Every once and a while I crave the distinctly British traditions about the UK. Our frequent trips there have left me with a major appreciation for wellies, British confectionery, Pimms and other little treats. One of the most quintessentially British treats I’ve grown to love is afternoon tea complete with scones, clotted cream and jam. So, the boyfriend and I set off to find a taste of afternoon tea in New York city, which is easier said than done.
Luckily we came across the Crosby Street Hotel, which has a delightful afternoon tea on the weekends that will make you forget for a bit that you’re in the middle of the hustle and bustle of NYC.
There are two menus for afternoon tea, with the more expensive one including a glass of champagne and more premium tea sandwiches. Naturally, we opted for the more luxe version and we were so happy we did. At $48 a head we each had our own pot of tea (I opted for peppermint) as well as a glass of Ruinart blanc de blanc champagne. To nibble on we had a beautiful three-tier tea tray. Let’s start at the bottom, shall we? The last tier had two tiny quiches, salmon and mascarpone cheese sandwiches, cod croquettes and amazing roasted veggie sandwiches. Now onto the main event, also on the last tier: the most delightful scones, both plain and a fruit version that was filled with raisins. Cue the top tier of the tray which was decked out with clotted cream, raspberry and orange preserves. So let me put these scones in context — I usually avoid carbs at all costs and I committed carbocyde eating not one, but two full scones decked out in cream and jam.