The Dorchester Afternoon Tea

I had dreamed for a long time of attending the Chelsea Flower Show

in London, so it was a dream come true this May to finally be there.

Our adventure was planned to include that date for me and my "live-in gardener".

Since I am the planner of the family, it was decided that we would start 

with tulips in the Netherlands and end with flowers in London

with as many tea time experiences in between.

What delight to find the combination of flowers and tea.

The Dorchester Hotel had set up a tearoom right at the flower show.

With reservations made we savored the afternoon

reminiscing on the special trip we were completing

and beginning to think of home.

The perfect afternoon started with a sparkling juice cocktail

and piano music to delight our souls.

Each sandwich was delicious.

From left to right:

Roast chicken with Pommery mustard on basil bread

Egg mayonnaise with shallot confit and shiso cress on white bread

Smoked salmon with sweet mustard and dill on granery bread

Cucumber with mint butter on caraway seed bread

More was offered and a take away box given at the end of the day.

It seemed that I delighted in another Darjeeling tea here too.

Darjeeling just seemed to fit perfectly with afternoon tea as we traveled.

This table was set up very near our table for a photo shoot.

There was a professional photographer taking photos,

but I took one or two myself.

When I looked at The Dorchester Hotel website

this setting looked like it came right from the hotel.

Beautiful, serene, and very much as our table looked.

The wait staff was plenty and always nearby to assist

and bring more food.

Ohhhhh, how I love soft pink fresh roses on the table.

The scones (raisin and plain) were delicious and

served with Cornish  cream, strawberry jam, a seasonal jam,

and lemon curd.

I wasn't sure we were suppose to eat the pail of dirt, but

dug into a delicious chocolate mousse.

Do you see the rock in the grass?

We set them aside thinking they really were rocks,

but soon learned they were chocolate.  Yummm!

All of the sweets fit delightfully well with the garden theme of the show.

Two photos of the sweets, so you can see each from a different angle.

The peach I think was my favorite with a light peachy confection inside.

The dessert with the candied pansy was rhubard and also delicious.

Then a basket of chocolate flowers with the ladybug on the side.

And finally the butterfly with a roll I think of spicy pumpkin.

When we were finished we were given a bag, which at first

I thought were our sweets which we saved for later;

but no there was a treat bag of lovely tea and sweet jars of 

strawberry, basil, lime jam.  Very good and what a treat!

Then came a box with more food to take with us, 

which we enjoyed later in the evening.

Oh we were treated so well and will never forget

afternoon tea at The Dorchester and the Chelsea Flower Show.

Come back tomorrow as I have so many beautiful flowers

to share from the show before heading home.

Today I am linking with Bernideen at http://blog.bernideens.com/