Celtic Manor - Afternoon Tea

 Last week my best friend told me to keep this afternoon free. She told me that she had arranged a surprise and that I was to 'dress pretty and classy' and to pick her up at half one to where we would then go for a little treat.

So today, I spent a silly amount of time doing my hair and make-up, popped in the car and picked her up. She then told me where we were going. It was to the Celtic Manor. I live less than a 15 minute drive from the Manor and have only been there once. It has held host to celebrities, golf championships and later this year the G8 summit. It sits on a hillside that can be seen miles away and is always a little impressive. Needless to say I was excited and still unaware as to the reason.

Once we worked our way through the car park full of BMW's and Audi's (I mean literally not a lot else) We walked into the main reception area, the ceiling is 10 stories high and the reception area alone is bigger than my whole flat. It is decorated in luxury that I would kill to own and yet is still inviting.

after a short walk we get to the waiting area and get taken through to a large room that light and airy, with 3 of the 4 walls looking onto the green. We are there for some afternoon tea, and what a tea it was.
to begin with we got a choice of teas, they came lined up in test tube style jars and we had to make a choice. I decided on Blackcurrant and Ella chose White Peony and I have to say that hers was beautiful, It was delicate and sweet, mine tasted a little like ribena, but I liked it. Each pot was large and we got about 5 cups out of it.

After a short wait, along came a 3 tier serving tray full of finger sandwiches and sweet deserts. there was so much choice I cant remember half of it. There was chicken with a basil pesto mayo, the afternoon tea expected cucumber sandwich, also some egg mayo in tiny little rolls that were really cute. Smoked salmon and pastrami, shallot mayonnaise on a mini bagel and a cheese and leek tartlet. It was all so pretty, I didn't really want to ruin the aesthetics, however I tucked in and was treated to a delight.

Onto the sweets and there were orange and ginger biscuit cupcakes, rhubarb and custard on shortbread (though it was called a red berry chocolate truffle and we both thought it was strawberry or raspberry until we bit in and got the full flavour). Then there was an apple snow and Welsh honey Madeline, a cappuchino pecan layer cake and my personal favourite in the selection a banoffee fudge delice with Calady Island chocolate ganache, which was just amazing, It melted in your mouth and no flavour overpowered the other, it was just perfect.

Finally once our huge pots of tea where almost finished and out plates were cleared away we still had scones to devour, so with a huge dollop of clotted cream that had a little lemon in it and a nice slather of jam, we ate until we were stuffed. It was a truly brilliant little surprise and a little indulgence between two friends is a perfect way to spend a midweek afternoon.

Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport, South Wales - Website here

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