I have wanted to have tea at The Biltmore in Asheville, NC for some time. Since I love having high tea and sharing that experience with friends I decided that when my best friend Ann came to town for a few days we would spend the day at The Biltmore doing some things that we love. First up was the Downton Abbey exhibition (more on that later) and then afternoon tea at the Dining Room in The Inn.
The tea was fun and while it was not the best high tea I have ever had it was memorable and shared with my best friend so that made it perfect. The Biltmore prides itself in providing the best experience available in the area with top notch service and the dining room was filled with others enjoying tea.
Taking tea should be an uncrushed experience and this was the case. We were treated with the first trays complete with delightful mini scones and cheese biscuits that were complemented with apple butter, clotted cream and lemon curd.
The savory part of the tea was a presentation of 5 small items including the typical cucumber sandwich along with a smoked salmon bite, a sausage roll, a vegetable wrap and a creamy tart.
Next up was the cheese course. We both expected a plate with assorted cheeses but kept seeing these bowls being brought out to other tables. When we got ours it made sense –it was more of a savory crouton with a beer cheese sauce drizzled over it. Of course their description was far more elegant than that but you get the idea.
Finally the part we were both waiting for – the sweet plate. It did not disappoint. My favorite piece was the pear tart which surprised me a little bit since I am such a chocolate fan but it was a perfect mix of flavor with a flakey little crust. Yum. I could have eaten a whole plate of these.
mini gingerbread man placed on top of the profiterale. Adorable and tasty.
Afternoon Tea at The Biltmore runs around $50 exclusive of tip.
I loved the time we spent at our afternoon tea and it was the perfect way to spend a couple of hours after being immersed in the English life of the Downton Abbey Exhibition. I think taking tea is something that is a great tradition and one that we need to embrace a little bit more in the US. What do you think?
What is your favorite part of my tea experience? I would love to hear all about it in the comments so remember to Comment for a Cause for The Haven.
