Afternoon Tea has to be one of my favourite things to do. I would choose this timeless British tradition over any other meal of the day. However, unless you’re royalty, it is generally considered something you do as a special treat or a celebration with friends or family. One of the theories behind afternoon tea’s origins is that the custom began in the mid-19th century. The seventh Duchess of Bedford found herself peckish each day at around 4 o’clock and decided that there was a long enough gap between then and dinner to enjoy a few tasty morsels. I think it’s because of this history that it only feels like a proper afternoon tea if it takes place in a historic setting. The Metropole Bar and Terrace at DoubleTree by Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel, built in 1890 is the perfect place.
Cooing (and Chewing) With Baby Elsie
Accompanied by one of my best friends, who loves a sandwich, scone and cake as much as I do, and my nine month old baby daughter Elsie, we walked along Brighton seafront on a sunny Friday afternoon looking forward to a couple of hours of relaxation and treats. We were seated at a beautiful window table with a stunning view of the iconic West Pier and greeted warmly by the waiter who asked if we would like the traditional pot of tea, or something more refreshing, due to the very warm weather. Unusually, we declined the customary tea, and went for something cool and fruity. We sat back with our drinks and enjoyed the chilled atmosphere of the dining room while we waited for the main show.
When the classic tiered plate arrived, filled with beautifully presented, tempting treats, our eyes and smiles widened. Not quite old enough yet to join our club, Elsie happily chewed on the menu and let the other diners know about her presence. Luckily, she’s so cute, no one seemed to mind! In fact, lots of smiles came our way, although I’m not sure if they were admiring the baby or our food…
Expert Preparation
The bottom plate was a welcome sight. This wasn’t your standard sandwich selection, but a varied and generous array of savoury options: the classic and essential smoked salmon and cream cheese on rye; the equally traditional coronation chicken on a slice of toasted ciabatta; a veggie hummus and roasted veg wrap, a mature cheddar and tomato chutney finger sandwich and an emmental and ham crown puff. Having skipped breakfast in preparation, we did not waste any time.
The Deal Maker
Next on to the middle plate, the scones. Whichever way you say it, and whichever order you spread them, the scones are the one element of an afternoon tea that should not be varied or ‘jazzed up’ (in my humble – but expert – opinion!). I was pleased to see that there was the option of fruit and plain, and that the clotted cream looked plentiful and fresh. As experienced ‘afternoon tea-ers’ we both stopped at one, bracing ourselves for the finale…
The Sweet Plate.
For me, this can be the deal breaker. If this plate is not done well, it can leave you feeling unsatisfied and let down (even if full). Thankfully, The Metropole Bar did this brilliantly. Again, the variety was great, with four different types of desserts. They were also so pretty that you almost didn’t want to spoil them by tucking in. Well, let’s just say we got over that quite quickly and worked our way through methodically. There was a beautifully soft, and deliciously rich, chocolate delice.
Next was a delicate patisserie style lemon meringue pie which had a billowy puff of scorched sweet meringue on top of a layer of smooth, tart lemon curd on a buttery, crumbly base. My mouth is watering now just thinking about this one. The penultimate was an eye-catching mini berry cheesecake, again patisserie-style with a surprisingly gingery biscuit base and an almost moussy cheesecake filling. Stunning.
Then finally, there were the classic macarons – one I believe was coffee and the other lemon. Having consulted with the oracle (Google), I believe these are in fact macarons, not macaroons (the ones coated in coconut). That last tasty morsel was delicious, although as usual, it probably tipped me over the edge. Oh well. A traditional afternoon tea in a seafront hotel on a Friday afternoon with a good friend and my beautiful daughter is worth every last calorie.
