Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. The Salon was opened back on march 2012 by Her Majesty The Queen in person and since then it has become a stylish destination for the most traditional of afternoon teas. Enjoy!
Alice at Fortnum
Before entering the store the first thing that really catches the eye are the beautifully decorated windows of the shop. Fortnum’s windows have always been absolutely fantastic, but this time we were particularly amazed! To celebrate the release of the latest chapter of the new Disney and Tim Burton’s film ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’, Fortnum & Mason has given up its windows for the very first time in 309-year of history.
The shop’s windows have been Alice-themed decorated and filled with looking glasses, massive chess pieces and butterflies, as well as gold pocket watches, and swinging pendulums and beautiful flowers.
When inside the shop you’ll be even able to see Alice’s original costume from the film worn by Mia Wasikowska, who looks like she is falling from this beautiful spiral staircase decorated with pretty pink flowers. Isn’t it gorgeous?
The Afternoon Tea
The elegant Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon is an oasis of calm in the busy Piccadilly store, and the perfect place to enjoy the famous Fortnum & Mason Afternoon Tea. As a retreat from London’s hustle and bustle, the tea salon is ideal for a relaxing shopping break, with its dining table or sofa seating and its serene ambiance and panoramic vista of Piccadilly, enhanced by the peaceful piano playing in the background.
We decided to have a rare tea from the Yunnan province called Huang Ya Cha Yellow Buds and for the Royal Blend, a classical Fortnum’s blend. The Hung Ya is is pale gold and mellow, with a sweet avour that has hints of apricot and pear and the waiter explained that it comprises only delicate golden buds.
We chose the Fortnum’s Classical Afternoon Tea and the Fortnum’s Savoury Afternoon Tea, so that we could experience both sweets and savouries. The classic afternoon tea includes beautiful finger sandwiches with Fortnum’s Smoked Salmon, Coronation Chicken with Cucumber and Mint & Cream Cheese, Honey Roast Ham with Grain Mustard and Rare Breed Hen’s Egg Mayonnaise with English Cress.
No tea is complete without scones! Here, because it is a classic afternoon tea, you will find Plain & Fruit Scones accompanied by Somerset clotted cream and a choice of Fortnum’s preserves: Lemon Curd, Raspberry, Strawberry and Wild Blueberry.
Lastly, the crowning glory of the classic afternoon tea are divine cakes and fancies. Also, the individual Pâtisserie Selection from the Cake Carriage is included.
Fortnum’s Savoury Afternoon Tea includes the same finger sandwiches and Fortnum’s savoury scones, but with Cheddar Cheese Scone with Caramelised Onion Portland Crab Scone with Granny Smith Apple instead. The Canapés were delightful, and included Lobster & Egg Mayonnaise Wild Mushroom Puff with Truffle, English Asparagus & Parma Ham Savoury Choux with Smoked Salmon Tartare Quail Egg and Pea Panna Cotta & Cheese Straws. But what happens if you get overexcited and eat everything at once? No worries, you can always ask for a refill. Their lovely waiters will take care of you!
Also, you can request expert ‘Tearistas’ who are available to help and advise, with individual tea–tasting ordered at your table followed by your choice of Afternoon Tea. The amazing thing about this afternoon tea is that you can always refill your teapot if you run dry, and if you want to try more than one of their amazing teas, you can choose samples of different blends.
So if you are looking for an excuse to go into Fortnum & Mason to check out their wonderful Alice themed displays and decorations, this is surely a good one!
