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| From blog |
One of life’s most civilized experiences is high tea, served in the elegance of a stately hotel lobby overlooking formal English gardens.
Such was the event I attended a few weeks ago, a celebration of a friend’s 40th birthday. Her husband (St. Patrick, we call him) arranged a tea party for 20 of Mary’s closest and dearest friends. We gathered in the lobby of the Grand America Hotel i in downtown Salt Lake City, for their famous afternoon High Tea. It’s where little girls have birthday tea parties, women take friends for a relaxing afternoon of sweets and savories, and families celebrate special events in the comfort and luxury of this grande dame of hotels.
On a blustery Saturday afternoon, the massive fireplace was ablaze, the tables were set with fine china and linens, and the dulcet sound of a harp played in the background. Dressed in our best “Tea Party Finery” (no hats or gloves, though), we sat at four five-top tables. Orders for teas were taken, with an extensive selection from black to green to herbals.
Within minutes, individual china teapots were placed at each place setting, with our respective choices for the afternoon. A three tiered tray adorned with finger sandwiches, scones and various jams and curds was the centerpiece for each table.
Smoked salmon and egg salad pumpernickel sandwiches, ham and cheese triangles, flowered shaped breads topped with savory spreads and currant-orange miniature scones were offered.
At two o’clock in the afternoon, it was just what sated our appetites. Not too heavy, not too overwhelming in choices.
After an hour or so, a rolling cart of luxuriously decadent pastries was paraded around to each table. As our dessert, with additional teas, we had our choice of miniature cheesecakes, lemon tarts, chocolate mousse cake, fruit tarts, fresh berries, and at least a half dozen other selections. By 4′oclock in the afternoon our craving for sweets, savories and high tea was met.
An afternoon with the ladies, dining in refinement, is such a treat. We should do it more often.
I am convinced that blood pressures would definitely be lowered if more time were spent in this environment of elegance and dignified dining.
