It’s amazing where a simple question can take you, and when we introduced the idea of Afternoon Tea with Bottomless Cocktails earlier this month, our duty manager asked…
‘Which came first, cocktails or afternoon tea?’
In a bus management meeting, the room was split almost exactly 50:50 between cocktails and afternoon tea, and so as ever, we turned to Google.
The answer was surprising, as the cocktail actually pre-dates traditional afternoon tea by almost 200 years.
Afternoon Tea was introduced by the Duchess of Bedford in the 19th century whereas the first cocktail ‘recipes’ were recorded as early as the 1600s. These early drinks were mainly medicinal in nature but in among the herbal preparations were juleps, fizzes, and even slings.
19th century America saw the invention of the word cocktail, believed to be from the French word ‘coquetier’, meaning egg cup.
So, while those on ‘Team Cocktail’ were factually correct, it is absolutely apparent that Afternoon Tea and Cocktails were popularised at exactly the same time on different sides of the Atlantic and while America was experiencing the heady thrill of mixology, here in England we were enjoying the slightly more genteel indulgence of cucumber sandwiches and dainty pastries.
And now of course, these two worlds collide deliciously in our latest offering, Traditional Afternoon Tea served with bottomless cocktails…it’s almost like we meant it all along !
All of the traditional elements of the quintessentially English afternoon tea including homemade pastries, vibrant macaroons and delicate finger sandwiches, presented alongside freshly mixed Cosmopolitan, Peach Bellini, or perfectly chilled Mojito.
The very best of both worlds you might say.
You simply haven’t lived until you have tried a homemade savoury scone, fresh from our oven with a Margarita, or delicate chilled glass of Rose Wine. It’s a match made in heaven, blending the elegance of traditional English afternoon tea with the vibrant flair of bottomless cocktails.
Our ‘Transatlantic Tea’ is served every afternoon and of course we have gluten and dairy free options, as well as non-alcoholic cocktails, not to mention a range of exquisite teas.
You can see all of our afternoon tea menus, including Bottomless Cocktail and Savoury Tea here