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Post by housesparrow on May 26, 2011 11:32:30 GMT
Yes, I realise this should be served in the lounge, but I'm talking about afternoon tea as an Occasion, this time in a hotel.
A neighbour recently joined the local branch of a well-known national women's movement. A few weeks ago tickets were handed out for afternoon tea at a seafront hotel about 12 miles from here, to mark a special anniversary.
My neighbour said she never eats anything in the afternoon and was worried she might struggle and look rude. I advised her to skip lunch, which she did.
She arrived at the hotel and was ushered into a large and elegant hall , where she sat with some people she knew, who all confided that they had been starving themselves for this feast.
Teapots arrived, followed by one scone and butter for each guest.
And that was it. Speeches were made about how everyone had enjoyed themselves and they all went home.
Tickets were free, but would you feel miffed?
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Post by aubrey on May 26, 2011 15:34:06 GMT
I'd expect some bread and butter as well, but not much more than that. Oh, and cake. And biscuits.
But I'd still feel cheated.
Could you get fill-ups of tea? (IE - hot water to squeeze a bit more from the pot)
Of course, real tea is at 6pm, and should include chips.
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Post by aubrey on May 26, 2011 15:36:06 GMT
Seriously, I do like the idea of a proper afternoon tea - something between a snack and a meal, which seems to be the kind of thing that you were expecting.
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Post by trubble on May 26, 2011 15:57:57 GMT
No! This is not Afternoon Tea. Of any sort! I am speechless.
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Post by trubble on May 26, 2011 15:58:35 GMT
Not even jam, like? wtfluff?
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Post by trubble on May 26, 2011 15:59:48 GMT
Housey, are you sure there wasn't some other stuff, the gooood stuff, that just never got handed around? I usually try to stand near any table that looks buffet-ish so I don't miss anything because some people don't share, Housey. Maybe this is what has happened to your neighbour.
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Post by trubble on May 26, 2011 16:04:03 GMT
Afternnon Tea at an Otel should consist of sandwiches and cakes at least. Even if it's small portions.
I belong to an afternoon tea sort of club. We go out somewhere educationalish, like a National Trust type house, then we have a picnic at about 1pm, then we go somewhere else, then we have afternoon tea at 4pm. Sometimes earlier if the picnic wears out.
Afternoon Tea always - ALWAYS - is AT LEAST: sandwiches, scones and jam, and apple pie & cream, and as much tea or coffee as you like. Sometimes it's more, sometimes there's cake, or brack, instead of scones, sometimes as well as, but a scone and butter is not afternoon tea. It's just a cup of tea.
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Post by riotgrrl on May 26, 2011 16:14:00 GMT
Trubs . a 'brack' Wotsthat?
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Post by jean on May 26, 2011 16:16:16 GMT
Barm brack - only in Ireland.
A rich, dense yeast-raised fruit bread, sliced with butter.
(Bewley's used to be famous, but is a shadow of its former self.)
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Post by trubble on May 26, 2011 16:28:03 GMT
Correct! Your Kingstown heritage serves you well! I've looked up Babelfish and the translation from Hiberno to Scotch is Selkirk Bannock. Apparently. It's the thing you hide the fake gold ring inside at Halloween.
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Post by jean on May 26, 2011 17:31:08 GMT
It's probably more like Welsh bara brith than anything.
It must be made with yeast, to have the right non-crumbly texture.
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Post by housesparrow on May 26, 2011 18:59:03 GMT
Housey, are you sure there wasn't some other stuff, the gooood stuff, that just never got handed around? I usually try to stand near any table that looks buffet-ish so I don't miss anything because some people don't share, Housey. Maybe this is what has happened to your neighbour. Yes, it was quite definitely one scone per person; they were solemnly served by uniformed staff to people sitting in their allocated places. I'm not sure whether jam was there as well as butter, though. Had they advertised it as an afternon social with refreshments it might have been less of a breach of the Trade Descriptions Act. Though it wasn't really a social either. There were (I'm told) more than a hundred people sat at long tables, and the only entertainment was chat.
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Post by Weyland on May 26, 2011 19:53:51 GMT
Barm brack - only in Ireland. A rich, dense yeast-raised fruit bread, sliced with butter. (Bewley's used to be famous, but is a shadow of its former self.) Bara brith in Wales. Lovely stuff, from the right source*. Welsh butter is the best there is. You're right about Bewley's. In 1991 and 2000 it was matchless. In 2010, a waste of time and money. Is nothing sacred?! ________________ * Good baker-butcher on Berriew Road in Welshpool, between Severn Street and Morrisons, on that side.
