Mrs. Teabody and Company Take Tea at Baccarat


"Fascinator" Darci strikes a pose just outside.

Have you ever had afternoon tea in a classy hotel --one where every surface seems to take on a special sheen, where the far-too-attractive staff move about as unobtrusively as air, where every single aspect screams, "I'm special!"? Such is the case of afternoon tea at New York City's Baccarat Hotel discreetly ensconced along 53rd close enough to kiss The Museum of Modern Art. Mr. Teabody and I in the company of our much-beloved niece, Darci, along with fellow members and friends of the Mid Atlantic Tea Business Association (MATBA) had such an experience on Monday last and we won't soon forget the day and its highlights.


I'm a fan of tea menus, and I prefer the ones that come inside a little leather book but the unbooked one offered to us was nicely done on a stiff paper with our group's title at the top so that was just fine. There were just enough fancy names to tickle me and not so many as to put me off. The first decision is always "Which tea?" and I am always a sucker for Assam because it's what I like and it took a full ten minutes before each of our selections arrived -- all different. We were encouraged to share. While we waited for the tea to arrive, we took some time to snap a few photos. I love this one that shows my niece posing with all the grandness of the salon behind her.  This was Darci's first tea and she looked beautiful  in her chartreuse dress and pretty sheer fascinator.
I caught Darci posing.
The beautiful food arrived on  the stunning Baccarat crystal tiers. We scarfed up the Foie gras mousseline with blackberry and pistachio financier in a heartbeat. Bliss.


Perdue
Lobster salad, spinach and mushroom pain perdu were lovely.
This Maine lobster salad in black sesame pizelle was my favorite.

Having made short work of the "Savories" course, we were excited to see Baccarat's take on traditional scones. Not a disappointment, and the brimming goblet of REAL Devonshire clotted cream served beside a goblet of seasonal Gelee--ours was apricot-- was a delight.


Scones with Clotted Cream and Apricot Gelee
Here's a scone properly slathered with no apologies for not doing each bite separately.

When our server asked if he could serve our sweets course along with our scones, we did not discourage him. All the while we munched on scones, we could look at the delicacies waiting for us.





At the top Jasmine Pistachio Genoise, in the middle, Charlotte Framboise and at the bottom three dazzlers: Black Orchid Mousse au Chocolate and  Tartlet aux Fruits.


All too soon it was time to sip the last sip and draw our visit to a close, but not without a few more observations about what we loved: the elegant white "crock" and the fat-bottomed crystal water goblets, the gunmetal grey modern flatware and the marble-topped tables. Staff were unpretentious and accommodating and the whole afternoon moved off without one false note. It was a tea to remember and the perfect "first tea" for my niece--one that will be tough to top. Afternoon tea in a fancy hotel is not something one does very often, but it IS an experience not to be missed, and this one was truly special.



Baccarat's signature rose sphere.





Comments

  1. RosemaryJuly 20, 2017 at 11:40 AM

    And the edible gold leaf garnishes were the perfect touch to a perfect tea! Such elegance!

    ReplyDelete

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