Showing posts with label afternoon tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afternoon tea. Show all posts
With floor to ceiling windows and large wooden furniture the open room is ideal for lunches or intimate dinners. On this occasion I chose to visit for Afternoon Tea and see what they had to offer.
Afternoon Tea at The Larder on Goosegate is £14.95 per person and includes a pot of your choice of loose leaf tea served in a china teapot with a china teacup. I chose the Earl Grey with Cornflowers and this was subtle but pleasant to go with the sweet and savoury items. Included on the stand is a selection of homemade sandwiches and cakes. Each person receives an Egg, Cress and Mayonnaise sandwich, a Red Onion Chutney and Cheese sandwich, a Beef and Horseradish sandwich and a Cucumber and Creme Fraiche sandwich. The finger sized crustless sandwiches were delicious and a much welcomed change to the usual ham and mustard.
The middle tier featured Shortcake with Cream and Fresh Strawberries, Elderflower Pound Cake, Treacle Sponge and a Black Forest Gateaux Cupcake. The shortcake also had condensed cream on the top and incorporated in the middle which made this very sweet but delicious, the elderflower cake was lacking in flavouring and a little dry but the treacle sponge was moist and flavoursome. Finally, the black forest cupcake was a moist chocolate cupcake topped with cream, chocolate shavings and a black cherry, in the centre was a cherry jam. This was delicious and a large cake for an afternoon tea selection however the paper case did make it feel a little more cheap (sorry!).
I definitely enjoyed the Afternoon Tea at The Larder on Goosegate and would recommend it for anyone visiting Nottingham. They offer a wonderful range of homemade items and you can tell from the high quality that these are not store bought cakes. The wide range of tea is also a wonderful for those who want to try something different or who may be new to loose leaf teas. I am hoping to also return one evening to try their evening menu and wine selection.
Let me know if you have ever been to The Larder on Goosegate or have anywhere you would like me to visit on The Afternoon Tea Tour! xx
The Larder on Goosegate 1st Floor, 16-22 Goosegate NG1 1FE Tel: (0115) 9500 111
Twitter: LarderGoosegate
I know, I know it has been a while but I thought why not come back to blogging with an introduction to my new blog series, Afternoon Tea Tour! My friend and I have been wanting to try loads of afternoon tea delights lately and thought what better way than to blog about them as a tour....with tea and cake!
First up on the tour is Hart's Hotel, an independent hotel bordering the City Centre of Nottingham and The Park Estate. This hotel is still relatively new and was only built around 12-13 years ago which was years after the Hart's Restaurant opened in the old General Hospital on the same site. The restaurant is fine dining but Hart's host their afternoon tea in the Park Bar over in the hotel and it is served between 12pm and 6pm everyday. With the selection changing according to the seasons and Summer just around the corner we thought what better way to start our afternoon tea tour than with new Spring/Summer offerings.
Hart's serve their selection on a three tier stand, specifically designed for two people, that is full on each layer with delicious food. On the bottom layer we had two savoury Cheese and Spring Onion Scones, two Ham and Mustard Sandwhiches, two Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Sandwhiches and two Cucumber Sandwhiches, finger size of course.
I almost forgot to mention that Hart's have a sister bakery named Hambleton Bakery who supply them with fresh baked bread and delicious cakes everyday, the scones for the afternoon tea are baked fresh everyday and the tea has unlimited refills - everything really is fresh and delicious. On sunny days they also serve lunch and afternoon tea in their courtyard and it can be ordered with Prosecco or Champagne for those special occasions!
The second tier of the stand had two Lemon Tarts, two Chocolate Brownies, two Tea Cakes, two Macarons and two Mini-Eton Mess Desserts. The lemon tarts were just lemon enough, the chocolate brownies had a gorgeous coffee note and the Eton Mess desserts were just enough to not feel guilty about afterwards!
Oh wow, finally the third tier - each tier gets a little smaller which is perfect for a mid-afternoon treat too. The last tier had two more Macarons, two Sweet Scones and some fresh berries. On the table was Jam, Butter and Clotted Cream so we could be as decadent as we wanted to be and with a wide range of teas on offer we could easily have sat there until dinner time.
We really enjoyed our afternoon and can't wait to continue the tour! Thank you to all the staff at Hart's! Let me know if there is anywhere you suggest I visit on the Afternoon Tea Tour xx
Afternoon Tea is £21.95 per person however we were treated to 20% off.
It was Jensen's birthday last month so I decided to treat him to a night away somewhere not too far but that felt far enough to enjoy some time together. After searching through websites for independent hotels I came across Langar Hall, I had heard some good things previously and I don't know why it took me so long to think of staying here. They had a Dinner, Bed and Breakfast offer available and it was just too tempting to pass on!
Pulling up to the hotel down the tree lined road we were greeted by a gorgeous honey coloured country house and some welcoming receptionists. It seemed we were the first guests checking in so far that day right on time at 2pm; unfortunately there was a wake due to start within the next hour and we were advised to stay in the room until around 5pm whilst the 200 or so guests were there. A little disappointing as this meant we were almost imprisoned in the room and couldn't take a leisurely walk around the hotel to see what it had to offer. We didn't mind too much as the bed was so comfortable we made ourselves some tea and got cozy until the event had finished.
To our delight a couple of hours later we were given a small complimentary afternoon tea (food from the wake but absolutely lovely) and this tied us over until our evening meal. This offer included the best available room also and we were not disappointed by the lovely Lilac Room they allocated us. The room had all of the essentials and was decorated beautifully with white walls and accents of green and lilac. Our room was on the second floor and the view out of the window was of lovely peaceful greenland and the tree lined road that leads to the hotel.
