Picnic inspired Afternoon Tea at the Four Seasons Park Lane
Warm scones served with a dollop of clotted cream and strawberry jam on top has to be my favourite part of a traditional English Afternoon Tea. Usually I’ll have two but at the Four Seasons recently, I was able to indulge in quiet a few as they serve mini scones for their afternoon tea.
Four Seasons Picnic basket
The mini scones were part of the new picnic-inspired tea for two on the terrace of the Amaranto restaurant in the Four Seasons Park Lane. Tea comes to the table in a wicker basket and comes complete with china, silverware and vintage tins containing a range of sandwiches, cakes and scones designed with a British twist, evoking the warmest of British summer picnic feelings.
mini scones with strawberry jam, clotted cream and lemon curd
tea sandwiches
finger sandwiches
To complete the classic affair, Head Pastry Chef Loic Carbonnet has created a tin of delightful treats with a classic British summer twist: Pimm’s mousse; rhubarb and custard ice cream lolly; pistachio and strawberry tartlet; chocolate and raspberry macaron; and a trifle made with seasonal fruit. The cream desserts were extremely light and fluffy, my favourite was the Pimms’s mousse, incredibly light and I’m sure there’s no way there could have been any calories in it at all! 😉
tea time pastries
I loved everything and as well as the classic English Afternoon Tea we also sampled the Italian Tea, which had Italian inspired sandwiches and Italian pastries, including my favourite cannoli and these incredible doughnut pastries from Naples. Of course it wouldn’t be tea with, well Tea, and the Four Seasons will either match the tea to the savoury and sweet courses or let you choose your own. I chose the Silver Needle Chinese Tea, a delicate tea but still full of flavour.
Italian Tea
If you so desire, you can also add a glass of Bollinger NV or Bollinger Rose to your afternoon tea service. Champagne is extra but I always like to start off the afternoon with a glass of bubbles. Service as always was top knotch, anticipatory but not invasive or obsequious, they really make you feel more like a house guest then a hotel guest at the Four Seasons.
Afternoon Tea is served every afternoon until 6pm. For more information, visit the Four Seasons Park Lane website.
Tea (and champagne) for 2