As I mentioned in my 5 Happy Things post, one of my highlights for the month was attending the launch night of the Disney x Pandora launch which involved seeing the incredible projection near the London Eye before heading to the store for the launch party. So imagine my delight when a selection of us were invited to attend an evening tea at Town House at The Kensington a few weeks later. But not just any tea, the Tale As Old As Time Tea themed around Disney’s The Beauty And The Beast.
Tale As Old As Time Afternoon Tea ft PANDORA x Disney
I genuinely think the team at PANDORA must have been mind readers. Just as Leah and I were heading to the station after the launch party we were talking about how we really ought to arrange our next brunch or afternoon tea trip. So imagine our delight at being able to put a trip in the diary so shortly after. Especially in such a gorgeous venue as The Kensington.
We arrived at the hotel and were greeted by the wonderful team from Pandora. Along with Beauty and The Beast props around the room such as Lumiere, Cogsworth and the rose we also had a chance to have a look at the full Pandora Disney range. (& if Santa is reading this, I really loved the Mickey All Around Spacer…)
Starting With The Savouries…
“Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride
And greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight
And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair
As the dining room proudly presents
Your dinner!”
To start, the team from The Kensington placed a selection of tea pots on the table containing a selection of Rare Teas. I really enjoyed the rooibos tea and stuck to that for the rest of the evening. While we sipped on tea, we were each given a plate with three savouries. These included a Bite Size Venison Pie, Beef Ragu & Saffron Anacini (it’s an italian stuffed rice ball, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried in case you’re wondering!) and a Cheese Souffle. They may look small but boy did they each pack a flavour punch!
I must note as well, a few people around the table had different food intolerances and needs and The Town House at The Kensington had no trouble at all catering for these. Just make sure you let them know when you book.
The Afternoon Tea
Now, as good as the savourites where, it was time for the main event. The afternoon tea stands where bought out from the kitchen and the reaction from everyone in the room was the same… “Oh my god, how cute is that?!”. And, I mean, really it might well be the cutest afternoon tea I’ve ever seen.
On the bottom layer, rather than the normal scones there was Marie’s Sweet Brioche Baguette served with apricot preserve and a chocolate pot. A deliciously sweet bread and the accompaniments made a wonderful combination.
The layer above the brioche baguettes was the sandwiches. Traditionally comprising of Egg Mayonnaise and Cress, Cucumber and Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche and Roast Chicken with Cranberry. Each one was well filled and, to what I tried, delicious. Sadly, I only managed to try the salmon and cucumber versions as I wanted to save room for all the sweet treats…
Try the grey stuff, it’s delicious! Don’t believe me? Ask the dishes!
In the spirit of saving the best until last, let’s talk about the sweets. I think the reason I loved these so much is each one truly does feel inspired by the films. Firstly, there’s a Vanilla and Gold Jelly inspired by the rose. Jelly can bit hit or miss for me but they really did nail the flavours in this. Next up, was “Try The Grey Stuff”, a white chocolate mousse served in a Chip tea cup. This doesn’t really need much explaining, but it was something so effortlessly light that I thoroughly enjoyed eating. Talking of characters from the film, alongside Chip there was a Cogsworth Chocolate Tart. If it involves chocolate, I’m probably going to enjoy it and this rich ganache filled tart was no exception. Plus there was a Spiced Snowball Macaron with chocolate and coconut and in my mind, you can’t go wrong with a macaron…
Finally, one that was on the table all along rather than on the the stand. This gorgeous biscuit iced to look like the iconic dress from Belle and The Beast’s ballroom scene. My favourite part about this? It was sealed so I could take it home and enjoy the next day.
All in all, an absolutely magical afternoon tea. If you fancy trying it for yourself the Tale As Old As Time Afternoon Tea is £35 per person or £45 if you wish to enjoy with a glass of Champagne.
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