Time went by and we were ready for our dinner! We got changed and headed down to the restaurant where we were given some Prosecco (courtesy of Imogen the owner) and some popcorn to snack on whilst we looked over the menus in the lounge area next to a beautiful log burning fire. We finally decided what to have and were taken to our lovely table in the restaurant to enjoy our evening.
After having a wonderful nights sleep in the huge comfortable bed we got ready and headed down for breakfast. Imogen, the owner, was there once again and it made me think she must never leave for the day except to sleep. She greeted us on arrival, was there at dinner and came to say 'Hello' to us at breakfast. Service was incredible again and the breakfast was lovely with fresh baked croissants and local produce we definitely appreciated the delicious food. I opted for Poached Eggs, Black Pudding and Mushroom whilst Jensen went for the Full English. With a pot of Green Tea and some lovely continental items the breakfast room was truly heavenly.
Overall, we really enjoyed our time but were a little disappointed by the lack of communication before we arrived that the wake was being held, it would have been nice to look around the communal area. I would definitely recommend the hotel and the food really made our evening special.
Dinner Bed and Breakfast was £185 for 2 people sharing. Although the afternoon tea and prosecco was complimentary everything else was paid for and all views are my own.
Every year in Nottingham we have a 'Light Night' city wide event which celebrates light in many forms by local businesses. This year there were 40 businesses taking part and I was lucky enough to be invited along to see how Debbie Bryan was involved.
Debbie Bryan opened her store in the Lace Market area of Nottingham in 2009, selling her own award winning scarves and brooches. With a Masters in Fashion and Textiles Debbie has exhibited and sold her work in 6 countries, including Italy, Hong Kong and the USA. The store, which is nearby to Debbie's design studio, has expanded it's offerings over the past 6 years and now houses the cities Lace Archives, independent art, home decorations, textiles and a tucked away Tea Room. In the historic Lace Market and Creative Quarter, Debbie has been able to contribute a creative business in this perfect location and beautiful building in a secluded street that is still easy to find.
During this festival of light, Debbie offered a late Crafternoon where customers were able to have a relaxed get together and stitch their own items whilst enjoying the event. With inspiration all around the store and a cheerful host it was easy to sit there for, what felt like, hours and watch the people come and go and see the creations people were making. Crafternoons are sessions that Debbie holds for groups of people who may wish to get together and enjoy tea and cakes whilst creating their own Lampshades, Wreaths or even Cake Stands.
If you are interested in going along and crafting you don't have to be in a group though as regular events are held for occasions all year round. These are perfect for those budding crafters or close friends who want to do something a little different on an afternoon whilst spending some time together and taking something home handmade by you.
The majority of items are made in store and everything is labelled to be bought or just admired at your own leisure. From the simple gift tags to jewellery and items of clothing this store really does have something for everyone and if you are in need of a last minute Valentines Day present these cute 'I Love You' bowls would be perfect.
Getting back on track to the Light Night event, I took some time to take a look around the store at all of it's offerings. It may not look large from the front but once you step in side you are greeted by a lovely decorated space and beautiful furniture housing delicate and intricate pieces of fabric and art. Framed original lace and sections of delicate white lace can be bought for your own collection or possibly used when you attend one of the craft events. The store is welcoming and has beautifully selected pieces that make you want to stay there and never leave - though with the store open until 6pm you can definitely enjoy your time there for as long as you want to.
I am a huge fan of scented candles, aren't all bloggers? So when I saw this new collection of fragranced kitchen candles I was blown away by their scents and affordability (£15). In large white ceramic jars there are sweet and savoury scents for everyone's home and I am sure many homes in Nottingham will soon house one of these. My favourites were Rhubarb and Custard, Victoria Sponge and the amazing Hot Chocolate one that was burning in the Tea/Brew Room. So heavenly and comforting I wanted to buy them all, maybe just a few to start.
Light Night is a celebration of light creations interpreted in many different ways. As Debbie sells gorgeous home decorations she displayed her offerings of lights and handmade lampshades throughout the store. Lit up in windows, in display cabinets and on tables were multiple lights each with delicate details and soft shades that would suit any work top or bedside table. The store has been carefully designed to incorporate many items at the same time and have them relate to each other in a way that doesn't look too cluttered and messy.
As the new Brew Room and Afternoon Tea offerings were being advertised I couldn't help myself but to pull up a comfortable wooden chair and enjoy a Pot of Tea with a Homemade Scone served with jam and clotted cream. The tea pot kept on giving and the scone was delicious and big enough for an evening snack but not too dense or heavy. Everything was enjoyable and I could have eaten a few more scones if my stomach would have allowed me to. There may have also been a cheeky tipple added to my tea that made me love the evening even more - well it was a Friday night!
The local produce of drinks and food items looked amazing and was very affordable compared to items of similar appearance in your local supermarket (£6). The honey's and local ales look amazing and I over heard good things about their taste too, with some ales room temperature and some refrigerated Debbie had definitely thought of everything to make the evening very enjoyable for all. The next time I am in the area I will be browsing the candles, cards and jars to see what goodies I can treat myself to and support the local businesses whilst I am there.
I would recommend Debbie Bryan to anyone looking for an event space, afternoon tea, gifts or even clothes, there really is something for everyone and with a great host and atmosphere I can see why customers are always returning. Thank you to Debbie and the apprentices who help her run the store I really had an enjoyable evening and will be back again soon.
Debbie Bryan, 18 St Mary's Gate, The Lace Market, Nottingham - 0115 957776
Twitter and Instagram: DebbieBryanShop
Let me know if you have ever been to Debbie Bryan or know of a similar store I should visit! xx
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