Last weekend we were invited up to Chatsworth Estate to sample their new Afternoon Tea in partnership with Wedgwood at the Flying Childers Restaurant. Chatsworth is a place we are somewhat familiar with, having spent 8 years living in Sheffield during my 20’s . The estate set in the beautiful Peak District has gorgeous grounds and an equally impressive Stately home. It’s a great place for a day out in general with so much to explore, and of course for those foodies there is a magnificent farm shop on the estate also.
The Flying Childers restaurant has recently started serving a real treat of an afternoon tea in partnership with Wedgwood, who have provided all the beautiful china. The restaurant itself is named after Flying Childers, a famous racehorse who was owned by the 2nd Duke of Devonshire, the family who own the estate. You can see his image on the walls whilst you eat. Wedgwood itself is intricately associated with tea, with Josiah Wedgwood having started designed teaware following the fashion for it that arose in the mid 18th century.
The Wedgwood afternoon tea is available with or without the treat of a glass of Champagne, endless amounts of different loose leaf teas or the options of coffee or a soft drink if you prefer these. Lee had his with a glass of Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose Champagne which I think is the perfect accompaniment.
I was really staggered by the beauty of the china that the afternoon tea was served on, tea cups, teapots, plates and even the gold cutlery was absolutely gorgeous.
The tea menu was extensive, and included options such as Gunpowder, Chun Mee, Ceylon Uva, Moroccan Mint and many more. You were welcome to try as many as you wanted and over the course of a couple of hours we tried the Wedgewood Original (a blend from India and Kenya with hints of malty sweetness and caramel), the English Afternoon Blend, Earl Grey and the Orange Pekoe from Sri Lanka.
The Afternoon tea menu began with a ‘starter’ of a Beetroot Macaron with Goats Curd and Tomato jelly which was a lovely light way to start – the flavours of the tomato jelly especially were fantastic and the classic combination worked really well.
Some traditional sandwiches came next, and these were done very well, fresh soft bread and tasty well seasoned fillings including Ham with Tomato Chutney, Cucumber and Peppery Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon and Dill.
I liked that the sandwiches were served separately to the sweet treats, adding a little bit of structure to the tea, and not overwhelming you with food all at once. The scones and sweet treats though are always the ‘piece de resistance’ and really are what make or break the tea. These ones did not disappoint on any level. I’d go so far as to say they were the best selection I’ve had for a good long while. On the top layer we had some mini scones – a savoury stilton and walnut and then a classic fruit scone with jam and cream. Both of these really hit the spot, warm and soft.
The bottom layer was an delight! Packed with bitesize morsels of deliciousness. We had Earl Grey Macarons, a Strawberry Savarin, Passion Fruit Posset, White Chocolate and Cranberry Florentine, Spicy Chocolate Mousse and a Bakewell Cheesecake!
Needless to say we were full to bursting by the time we had made our way through them all! Both Lee and I were so impressed with the standard of the afternoon tea and agreed it would make a perfect addition to a day at Chatsworth or for a special occasion too.
The Wedgwood Afternoon Tea costs £35 pp or £45 with a glass of champagne and is available at weekends and during the holidays in the Flying Childers Restaurant.
Disclosure: Our afternoon tea was complimentary for the purposes of review, all thoughts are our own.
