I have somewhat of a love affair with afternoon tea, which I suppose
began when I was a child. I know it
sounds cliché but I was a little girl with a tea set that played afternoon tea
with my dolls. The tea set in question though was not a plastic affair usually
reserved for children’s play; it was a fine bone china child’s set which had
been passed down the line of girls in my family. I was only allowed to play with it if I was
really careful not to break anything, so I took great pride in it, pretending I
was an awfully posh lady sipping imaginary tea whilst my dutiful dolls watched
on. Ever since I have loved afternoon tea and enjoy searching out vintage sets
(Mister Murf rolls his eyes”another tea set?”) So on a recent trip to New York
I couldn’t resist a luxury treat of a five course afternoon tea...
On a leafy street in the heart of the historical neighbourhood of Gramercy Park is Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon.
Located at 56 Irving Place and
marked only by a small brass plaque, upon entering the elegant, peaceful
townhouse it felt like we were stepping into another world, another more
opulent time, whilst the manic streets of Manhattan continued on only blocks
away.
The Tea Salon is elaborately decorated in the style of
Victorian grandeur, but it is not overly-done in a chintzy way. It oozes class and style from a bygone time
and evokes feelings old fashioned romance.
I’m actually quite envious of the owners; I would love a place like
this.
So who is Lady Mendl after whom
this sumptuous tea salon is aptly named?
Lady Mendl is the moniker of Elise de Wolfe an American actress and
interior decorator – in fact, it is cited that interior design as a profession
was invented by Elise De Wolfe.
In her lifetime, De Wolfe was prominent in New York,
Paris and London society, was named the best dressed woman in the world and
designed the interiors of many prestigious homes. She is
also famed for being the author of the widely influential ‘The House in Good Taste’, invented blue hair
rinse for greying ladies and wrote that her daily exercise regime at age 70
included yoga, standing on her head and walking on her hands. Quite an extraordinary
lady to say the least!
Upon being seated in the beautiful
parlour, our host presented us with the tea menu. With twenty seven different teas to choose
from with varieties of Black, Oolong (traditional Chinese), White, Green,
Tisane (herbal) and Signature teas, we were initially daunted by the task ahead
of us (although I enjoy tea, me and
Mister Murf are by no means tea connoisseurs).
However, we took our time perusing the menu and reading the descriptions
of each.
After some pondering, we
eventually opted for four different teas – our thinking was a different variety
for each.
The first was the Darjeeling 2nd
Flush, a black tea, grown in the Darjeeling Hills of India and so named in
reference to the four separate picking seasons of the year.
The second was the Osmanthus Oolong,
a tea grown in southeaster China and known locally as Fenhong Dancong. This felt somewhat of an indulgence with only
several hundred pounds of this tea being produced each year.
The third, an Elder Flower
Tisane.
The fourth, Evelyn’s Garden Spice, a Lady
Mendl Signature Tea, named after Evelyn Nesbitt.
All the teas were freshly steeped
and arrived in beautifully ornate teapots.
Although each of the teas were
delicious in their own right, my personal favourite was Evelyn’s Garden Spice -
a subtle herbal blend of hibiscus, orange peel, lemon grass and lavender with a
punch of clove and liquorice – lovely!
The crowning grace for me though –
the beautiful sugar cubes decorated with a pale pink flower – so cute and such a
perfect touch. How does the proverb go ‘little things please little minds’?
Now for the food – my mouth is
watering just thinking about it!
The
Appetiser Course was a warm Butternut Squash Tart with a parmesan crust, small,
but perfectly formed. In hindsight it didn’t need to be any bigger than it was
with the other four courses that were to follow, but at the time we were
thinking ‘I could eat that again’.
The
Second Course was a selection of Tea Sandwiches which included Smoked Salmon
with Dill Cream Cheese on Pumpernickel, Cucumber with Mint Crème fraiche on
Brioche, Classic Egg Salad on Rye and Smoked Turkey and Cranberry on Seven
Grain. The host came with the sandwiches
twice, although I couldn’t manage a second round. My favourite was the smoked
turkey.
The
Third Course was two scones, one traditional, one cranberry served with
Devonshire Clotted Cream and Raspberry Preserve. The scones were freshly baked and still
slightly warm.
The Dessert Course was Lady Mendl’s signature cake. I have never experienced a cake like it. It comprised of layers of thin crepes separated
by layers of cream. This was divine!
The Fifth Course and final course was a selection of miniature cakes and plump, chocolate dipped Strawberries served on a glass cake plate.
After
all that delicious food and tea, I thought Mister Murf was going to have to
roll me out of the front door, but I somehow managed to get to my feet and leisurely
stroll back into Midtown, wishing I could have the experience all over again.
If you’re
happen to be in New York and want an afternoon of finery and indulgence in the
most beautiful and peaceful of settings, be sure to make a reservation
at this hidden gem http://www.innatirving.com/?pg=dining-mendls
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