{"id":2536,"date":"2021-08-05T12:21:18","date_gmt":"2021-08-05T19:21:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kathleenphipps.com\/?p=2536"},"modified":"2021-08-05T12:21:18","modified_gmt":"2021-08-05T19:21:18","slug":"afternoon-tea-in-the-palm-court-at-the-balmoral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kathleenphipps.com\/ja\/afternoon-tea-in-the-palm-court-at-the-balmoral\/","title":{"rendered":"Afternoon Tea in the Palm Court at the Balmoral"},"content":{"rendered":"

Afternoon Tea in the Palm Court at the Balmoral, Edinburgh<\/h1>\n
POSTED ON<\/span> KATHLEENPHIPPS.COM<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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\"Afternoon<\/a><\/div>\n
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The Balmoral Hotel is one of the most beautiful hotels in Scotland and serves an equally grand afternoon tea in the Palm Court. Located just outside of Waverley Train Station, this Edwardian-era hotel is impossible to miss, especially with its clock tower looming high above.<\/p>\n

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The Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The hotel has hosted many famous guests over the years including J.K. Rowling, who spent time in the hotel\u2019s beautiful bar writing the last of the Harry Potter books. As you enter the hotel\u2019s grand foyer, decorated with bouquets of freshly cut flowers, you receive a warm Scottish welcome from the Balmoral\u2019s incredibly friendly staff. It\u2019s easy to see how a writer like Rowling would want to spend an extended amount of time in this beautiful and enchanting hotel.<\/p>\n

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The Palm Court at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Afternoon tea at the Balmoral is served in the Palm Court, the hotel\u2019s gorgeous tearoom, named for the live palm trees growing in large pots through out the room. Beautiful scenes of Edinburgh adorn the walls, depictions of the city during the Georgian era of the early 1800\u2019s. I was seated at a table situated in the center of the room, right underneath the grand chandelier hanging down from the atrium ceiling above, which let in plenty of natural light. The harpist playing in the balcony above also added to the lovely ambiance.<\/p>\n

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Tea Sommelier pouring the tea in and elaborate ceremony at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The afternoon tea was served in five separate courses, including the tea, which is a thing unto itself. My friendly server, Patricia, recommended two different kinds of tea to start with, the Balmoral\u2019s special afternoon black tea blend and an earl grey black tea. When she returned with the pots of tea, she didn\u2019t just pour the tea directly into the cups, but instead turned the tea pouring into a bit of a dramatic ceremony, with both pots held firmly in her hands, she poured the tea into the cups below in a steady stream while simultaneously raising the teapots high above her head, and then back down again. It was done with such precision that not a single drop escaped over the sides of the cups.<\/p>\n

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Carrot Ginger Soup at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The first course was an amuse bouche consisting of a small cup of carrot and ginger bisque. It was a lovely start to what was to be a superb afternoon tea.<\/p>\n

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Afternoon tea savories at the Palm Court at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next course to arrive were the savory treats. On the top tier was a gorgeous plate of savory tarts, decorated with edible flowers. One was filled with a delightfully creamy sweet corn custard, topped with a dollop of brie cheese pastry cream.<\/p>\n

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Savory Corn tarts and Haggis Palmier<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The other was a savory palmier filled with haggis. This being my inaugural tasting of haggis in Scotland, I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect, but it ended up being delectable. Patricia explained that the haggis was made from well seasoned ground meat combined with oats and spices, all stuffed into a puff pastry roulade. It had a slightly smoky flavor, much like a heavily spiced sausage. On the top was a dollop of onion jam, which added a nice sweetness to the palmier, turning it into something absolutely irresistible. I could\u2019ve eaten more, had it not been for the fact that there were several more courses to come.<\/p>\n

\"Afternoon
Afternoon tea savories at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the second tier were two different kinds of tea sandwiches, including a chicken salad, which had a generous helping of of chicken lightly dressed in an aioli along with little gem lettuce on a fluffy wholemeal bun, and an egg salad sandwich served on a house made potato bun with micro sprouts.<\/p>\n

