Mount Nelson Hotel’s speciality tea menu was designed in collaboration with local tea aficionados Mingwei Tsai and Joel Singer of Nigiro Specialist Tea Merchants. It features a scintillating selection ranging from the sublime Standard Loose Leaf Tea List (think prestigious Gunpowder Temple of Heaven Green Tea, delicate Darjeeling and sunshine yellow Chamomile), to the spectacular Premium Loose Leaf Tea List (the likes of Pai Mu Tan White Tea, Lapsang Souchong and Herbal Sweet Dream). Also on offer is an exclusive Mount Nelson Hotel Special Blend – a combination of six locally and internationally sourced and expertly blended black teas flavoured with buds and petals from the hotel’s signature pink roses. And for the adventurous, the small selection of handcrafted Chinese Artistic Show Teas is a flowering treat.
When it comes to tea appreciation, presentation and service is as important as flavour and aroma, and Mount Nelson Hotel has spared no expense to ensure that the teas are experienced at their best. Each loose leaf tea is presented in a delicate glass infuser and guests are encouraged to interact with their chosen brew – to admire the aesthetics of the tea leaves and breathe in the refreshing aroma – before the infuser is placed inside its matching glass teapot and left to steep for a set period of time. Individual egg-timers are placed beside each teapot to ensure that the correct infusion time is adhered to.
Pastry Chef Samantha Waring, the domestic goddess whose task it is to dream up tempting delicacies for Afternoon Tea, has developed a selection of tea themed cakes and confectionery items to complement the new tea menu. In addition to her best-loved finger sandwiches (with fillings the likes of cucumber and cream cheese, smoked salmon, or tangy egg-mayonnaise), addictive mini-quiches, chocolaty indulgences, colourful petit fours and cupcakes and classic confectionery (including to-die-for homemade coconut ice), the following tea infused items are making their debut on the Windsor Table: Vanilla Tea Fudge, Forest Berry Tea infused Turkish Delight, Rooibos Strawberry and Vanilla Mousse Cups, Chamomile Lemon Loaf, Green Tea Cake and Rooibos Orange Marshmallows.
Also new to the hotel’s Afternoon Tea experience is the introduction of a series of differently themed Afternoon Teas each month. Kicking off with Tea Infusions in the month of August, Samantha and her team will be showcasing the following foodie themes in the coming months:
September: Floral Fantasy (celebrating Spring taking inspiration from the hotel’s garden)
October: A Return to the Classics (classic teatime treats with a contemporary twist)
November: Fruit and the Spice Route (fresh flavours inspired by the seasons’ best)
December: Cool Yule (celebrating Christmas with delicacies from around the globe)
An Elegant Heritage
It is said that the art of taking Afternoon Tea was introduced by the seventh Duchess of Bedford in the early 19th century. The Duchess had a penchant for inviting friends to join her for discreet conversation and a mid-afternoon pick-me-up of tea and sandwiches. Not to be confused with High Tea (a family gathering with simple, fresh fare), her stylish Afternoon Tea soirees proved popular with London’s socialite set, and it soon became fashionable for high society around the world to host similar tea parties. By the end of the 19th century, the Cape of Good Hope had become a sought-after holiday destination for Europe’s well-heeled travellers. Most of these elegant explorers stayed at Mount Nelson Hotel, and so it was that the hotel’s tradition of Afternoon Tea began…
Seven days a week, 365 days a year, the hotel’s Windsor Table overflows with traditional sweet and savoury treats, and notes from the grand piano tinkle throughout the elegantly appointed lounge, onto the sun-splashed terrace and into the hotel’s Rose sprinkled garden. Global travellers and local guests indulge in a pastime that dates back to a time when life was less frenetic, and etiquette and simple pleasures – like that of taking Afternoon Tea - were the order of the day.
Fact File
Afternoon Tea
Afternoon Tea is served daily in the Hotel Lounge from 14h30 to17h30 and includes Standard Loose Leaf Tea, coffee or hot chocolate
R150 per person / R75 per child under 12
Morning Tea*
Morning tea is served daily in the Hotel Lounge from 09h30 to 12h30 and includes Standard Loose Leaf Tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
R95 per person / R50 per child under 12
* For a post-breakfast, pre-lunch treat, opt for a lighter version of Afternoon Tea, also served on the Windsor table, or presented on an individual tiered cake stand containing sweet and savoury specialities.
Tea Pricing
Unless enjoyed as part of the Morning or Afternoon Tea experience, teas are priced accordingly:
Standard Loose Leaf Tea Selection: R25 per pot
Premium Loose Leaf Tea Selection: R35 per pot or at a supplement of R10 per pot (if enjoyed as part of the Morning or Afternoon Tea experience).
Chinese Artistic Show Teas: R50 per pot (not included in the Morning or Afternoon Tea experience).
