Putting On The Ritz

When you speak of putting on the Ritz, it is meant for doing things up right, unless you are Mel Brooks.  In Young Frankenstein, it doesn't quite work out that way.  So let's go with the Fred Astaire version.

 

Because that is the version we experienced when Lee took Trista and me to the Ritz in London for tea.  He got reservations even before we left for England.  Then we discovered there was a dress code, so I had time to pack the right clothes.  Imagine how horrible it would be to be denied entrance!

After they seat you at your reserved table, you are presented with a tea menu, so each guest can choose their choice of a pot of tea.  While you wait, you get a glass of champagne.  I guess that is because if you are dressed up, someone better get you an alcoholic beverage.  Works for me!

After you get your pot of tea, with cream and lumps of sugar, they present you with a tiered serving dish with many perfectly cut tea sandwiches. 

Afternoon Tea Menus

We are proud to present the menu for our world famous afternoon tea.

SANDWICH SELECTION

Ham with Grain Mustard Mayonnaise on Brioche Bread

Cheddar Cheese with Chutney on Tomato Bread

Cucumber with Cream Cheese, Dill and Chives on Granary Bread

Chicken Breast with Parsley Cream on Malt Bread

Scottish Smoked Salmon with Lemon Butter on Sourdough Bread

Egg Mayonnaise with Chopped Shallots and Watercress on White Bread

SCONES AND PASTRIES

Freshly Baked Raisin and Plain Scones with Cornish Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve.

Assortment of British Tea, Pastries and Cakes.

TEA SELECTION

Ritz Royal English	Darjeeling First Flush	Assam Tippy Orthodox	Ceylon Orange Pekoe
Oolong Formosa	Earl Grey Imperial	Rose Congou	Lapsang Souchong
Russian Caravan	Dragon Pearls	Chun Mee	Moroccan Mint
Rooibos Red Tea	Passion Fruit and Orange	Camomile Flowers	Lemon Verbena
The Ritz Chai	Chocolate Mint Rooibos

 

 

 Mind you, each diner gets one of each sandwich, along with a selection of pastries and chocolates.  Delightful.  We shared the pastries to enjoy each one, not realizing we could have asked for more.  No matter.  They were rich and delicious and we would have been stuffed and unable to KEEP GOING.  We had the pride of America to uphold.

 

They even had custom made chocolates on the desserts.

 

Does the queen have it better than this?

Once we devoured the entirety of the selection, they came back and brought more sandwiches.  But then they told us there was more to come, so we slowed our ravenous eating.  Well, we ate slowly and with a raised pinky, so polite, but slow and steady can consume a lot of food!

Then they brought warm scones with clotted cream and jam.  We ate all of those.  Then they brought more.  Pastries and cakes. 

 

By this time we realized, that as long as we kept eating, they would keep bringing.  But we were stuffed.  Now that hunger has been satiated, we were able to look around.  We had a pianist playing music.  A gorgeous room and many other diners likewise enjoying themselves.

These pictures were taken with my iPhone in an attempt to be discrete.  Not sure I accomplished that, but they aren't up to my camera.  But who wants to look like a gawking tourist???

There was a young lady treating her grandmother to afternoon tea at the Ritz behind us.  Very sweet.  And there were many other guests, none of whom appeared to be famous in any way.  Sadly, they were looking at us and realizing the same thing.

Notwithstanding the lack of famous people, if was a delightful meal in the company of family and nothing is better than that.