Proper Cup of Tea

I love tea time! And the Soho Secret Tea Room was the perfect place for a traditional cuppa.

If you want to make an excellent cup of tea, I highly suggest picking up a loose leaf. The SSTR serves some delicious blends- I went with the Earl Grey. 

After letting the leaves steep for 4 minutes, the tea should be ready to drink.

Step 1: Add sugar to your cup. I like one tea spoon, or one sugar cube if you are being fancy.

2. Add a strainer for the leaves, unless you happen to know a mystic skilled in tea leaf reading.

3. Pour brewed tea through strainer. Careful not to miss like I did! My dreams of being a geisha are now fully dashed.

4. Add milk to the strength you desire and stir! Some suggest putting the milk in first, but I find I end up over-pouring. Generally I like strong teas- either black or just a touch of milk.

5. Now sip and enjoy!

Thanks to Leila for being my model and Soho Secret Tea Room for their delicious afternoon tea!

What is your favorite way to take tea?

London's Secret Tea Room in Soho

During my friend's stay we took a visit to the gorgeous Soho Secret Tea room. Though in the midst of the bustle of touristy Leicester Square, the Secret Tea Room offers a calm refuge to take a relaxing tea.

A thoroughly vintage theme runs throughout the room (and it is just a room with 8 or so tables) and early 20th century records spin, making your mind believe it's in a small teashop in the 1930s.

Even the customized cake stands have a fun kitchy flair. Check out the Chuck and Di cameo below: 

Field flowers in jam jars looked like they have been handpicked the same day. They rested on the mismatched antique lace tablecloths- which is exactly what covered the tables at my wedding party, so I had an immediate soft spot for this place.

But I know what is the real focal point of this story: the afternoon tea!

For only £14 you can treat yourself to a traditional tea with sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, a cupcake, and a choice of pie/cake. Of course it also comes with a pot of delicious loose leaf tea, which I will discuss more of tomorrow.

As I look at this photo I am salivating at the thought of going back!

 Yum!

Now the Secret Tea Room is a secret, so I won't tell you how to get there, but this photo has several clues:

You might see something familiar from my birthday post.

So far I have yet to have a poor afternoon tea experience (last one here), but Soho's Secret Tea Room was definitely the cutest and I will be back!

Do you prefer your afternoon tea to be served in high class style or with a quaint vintage flair?

A Sweet Teatime at Harrod's Laudrée

Why can't the Help Wanted section have an ad for an Afternoon Tea Taste-tester? It might be the job for which I am best qualified, unless the Kardashian-rerun-Marathon-on-a-Rainy-Day-Watcher position is available. Do you know how much it rains here? (HINT: everyday) I'd be PAID. Anyhow, no one would have to pay me to partake in afternoon tea at Laudrée.

The macaroon champions of the universe come from France, but we are lucky enough to have three in London. While my family was visiting last month, they let a charming flat just behind Harrods. My mom and I snuck out for traditional tea, but ended up going to Laudrée instead of the Harrods terrace. That last minute decision was totally worth it. Instead of the louder balcony inside the shop, we were sat in the cosy back room: a black-texuture-wallpapered S&M re-imagining of the Belle Époche.

We chose our gorgeous flavor-infused teas: my mom choose the violet and I went with the Thé au caramel (caramel & flowers). The teas came out in individual silver pots that had monogrammed napkin cosy to protect our precious fingers from burning. I spent some time trying to figure out how I could convince my husband to use this lovely blue and pink Laudrée china everyday, but he is firm believer that tea should be from a MUG (gross).

In place of the traditional afternoon tea, it is a french high tea menu. There were still dainty finger sandwiches, but also chocolate & almond croissants, passionfruit & raspberry tarts, chocolate cake and a GIANT macaroon. I find the usual Victoria sponge a complete bore, so these were very welcome additions to afternoon tea. This is when things start to get a bit blurry:

1. Because of the giant macaroon and tea induced Sugar/Caffeine high and
2. I forgot the rule of high tea: "one does not bring a camera you spilled wine-in-a-can on during NYE in Philly to tea if one wishes to blog about it later"

Sticky camera lenses aside, Laudree is perfect for an afternoon tea (and pretty reasonably priced at £22) or a cuppa and a croissant. It doesn't hurt that you are just a few floors away from browsing at the Harrods pet shop, either.