A London Hotel Tea

The indulgent thing to do in London is Afternoon Tea at one of the hotels -- The Ritz, The Grosvenor, or The Dorchester . . .

Or if you're staying at The Waldorf . . . . The Waldorf!!!

My Mother's Day present from Daughter Sarah -- A London Hotel Tea!!!!

After a day of sightseeing, we came back to the hotel, freshened up (but no fancy hat or gloves!) and down we went for tea.

The Curate filled with tea treats . . .

While our server poured our first cup -- no bags here -- it was loose leaf! Our choice for An Afternoon Tea -- Earl Grey, of course!

Once tea had been poured and a half cup drank, we started working our way up the curate --

First the sandwiches -- cucumber, of course, tomato, smoked salmon, ham and egg mayonnaise -- all traditional sandwiches and all fixed the traditional tea time way. No crusts and most spread with a little butter to keep the sandwich moist. Which, in my opinion, is the perfect way to fix tea sandwiches!

Next the scones, cream and jam. One fruit and one plain. These were the best scones of our visit and slathered with the cream and topped with jam -- pure ambrosia.

But we had the top layer -- the sweets -- banana bread, a chocolate/hazelnut confection, a fruit tart and an espresso cream filled profiterole.

Fruit tarts are a favorite and this was one of the best -- it is perfection!!!

Daughter Sarah and I talked and laughed and enjoyed the afternoon while we drank cups and cups of tea.

After tea, we joined Husband Jim and wandered around Covent Garden -- watching the street performers, checking out all of the booths.

It was the perfect way to end a very busy day in London and I would recommend that if you're ever in London that you make a Hotel Tea part of your day!!!!

There was one souvenir that I wanted to take back with me -- a tea caddy preferably one from the mid 18th century.

I've been on the hunt for one at every antique shop or center that we stopped at. And then . . . the day before Daughter Sarah and Andy arrived, I found two that I liked.

After much consideration, I decided that one of those was the one! And so, after we said goodbye to Daughter Sarah and Andy, we went back to Stow (Stow-on-the Wold) to see if it was still there --

And it was!!!

It's mahogany, mid 18th century and not large. It has the patina that 160 year old mahogany acquires.

It has two compartments topped with what I think is an ivory rose.

But the real reason that I thought it was "the one" was the inscription in the lid . . .

"Avery Pettifer's present from her grandmother A. Pettifer Eydon by order of Stephen Pettifer her Father December 1/91".

I think that perhaps when A. Pettifer Eydon got married that her father, Stephen Pettifer gifted her with the tea caddy. And "ordered" A. Pettifer Eydon that it be passed to her granddaughter when her granddaughter married. And so Mrs. Eydon did so on December 1, 1891. It's a lovely story, methinks, and what happened to Mrs. Eydon's daughter and Avery's mother, I'll never know.

But that inscription makes the tea caddy ever so much more precious!!!

My most delightful memory of what is the vacation of a lifetime -- a dream come true!!!

It's Tuesday and there is nothing better than sharing afternoon tea, thus, I'm joining the following tea parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday with Terri at Artful Affirmations

Tea Cup Tuesday with Martha at Martha's Favorites

Tea Pot and Tea Things Tuesday with Pam at Breath of Fresh Air

Tea Time Tuesday with Katherine at Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor

Tuesday Tea for Two with Wanda Lee at The Plumed Pen

Tea Time Tuesday with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage