I also believe that there
are certain foods and dining rituals that elicit an emotional response from
deep within us; these vary from person to person and in many cases are
associated with foods that we ate when we were children or that remind of us of
happy times in our lives. I defy anyone to tell me that they don’t have at
least one food or meal that does this for them. When I was younger, I remember
that when guests were expected, my grandmother would bake a range of cakes and
scones and serve them with dainty little crustless sandwiches. I always loved
these occasions and her version of afternoon tea.
I have always enjoyed
eating individual sized portions of foods and I love having a choice of
different foods to eat – that way I can get to sample a broader range of what
is on offer! I am also rather partial to pastries and cakes, so afternoon tea
definitely ticks all my boxes and I am determined to try out as many places as
I can in 2015.
I have been hearing a lot
of great things about the Brabazon and The Cellar restaurants in Tankardstown
House Hotel so when I heard that afternoon tea was also available, I decided to
journey up to County Meath and sample it. I know, I know... it's a tough life!
Driving through the gates
of Tankardstown House, you are immediately struck by the beauty of the lovingly
restored Georgian house and the magnificent grounds. The owners Brian and
Patricia Conroy have created something that is, in many ways, spectacular and
totally sympathetic to the original architecture of the estate. The gardens are
immaculate with high stone walls dividing the courtyard and garden areas
creating spaces that you just want to explore further.
Afternoon tea is served in
a restored cottage located off the same courtyard area that also houses
Tankardstown’s other two restaurants. Weather permitting, afternoon tea can
also be enjoyed in a dedicated Tea Garden area, but unfortunately conditions
were a little unpredictable on the day I visited so this was not really an
option.
Mismatched crockery sets
the tone for the afternoon tea, which is relaxed without being stuffy or overly
formal. A range of teas, including herbal teas are available, as is coffee. In
keeping with tradition I opted for tea, choosing a strong breakfast blend as
this suited my particular humour on the day. A large pot was duly delivered to
my table along with a three tiered stand of edible delights. A tea cosy kept
the tea warm and added a quaint note, reminding me of times spent having tea
with my grandmother who always insisted on keeping a pot of tea warm in this
manner rather than be allowed go slowly cold. The tea was strong with a robust
flavour – just the way I like it! On a whim, I decided to have a glass of
Prosecco, which was suitably dry and pleasantly fizzy.
Each of the plates making
up the three tiered stand was crammed with delicious things to eat. The top
plate held sandwiches, the middle tier a selection of cakes and pastries and
the bottom tier had fruit scones with butter, jam and cream.
I decided to start from
the top with the sandwiches, each of which was presented as open-topped so that
you could easily see its constituent elements. The selection included:
Rare Roast Beef with Sliced Cornichon & Mustard Dressing on Brown Bread
Smoked Salmon with Horseradish Cream & Chives on White Bread
Goats Cheese & Red Onion Marmalade on White Bread
Smoked Chicken, Red Pepper & Brie on Brown Bread
Whilst all were lovely,
my favourite of these bite-sized treats was the roast beef which I felt worked
very well with the piquancy of the cornichon and mustard dressing. The cream
cheese/red onion marmalade combo was simple, but equally delicious. Perhaps
it’s conditioning over many years, but I would have preferred the smoked salmon
on thinly cut brown soda bread rather than the white bread, but this is only a
minor point and a personal preference.
I decided to try out the
scones next. Our waitress informed us that they were made by Slane Bake, the
‘little sister’ of Tankardstown House and that the bakery was also responsible
for all the cakes, pastries and breads laid out before us. The scones were
lovely, with a slightly chewy crumb and just the right amount of dried fruit. A
good dollop of a well-flavoured raspberry jam and some whipped cream turned
them into an indulgent treat, perfect for eating between sips of tea.
The choice of cakes and
pastries was varied and included:
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
Chocolate-dipped, Cream-filled Éclair
Bakewell Slice
Red Velvet Cupcake
Vanilla Cupcake with Chocolate Fudge Icing
Chocolate Biscuit Cake ‘Truffles’
Of these, the two
stand-outs were the carrot cake and the bakewell slice, both of which were full
of flavour, with a wonderful moist texture and not at all dry. The least
successful of the cakes and pastries were the Biscuit Cake Truffles, which were
a bit mealy in the mouth, but they did have a lovely taste. At this stage, my
appetite was well satisfied, but I still managed to finish everything that was
put before me.
The afternoon tea in
Tankardstown was absolutely charming and was wonderful way to spend a
leisurely afternoon. The food was lovely and the service exemplary.
In fact, the only
negative thing that I have to say about the experience was in relation to the
condition of many of the roads in County Meath. I have never seen potholes like
the ones that I encountered that day… there are so many wonderful places to
visit in this beautiful county, including Tankardstown House, that one would be
hopeful that Meath County Council is prioritising the repair and upkeep of its
roads to encourage more visitors to the area.
Compared to many of the
afternoon teas that are available, this one is very reasonably priced and
highly recommended.
Cost:
Afternoon Tea for Two €40
Sparkling Afternoon Tea
for Two (with Prosecco) €50
Tattinger Afternoon Tea
for Two €65
Opening Hours: Saturday
& Sunday 1pm-5pm
Tankardstown House Hotel
Rathkenny
Slane
County Meath
Tel: 041 9824621
1. Preheat oven to 180C/Fan
Oven 160C/Gas mark 4. Butter the base and sides of a 20cm round spring-form
cake tin (about 6-8cms deep) and line the bottom with some non-stick baking
parchment. Place on a baking tray and set aside.
