Fortnum & Mason High Tea

When tourists visit London, they all run to Harrods which in my opinion is a bit overrated.  That being said, if you've never been you should still tick it off your list.  The Harrods foodhall is certainly impressive but in terms of buying 'English' foodstuffs (tea, biscuits, chocolates, jams etc), I would suggest checking out Fortnum & Mason's selection.  It's nice to get something with the Harrods logo but I think F&M do have a super (if not better) range on offer.  It probably also helps that it is easier for me to get to F&M rather than Harrods.

Anyway today was another day for eating.  I've been craving Afternoon Tea for some time and I was waiting for Moo to come over to London so we can do it London-style.  The last time Moo and I had afternoon was at the National Gallery.  The cakes sure were nice (courtesy of Peyton and Byrne) but the sandwiches were rather stale.  Wtf.  I wasn't prepared to have a shitty experience this time, so we opted to go to St. James's Restaurant on the top floor of F&M.

We were given a choice of three different afternoon teas and settled on the Fortnum's Estate Afternoon Tea.  The food was pretty much the same (unless you got the High Tea) but the accompanying teas were different.  Not that I am a tea connoisseur but the I liked the sound of the Goomtee First Flush.  Moo liked the sound of Yunnan Orange Pekoe.

Now for the food.

To start - a selection of canapes.  Goat's cheese tarts, sausage rolls (hehe) and salmon spread (I can't remember) on crispbread.  My fave was the sausage roll and Moo's fave was the tart. 

Bottom of the tier - finger sized sandwiches with no crusts, thank-you ma'am.  Middle tier - madeleines and scones.  Top tier - raspberry jam biscuits, ginger parkin (what? I had to google that) and cakes-a-plenty.  When the cake tray was brought around for us to make our selection, my greedy guts kicked in and I asked 'So how many can we have?'  Must.... make.... strategic cake decision! 

Mooey with the tiered stands.  Sterling silver?  Maybe.  

We were given two little pots of jams - raspberry and strawberry.  I don't mind jam but I certainly never crave it. But this was the nicest jam I've ever had.  EVER!!  Moo and I wondered what they were going to do with the jam we didn't consume, so I made sure I piled on a heap on each of my scones and madeleines (even though I don't think you're meant to eat jam with madeleines).  Do they just throw out the left jam?  *gasp*  What a waste!  Do they spoon it out and re-use it?  *gasp* That's gross!

Now, I must say some kind words about the clotted cream, that lump of yellowy goodness sitting there on my butter knife.  I think I've mainly had jam and scones with whipped cream in Oz and not the clotted dream cream which was served at F&M.  This stuff is the SHIZNIT.  I'm sure the uppercrust Brits would love to know that's how I describe it.  I couldn't stop piling that stuff on my scones and Moo thought it was rather amusing.  I understand that clotted cream could be at it's maximum 85% milk fat but what is life if we can't enjoy it?  Why can't I enjoy my fatty goodness?  Why?  Shuddup, you calorie-counting biatches!  I will enjoy it, thank-you very much!

Me and another butter knife scoop of clotted cream.  Moo eating cake.  

I actually don't remember too much about the cakes we ate.  All nice I would have to assume, as anything bad would have surely stuck in my head.

At the end of the meal as the waiters cleared away our dishes, I waved a teary farewell to my leftover clotted cream.  However, I felt a little bit better when asked 'Would you like to take your jam pots with you?'  :D  Yes please!  I considered asking for a pot of clotted cream, but I knew that wish would not be fulfilled.

Clotted cream - I shall return one day to rescue you from dieting monsters!