AFTERNOON TEA WITH TIFFANY AT FOUR SEASONS HOTEL KL

 

An epitome of luxury, love and joy for over more than 175 years, the signature robin egg blue of Tiffany & Co. makes its presence felt at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with The Lounge’s Afternoon Tea with Tiffany experience, available now until 16 June.

 

Through the Hotel’s collaboration with Tiffany & Co., an authentic Tiffany’s table setting replicating the charming ambience of The Blue Box Café™ back in Fifth Avenue, New York takes pride of place.

For the uninitiated, The Blue Box Café™ — located on the 4^th Floor of Tiffany & Co. New York flagship store — has a 6-month waiting list for those who yearn to sample the legendary breakfast, lunch and tea at Tiffany. The dream eats list includes The Ten Carat Breakfast (USD100), a platter of buttermilk waffle luxed up with 30g Siberian Ossetra caviar and lemon crème fraiche.

Closer to home, I was ecstatic when Dato’ Rosemarie Wee of Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur extended an invitation for moi to experience the Tiffany-inspired afternoon tea. The show-stopping cache centres on a beautifully laid table set with limited edition Tiffany tableware in white and robin egg blue, specially brought in from The Blue Box Café™. This sophisticated setting befits the Tiffany-inspired tea menu curated by Executive Chef Junious Dickerson.

Inspired by Tiffany’s latest Believe in Love jewellery line, the gorgeous handcrafted afternoon tea treats come clad in that iconic robin egg blue and white hues. Hats off to Chef Junious Dickerson and team for getting the hallmark shades down pat.

 

Presented on a tiered stand, we couldn’t stop gushing over the lovely creations. The most pix-worthy is undoubtedly the dainty candied peel-studded Royal Spice Cake in a beribboned, fondant Tiffany Box. Another gem is the luscious Chocolate Praline with Mandarin Orange Gel shaped like a multi-faceted, gold-flecked turquoise jewel.

My favourite is Gateau Napolitaines with Raspberry Jam, a disc of icing-covered buttery shortbread biscuit topped with lush vanilla mousse and raspberry jam. Coming in a close second is the ethereal Chocolate Gianduja Plaisir Sucre Cake — wafer-thin chocolate praline layered with chocolate whipped cream on hazelnut cake base coming in a close second. An airy-light Elderflower Choux Puff adorned with a white chocolate feather and crisp Blueberry Macarons with Mascarpone Crème complete the on-point selection.

The Lounge’s Signature Tea Blend, brimming with discernible peach and tropical fruit nuances, is a perfect accompaniment for the array of marvellous morsels. No classic cream tea is complete without scones and we dare say the warm Plain and Raisin Scones here doesn’t disappoint. All the scones need is a liberal spread of Devonshire Clotted Cream, Strawberry Jam and Lescure Butter.

On the savoury front, the winsome quintet features miniature New York Ruebens with Peppered Pastrami, Sauerkraut and Provolone, Egg Salad with Poached Asparagus and Truffle Crème on Pain au Lait (French milk bread), Foie Gras Mousse in Bouche with Blue Pea Flower Jewels, Cucumber with Aged Feta Cream, Fennel Pollen, Olive Oil Pearls on Sundried Tomato Bread and Cured Salmon Rillettes on Purple Potato Blini. Nothing is more satisfying than sampling thoughtfully curated, detailed creations in the company of good friends.

An Afternoon Tea with Tiffany is priced at RM158 nett, will be served at The Lounge daily from 2.30pm to 5.30pm until 16 June. Limited edition Tiffany tableware will be used exclusively for reservations of 8 guests or more. Reservations are highly recommended.

Please call Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2382 8650 for reservations and information. 

A JOURNEY THROUGH TEA AT NEWENS TEA HOUSE

The luxurious ritual of partaking afternoon tea goes creatively thematic at Newens Tea House this January to March.

Billed as A Journey Through Tea, Newens Tea House should be a compelling stopover for Anglophiles partial to Traditional English High Tea. Available daily throughout January, we had a sneak preview of the triple tier of classic afternoon tea favourites.

Splendid openers comprised delicate Finger Sandwiches with Salmon, and Beef & Cucumber, Cheese with Crackers and Scones served with Clotted Cream and Preserves.

Newens’ signature Maids of Honour Tarts in Chocolate & Apple variants were also part of the tea-rrific temptations. Airy-light yet crisp with a soft centre, legend has it the irresistible treat came from a 500-year old recipe confiscated by King Henry VIII. The king kept it under lock and key after he found the sweet-savoury tart made by one of Queen Anne Boleyn’s maids of honour very much to his liking.

 

The Traditional English High Tea also included shot glasses of Trifle, Red Velvet Cake and Lemon Meringue Tart accompanied by a free-flow of Orange Pekoe Tea. 

Come February, Newens Tea House will pay tribute to Chinese New Year with its Spring in China Tea. The selection of pastries highlighted a decidedly Oriental slant with scrumptious offerings of Shanghainese Sizzling Chicken Dumplings and Baked Crispy Chicken Puffs, accompanied by free-flow of Pai Mu Tan (white peony) tea – a subtly sweet, floral Chinese tea brewed from unopened tea buds.

Dainty portions of Osmanthus Flower Jelly with Water Chestnuts, Steamed Layer Cake with Custard Cream and Salted Egg Yolk, Baked Egg Tarts, Pineapple Tarts and Fruit Cake will also sweeten the festive coterie.

To herald the arrival of spring in March and the cherry blossom season in Japan, Newens will be serving Japanese-inspired tea Cherry Blossom Afternoon Tea. 

Exquisite morsels of California Hand Roll, Salmon Sashimi, Makimono Tamago (Omelette Roll), and Makimono Kani (Crabmeat Roll) will be paired with free-flow of aromatic Wild Cherry Tea. Completing the experience will be Sakura-Themed Mini Cakes and Pralines.

The above thematic tea experiences are available throughout each respective month at RM150 nett per set (for two persons), daily from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Newens Tea House is renowned for their 300-year-old tea drinking heritage that has been re-imagined for the 21st century.

Guests who wish to order any of the thematic afternoon tea beyond the stated promotional period can do so with a minimum booking of 6 tea sets, for 12 pax. A minimum of 3 days advance notice is required.

The signature Maid of Honour tarts (RM12 each) are also available for takeaway in a gift box of either 4 or 9 pieces.

For more information or reservations, call Newens Tea House, tel: 03 2719 8550 or email: newens@ytlhotels.com.my. Newens Tea House is located at Starhill Gallery, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.