Food

High Tea and Jazz at Fortnum & Mason

In a quintessentially British establishment, a quintessentially British tradition is about to occur, but this time served with a slice of Jazz. On the fourth floor of London’s Iconic Fortnum & Masons lies the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. Opened by the Queen herself, what better place could there be to indulge in three tiers of sweet treats whilst sipping on a delicately fragranced tea.

Exiting the wooden clad lift to the Tea Salon, you almost forget you are in the store. You are now in an exclusive hall, adorned with white table cloths, silver and accents of teal and gold trim and roses adorn the table, we are guided to our seats with a welcoming host.

String music would seem fitting to the setting but instead the partnership with legendary Jazz club Ronnie Scotts brings a wonderful trio of piano, guitar and double bass. Tonight is the Joy Ellis Trio combining latin, jazz and blues notes.

Sitting down we sip on a glass of Champagne whilst selecting a savoury dish from the high tea menu. Dishes include Lobster Omelette with Truffle, Welsh rabbit, Baked Cornish Brill with Champagne Sauce, Puff Pastry Case of Artichoke and Confit Peppers with Basil Butter. But tonight we have the tenderest Lamb wellington, a small yet perfectly pink and flavoursome start to the evening.

Next up comes the classic tiered cake stand, complete with scones, pots of clotted cream and jars of jam and lemon curd. The highest tier is reserved for the assortment of beautifully crafted pastries, each with its own fruity or creamy personality. Refreshingly, I was able to indulge in a completely dairy free option, and yes that included the clothed cream.

As you could only expect from Fortnum & Mason, the tea menu is extensive. We opt for a lightly spiced chai and the orange blossom perfumed tea, it was as wonderful as it sounded. Full with various sweet treats and scones. We sit back and enjoy the evening’s entertainment whilst keeping the tea theme going, but this time it’s an Earl Grey Negroni. Well, it would be rude not to, this is Jazz after all.


Tickets for an evening of High Tea and Jazz are available now for £80 per person, in August only, you can book via Eventbrite.com

Photography Courtney of Fortnum & Mason