An afternoon tea is one of life’s great indulgences. No, we’re not talking pinkie fingers at ridiculous angles or noses held high in the air. A proper afternoon tea is soothing, relaxing, and yummy. Fifty-six Kendalites signed up. And Fred, Christy, Jorge, and their staff did themselves proud when, at 2pm on January 23, the doors of the FDR opened to an honest-to-goodness tea room—gracious in design and thoughtfulness. There was a wishing tree borrowed from Lunar New Year traditions to get us in the mood. A CD provided tranquil background harp music. The table settings and decorations were exquisite, meticulously thought out to provide essentials for the menu while maintaining the relaxed graciousness of the event. And the menu met all requirements, leaving basic behind and soaring up there with the greats: Brown’s Hotel and The Savoy. First off: three tea choices in pretty pots, brought around by lacy gloved staff members. Real clotted cream, served in individual containers, as was the jam. Fred outdid himself by personally making the scones. And Executive Chef Eddie Diaz did the same with the Madeleines. Tea sandwiches met the standards of any British tea salon. And the delicious pastries were perfection. There were even ladies in hats! However, this was far from a ladies-only event. There were plenty of gentlemen who appreciate what Americans call “A High Tea.”
The whole thing was the brainstorm of Bobbie Roggemann. The planning was suberb and the execution out of this world. The perfect remedy to the grim single-digit temperatures outside. Yay, Bobbie!
Photo by Sally Costa
The “Wishing Tree”—write your anonymous wishes for the New Year and hang them on the tree.
Photos by Harry Bloomfeld (with one noted exception)