Discover London’s Festive Afternoon Tea Inspired by a Beloved Christmas Poem

London: There’s a new afternoon tea in town, and it’s inspired by a classic Christmas poem that’s over 200 years old!

The Park Room at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel has launched a festive afternoon tea themed around ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. How cool is that?

Pastry Chef Anthony Hurst has whipped up some sweet treats that reflect different parts of this beloved poem, which was first published in 1823 by Clement Clarke Moore.

I remember trying their Flower Fairies Afternoon Tea in the summer, and it was one of the best I had all year. So, I was really looking forward to this one!

We kicked things off with a glass of fizz while checking out their impressive selection of over 40 teas and six different jams to enjoy with our scones.

To start, we had a palate cleanser called Snowfall Sprinkle, which was a refreshing frozen English wine with a zesty clementine twist. So good!

The savory part included classic finger sandwiches and open buns filled with prawn and smoked salmon with cream cheese. Those were definitely my favorites!

But the real stars of the show were the sweet treats, each inspired by the poem. The ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas cake was a brandy-soaked fruit cake that looked just like the book itself, and it was super festive!

Then there was the A Mouse About the House cheesecake with caramel crème, which was honestly one of the best cheesecakes I’ve ever tasted.

They also had the Be Present pastry with raspberry coulis and the Trimmings and Traditions bauble made with fig mousse and plum compote, both of which were delicious.

But my absolute favorite had to be the Dash, Dash – Away in a Flash hazelnut and praline sponge. It was rich, decadent, and so light and fluffy!

After all that food, I was definitely ready for a long winter’s nap. If you’re interested, this festive afternoon tea runs until January 2, with prices starting at £70 per person.