Are you all about food during the holidays? I find myself buying a lot more drinks lately due to special concoctions and Christmas cups. And who can forget Christmas themed menus that restaurants whip up? The Urban Tea Merchant always do a seasonal tea service to complement the holidays and this year they have the Festive Tea Service and the Sugar Plum Tea Service (for children).
There’s nothing more fun than having a few girls chatting about life over little, cute scrumptious desserts. Fashion blogger, Von Vogue, and I were invited to The Urban Tea Merchant to try their Festive Tea Service and the Sugar Plum Tea Service.
The Festive Tea Service ($58 per person) began with an alcoholic or non-alcoholic French Press infused with “Red Christmas Tea.” Red Christmas Tea is a rooibos tea with a mixture of spices; and I actually have a tin of these in loose leaf form at home; and it was quite refreshing to taste its as a fizzy drink.
The Festive Tea Service takes on the traditional three-tiered service (we’ve seen their tea service placed on a glass platter before here.) The bottom tier includes the savouries; the middle tier has the Fois Gras Torchon and a few desserts, and the top tier has the 1837 Black Tea cake in in a cake pop form. When the server brought the tiers over, liquid nitrogen was poured over the cake pop and we got a few “oohs” and “ahhs” coming around from the tea salon. It looked pretty darn cool and the inner child in my may have started to poke around the wisps of the boiling liquid nitrogen. Having a little bit of entertainment with the food makes it more enjoyable, yeah?
savouries
- smoked salmon, goat cheese, gooseberries, “Christmas Lights Tea” gel
- “Dignitary’s Tea” chicken in sesame cone
- proscuitto, “Singapore Breakfast Tea” stewed figs, white bean puree, filo pastry
- “Jade of Africa Tea” scented pork belly, “Eau Noire Tea” crisp, apple chutney
- Fois Gras Torchon, “Orient Express Tea” lavosh, blackberries, hazelnuts, meringue
sweets
- TWG Tea macaron
- “Moroccan Mint Tea” lemon mousse, cotton candy
- “New York Breakfast Tea” chocolate ganache, peanut butter feuilletine
- “1837 Black Tea” cake, maple & bourbon caramel
- Tuxedo strawberry
I love how each portion is presented as good as it tastes and they always keep the tastebuds longing for more. I’m not much of a goat cheese person, so Claire enjoyed those for me instead. However, give me plates of those chicken in a sesame cone and I’ll be satisfied!
Tea services always seem like you’re getting a small portion of food but do you end up unexpectedly full? The Urban Tea Merchant has prepared a service called the “Sugar Plum Tea Service” for children under 12 years old and this portion should just fill them up I think! The Sugar Plum Tea Service is inspired by Goh Ballet’s Nutcracker. I don’t know ballet but I definitely know food and this tea service is super cute. Along with a pot of TWG tea, the child will enjoy:
savouries
- cucumber & watercress tea sandwich
- “Indian Night Tea” curried egg salad sandwich
- “Dignitary’s Tea” chicken in sesame cone
- Nutella & jam tea sandwich
sweets
- chocolate-dipped strawberry
- “Moroccan Mint Tea” dark chocolate tart
- fresh baked scone with devon crème & tea-infused jelly
- “Red Christmas Tea” fruit paté
I think my taste buds are still in a children’s stage, because I love little sandwiches in afternoon tea meals; especially the cucumber ones. They have a traditional feel that is fitting for the holiday mood…and pretty much everytime I go for afternoon tea. I was secretly glad I got to try the children’s service since it had a scone + devon crème, another classic in a tea service. This is a super adorable way to treat your child to for a Christmas meal.
If you are stuck for present ideas during Christmas, perhaps taking him/her for a nice sit down afternoon tea service makes a good alternative gift; who doesn’t love food?! And perhaps after having tea and appetizing bites from The Urban Tea Merchant, you can stroll around downtown to suffice all your Christmas shopping needs.
Do you have any Christmas dinner/lunches/parties planned yet?
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