High Tea - does such a thing still exist?

caronc

Sounds like a great name for a Scottish tea shop and lovely fond memories of your Granny

jfdi

Back in the late 80s I recall my husband taking myself and our 2 yr old lad to Nardinis in Ayr (does that sound right?) on the seafront.
Very old fashioned.
We sat out the back at a linen covered table and had High Tea. Scrambled eggs and kippers featured, I think, as well as a good pot of tea and, of course, ice cream!

caronc

jfdi wrote: »

Back in the late 80s I recall my husband taking myself and our 2 yr old lad to Nardinis in Ayr (does that sound right?) on the seafront.
Very old fashioned.
We sat out the back at a linen covered table and had High Tea. Scrambled eggs and kippers featured, I think, as well as a good pot of tea and, of course, ice cream!

It's in Largs about 20 miles up the coast from Ayr (where I was born!) - hope you had a knickerbocker glory It is such a beautiful building and view fab place for a High Tea. Still very much on the go though don't know if the still do High tea. Used to go with my Gran & Papa in his Ford Cortina - lovely memories

jfdi

caronc wrote: »

It's in Largs about 20 miles up the coast from Ayr (where I was born!) - hope you had a knickerbocker glory It is such a beautiful building and view fab place for a High Tea. Still very much on the go though don't know if the still do High tea. Used to go with my Gran & Papa in his Ford Cortina - lovely memories

Ah Largs! That rings a bell!

OH lived most of his childhood in Gourock, although born in Edinburgh, so it's all his old stamping ground!
I frequently get regaled with tales of his Sunday School outings etc!

freyasmum

Ah, I have many a fond memory of getting the ferry over to millport, cycling around it and then having something from Nardinis on our return!

My granny was a real tea-jenny and had an awfully sweet tooth so, whenever we went out, it was always for a high tea! The meal would be smaller than if going out for dinner and would usually be scampi/battered fish with chips and peas or gammon steak with similar accompaniments or something similar. It would be served (funnily enough) with lashings of tea and followed by a two-tier cake stand with a slice of tea bread/scone and various small cakes - meringues and cream, a small sponge/fairy cake, a piece or millionaires shortbread or regular shortbread.

The hotel we used to go to was bought over so I don't know if they still do it anymore - but I will let you know if they do!

caronc

freyasmum wrote: »

Ah, I have many a fond memory of getting the ferry over to millport, cycling around it and then having something from Nardinis on our return!

My granny was a real tea-jenny and had an awfully sweet tooth so, whenever we went out, it was always for a high tea! The meal would be smaller than if going out for dinner and would usually be scampi/battered fish with chips and peas or gammon steak with similar accompaniments or something similar. It would be served (funnily enough) with lashings of tea and followed by a two-tier cake stand with a slice of tea bread/scone and various small cakes - meringues and cream, a small sponge/fairy cake, a piece or millionaires shortbread or regular shortbread.

The hotel we used to go to was bought over so I don't know if they still do it anymore - but I will let you know if they do!

That's exactly how I remember a "high tea"

freyasmum

caronc wrote: »

That's exactly how I remember a "high tea"

Sadly, their website is woeful and all they have under 'dining' is valentines dining!

I did check out their sister site - The Carlton in Prestwick? - and they serve afternoon tea, but I couldn't see anything about high teas. I guess they must have fallen out of fashion (at least according to that hotel group!)

All the more reason to recreate a high tea at home :cool:

caronc

freyasmum wrote: »

Sadly, their website is woeful and all they have under 'dining' is valentines dining!

I did check out their sister site - The Carlton in Prestwick? - and they serve afternoon tea, but I couldn't see anything about high teas. I guess they must have fallen out of fashion (at least according to that hotel group!)


All the more reason to recreate a high tea at home :cool:

Thanks "The Carlton" is literally 5 minutes from where I grew up LOL. It's rather nice these days but no I can't see it doing high tea- Spa days etc. are more this groups' thing (though they do what they do rather well:))

[Deleted User]

Perhaps we should collectively reinstate one day a week to actually ALL have High Tea? it would be such a lovely thing to do and other folks who maybe read along might feel inspired to join us. Post the menu you use and any 'not run of the mill' recipes so we could all try them out? It would be such fun to do and might put High Teas back on the map in the UK as a regular meal.

caronc

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Perhaps we should collectively reinstate one day a week to actually ALL have High Tea? it would be such a lovely thing to do and other folks who maybe read along might feel inspired to join us. Post the menu you use and any 'not run of the mill' recipes so we could all try them out? It would be such fun to do and might put High Teas back on the map in the UK as a regular meal.

Sounds like a plan though I'll need to wait until I gather some folk to join me
My preferred menu would be
Gammon steak, pineapple, chips, peas and 1/2 grilled tomato
A scottish crumpet with butter and jam
A wee bit of rich fruit cake and an eclair :j
And of course a pot of tea .......