I booked a classic afternoon tea experience at the Tea Lounge at St. Ermin’s and was impressed with the menu, service, and experience. I would describe afternoon tea to my American friends as a meal but think in terms of finger food. The menu consisted of sandwiches, sweet treats, freshly baked scones, and, of course, tea. I chose the English breakfast tea, a classic choice, with sugar and milk. The tea is served in a tea pot and you are given an hourglass timer with three options for strongly you would like your tea steeped. I perused the menu during the four minutes my tea steeped for that medium flavor. The food is served on a tower of sorts and, beginning at the bottom, the sandwiches included:

• Poached chicken, Baron Bigod brie, lavage & black truffle; 
• Pepper cured beef, pickled cabbage, soft cheese; 
• Smoked salmon, crème cheese, watercress and fresh lemon; 
• Duck, egg, crispy pancetta & shallots, bacon jam, tarragon; and 
• Goats’ curd, roasted Middlesex vegetables. 

The sandwich portions are about 1/4 the size of a sandwich so you get to try multiple selections. Personally, I was not a massive fan of the salmon or the pepper cured beef sandwiches due to texture and flavor, respectively. They weren’t bad but they weren’t for my palate. The sweet treats included:

• Violet and blackberry macaron; 
• Praline Paris Brest; 
• Pistachio and cherry cheesecake; 
• Chocolate orange mousse, chocolate popping candy; and 
• Raspberry and coconut lamington cake. 

My least favorite sweet treats were the cheesecake and the mousse due to flavor on both. Again, they were not bad, they just weren’t for my palate. My absolute favorite sweet treats were the Praline Paris Brest and the raspberry and coconut lamington cake. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite of both and will work on recipes to be able to make them at home. These were heavenly, superb, delightfully lite, and wonderful. As if that wasn’t enough food, freshly baked plain and fruit scones were also served with clotted cream and jam. I am stepping into the muck here with a hotly debated topic but I opted for cream then jam. Clotted cream is something difficult to explain. Think like a very soft cheese almost. It is thick yet spreadable, sweet yet tart. The combination of the clotted cream and the jam were a delightfully enjoyable end to afternoon tea. The service was impeccable and my waitress was kind and helpful in her tea recommendations.  

I found myself feeling a bit lonely during my afternoon tea. I used this opportunity to embrace the quiet reflection which came so easily. I considered all the things I was enjoying as well as questioning why I felt lonely. If you are looking for personal growth, a solo trip to a foreign country is a fantastic way to stretch yourself and push beyond your comfort zone. I miss R and the girls and am excited to see friends. I enjoy exploring new places and it is a bit intimidating to navigate everything solo. It has been, and will continue to be, an amazing reminder that I can do so much more than I give myself credit for. This was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed and would happily do again.