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Tea sandwiches at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the bottom tier were three kinds of tea sandwiches, including a delicate and buttery smoked Scottish salmon with herbed cream cheese; cucumber with tarragon cream cheese and a ham and tomato sandwich.<\/p>\n

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Scones served with clotted cream and jam at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next were the scones, unique in that they were square in shape rather than the typical round shape of most scones. The scones were crisp on the outside with a well browned crust, much like shortbread, but tender and buttery in the middle. The deliciousness was definitely taken up a few notches by the addition of the decadent clotted cream and the house made strawberry jam, which had the flavor of fresh strawberries. These were some of the best scones I had on my tea room tour of the UK.<\/p>\n

\"Rose
Rose petal tisane at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a palate cleanser, Patricia recommended a rose petal tisane that perfectly complimented the scones, cream and jam. The tea had a pretty pink color and an incredibly aromatic smell and flavor that tasted like a bouquet of real roses in a cup.<\/p>\n

\"Desserts
Desserts at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next, Patricia brought out the desserts, a trio of mouthwatering pastries so elegant, I almost couldn\u2019t bring myself to eat them. The first cake I tasted was the lemon and coconut cake was topped with a dollop of intensely flavorful passion fruit curd along with fresh coconut shavings and berries.<\/p>\n

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Lemon and coconut cake with passion fruit curd at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The next was a dark chocolate delice cake filled with a light and airy chocolate mousse that would satisfy even the most serious chocoholic\u2019s cravings.<\/p>\n

\"Violet
Violet and black currant choux bun at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lastly, I tried the cream puff filled with a violet flower and black currant pastry cream. The choux bun was enrobed in a craquelin sugar topping that gave it a crisp texture, and was topped with a violet meringue \u201ccollar,\u201d making it look like the bottom half of a \u201creligiuese,\u201d a famous Parisian pastry made to resemble a nun\u2019s habit. It was a sumptuous dessert that was both beautiful and delicious.<\/p>\n

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Mango sorbet dipped in chocolate and complimentary boxes of tea & chocolates at the Balmoral, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Patricia brought out one final surprise to the table, a very special treat containing a small box of chocolate truffles and p\u00e2tes de fruits and two small tins of tea to take home containing the Balmoral\u2019s breakfast blend and the rose petal tisane. As though that wasn\u2019t enough, there was also a small cone of mango sorbet enrobed in dark chocolate, placed in a small plastic stand made especially for this purpose. It was a spectacular ending to a memorable afternoon tea.<\/p>\n

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Afternoon tea and scones with clotted cream at the Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As I was planning my tea room journey to the UK, I looked for places that would provide a memorable afternoon tea experience, which I certainly found at the Balmoral. The afternoon tea was an elegant and decadent affair, each course showcasing the best flavors of Scottish cuisine. The hotel\u2019s restaurant earned a Michelin star a number of years ago, and the afternoon tea service at the Palm Court felt worthy of its own star. In addition to the amazing food and ambiance, the service also made this an outstanding afternoon tea experience. Patricia was so attentive throughout the tea, taking the time to answer all of my questions about the different courses as well as the history of the hotel.<\/p>\n

\"Scones
Scone excellence at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I would highly recommend afternoon tea at the Balmoral if you\u2019re visiting Edinburgh. It was one of the best meals I had during my trip to Scotland. Book your tea ahead to assure a table, as it gets very busy in the Palm Court during the peak summer season. The hotel never takes more reservations than it can reasonably accommodate, making sure that every guest has more than adequate time to sit and enjoy their tea. Taking time to experience an afternoon tea at a place like the Balmoral is one of the most enjoyable activities you can do while visiting Scotland. I look forward to the day where I can return for afternoon tea at the Balmoral. It\u2019s worth traveling there for the scones alone!<\/p>\n

Find out more about the Balmoral Hotel here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Check out my UK Travel Guides here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Guide to Edinburgh<\/a><\/p>\n

UK Tearoom Reviews<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n