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It’s December! That means we can officially get our Christmas heads on and get in the festive mood! I don’t mind hearing the Christmas music in shops now and I’m getting quite excited (that doesn’t mean I’m about to jump on the bandwagon and stick my tree up just yet though – I’m sure everyone seems to be much earlier with that this year?!)
The lovely people at Manchester’s Radisson Blu Edwardian are currently serving up Afternoon Tea with a twist – based on the classic afternoon tea basics of sandwiches, scones and cakes this one has a festive theme.  Think roast turkey sandwiches, orange and cranberry scones and wintery cakes . . . YUM!  I’m sure you can imagine we were really looking forward to this one!
Alongside the Festive Afternoon Tea you can also order a Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea – this isn’t something I’ve heard of before but we quite liked the idea – instead of mini cakes on your top tier you get a pork pie, Yorkshire pudding and mini fish and chips! However to me afternoon tea involves getting to eat lots of different cakes and so that’s what we did. Festive Afternoon Tea for two please Gary!
Our lovely waiter, Gary, showed us the range of fancy loose leaf teas on offer but as neither of us as are tea drinkers we substituted our tea for a hot chocolate and a cappuccino.
We were a bit surprised to have a selection of 8 different sandwiches – cue arguments over who got what! I would normally expect to have had pairs so that we each had the same! (I did consider cutting them all in half so we could share but we came to an agreement in the end!) I loved that the sandwiches were “double decker” so felt a little more substantial whilst still being dainty finger sandwiches! Some of the fillings were more festive than others -the roast turkey & cranberry and smoked salmon & cream cheese were my favourites – I thought the ham and mustard and cucumber with cream cheese were a bit more “summery” really. They were all delicious sandwiches nonetheless.
We had two sultana scones and then two cranberry & orange – both were absolutely delicious – I love scones with clotted cream and jam anyway but the cranberry & orange flavouring was a lovely festive variation on an old favourite.
And so to the cakes . . . always my favourite bit! We each had a mini chocolate fudge cake, winter berry jelly, a mini cream horn and fruit cake! Usually Dave’s favourite would have been the chocolate fudge cake but the oohs and aaahs over the fruit cake this time suggested otherwise! I expected it to be more of a “Christmas cake” in fairness but it was still really lovely – Dave described it as “melt in the mouth” which normally I would think was an odd thing to say about fruit cake but I can see where he was coming from. I wasn’t a great fan of the cream horn – would much rather have had a more seasonal mince pie! The winter berry jelly and chocolate fudge cake were both equally lovely and really suited the theme of the Afternoon Tea.
The Festive Afternoon Tea is available in the Opus One Bar and Restaurant right up to, and including, Christmas Eve. Why not pop in for yourself to warm up and relax after your next Christmas shopping mission?
Have a look at these posts next:
Where to take the kids for afternoon tea in Manchester
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Looks amazing if I lived your way we'd be heading there too! Its our annual Christmas treat that Giles and I go for afternoon tea before Christmas late night shopping!
Oooh what a lovely idea!
Ooh yum…..I need to raid the kitchen now! It sounds like you both had a lovely afternoon tea with a twist and how lovely you were treated too!
Sounds lovely. How kind of Amy to sleep all the way through allowing mummy and daddy to fully enjoy their feast :o)
Wasn't it just! We had timed it all quite carefully & walked about a bit first to make sure she was asleep 😉
it looks fantastic! I didn't get an email from him either way. it's such a shame it's so expensive x