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Post by everso on May 29, 2011 22:33:32 GMT
This tea and scones lark wasn't "Afternoon Tea" at all and someone somewhere should be severely punished. I would have felt extremely miffed if I'd foregone lunch for something so paltry. Afternoon Tea is an occasion and last year (you may all remember, because, besides all the bragging, I supplied photographs) Mr. E. took me to The Ritz for my 60th. It involved tiny sandwiches that you had to nibble at to avoid looking like a pig, scones, jam and cream (good cream, not whipped airy stuff), slices of fruit cake, and wonderful little individual gateaux, plus a selection of different teas (milk in last, obviously Never let anybody try to palm you off with just tea and scones.
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Post by housesparrow on May 30, 2011 12:21:07 GMT
We went to a smart hotel last year for our silver wedding treat, and when we arrived we found that our relatoins had bought us vouchers for afternoon tea. I persuaded OH to skip lunch and at about 3.30 we settled in the hotel garden overloking the river, and had two kinds of sandwich, scones, a little fruit tart and cake. Maybe not the Ritz, but very nice too.
My miffed neighbour has vowed never to do afternon tea again. She is one of two friends I'm walking with next week, starting out on the Pennine Way. We've got a couple of short days, and I'm rather hoping to persuade her to try a proper afternoon tea somewhere. This will however have to be in one of the tourist honeypots such as Haworth or Malham, where "afternoon tea" is more likely to come with a dry scone and a commercial cake than the delights sampled by me and Eve.
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Post by Weyland on May 30, 2011 12:34:14 GMT
plus a selection of different teas (milk in last, obviously Surely not at the Ritz?! They shan't be getting my custom. You'll be telling me it's bags in cups in the microwave next. ~ I'm reading a book about the Titanic, as reported by survivors. Very interesting, as is the grotesquely flowery prose from both Brits and Yanks. Ennnnywaaaaaaaaaay, lo and behold there was a play on Radio-4 the other day about that very ship, AND the Cameron film on C4 the same day. So I had to watch it. It's as bad as it was the first time (except for the portrait scene, of course). I noticed that the stewards in the first-class saloon poured the milk in last. And the rest is history. You can't say you weren't warned. ~ I'll definitely be in Harwich tomorrow, and might well stop in Chelmsford on the way if I have time. If so, photos will be taken of that fine town. I won't be taking the above book onto the ferry (which is bigger than the Titanic). ~ Riot: I'll deal with GWD after I'm settled in the Yutani outpost on the German border.
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Post by trubble on May 30, 2011 15:36:16 GMT
I noticed that the stewards in the first-class saloon poured the milk in last. And the rest is history. You can't say you weren't warned. ;D ;D Bon Voyage, Wey.
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Post by trubble on May 30, 2011 15:38:31 GMT
Go on, Housey, give your friend the full treatment, it'll make her year. Ashmount Country House, Haworth ~ Afternoon TeaNow, please sit down before you look at the price, and please remember that it's for two. And please look closely at the photo. Also please look at trip advisor etc and see the rave reviews. Menu ~ A selection of freshly prepared sandwiches: (selection subject to change) Vegetarians please ask. Egg Mayonnaise Ham & Mustard (off the bone) Smoked Salmon and cream cheese ~ Warm savoury tart of the day Fruit Scones with cream and preserves A selection of homemade cakes Profiteroles with Chocolate Truffle Sauce ~ Choice of Teas, Coffee or Infusions Served from 2.00pm – 5.00pm Booking is required. £21.00 for two
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Post by Weyland on May 30, 2011 15:59:00 GMT
I noticed that the stewards in the first-class saloon poured the milk in last. And the rest is history. You can't say you weren't warned. ;D ;D Bon Voyage, Wey. Thank you very much, dear lady. I'm sure I will. I'm going for my daughter's birthday, which is a few days before mine, and only a couple of weeks after Mrs YI's (Mrs YI of your acquaintance). So I'm usually over there this time of year. Last year was an exception, because I had an appointment with Ulysses in Dublin's Fair City, as you know, what with you being there and all. Talking of tea, my current brew is Barry's Gold Blend, which I discovered not twenty miles from here, and very nice it is too. Talking of Haworth, I took the said daughter there in 2009, on account of her addiction to the works of the three sisters. But I didn't tell her where we were going, having concocted some story about seeing a man about a dog in Keighley. Mrs YI distracted her attention from road signs and such, and we actually all but arrived at the Brontë Parsonage before she realised where she was. Wish I'd known about that tea place then. If I'd been on SC then I might have. I'd give £21 for a warm savoury tart any day, with or without tea and/or butter and whipped cream.
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Post by jean on May 30, 2011 16:07:13 GMT
I was taken to Haworth by a Polish ex-student of mine who was Bronte-mad (sorry, have forgotten how to do diaresis or even umlaut).
It's the only place I've ever been to with footpath signs in Japanese.
(Trubs: doesn't the presence of a savoury tart almost turn it into High Tea?
And shouldn't there be cucumber sandwiches, whatever else there isn't?)
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