There is something more to afternoon tea at StolenTime than simply a short respite. It is a full-fledged experience designed for us to slow down and take it all in. Overlooking the hallowed shores of Malabar Beach while still upholding this centuries-old tradition, it becomes a matter of leisure and pleasure as a mix of various teas, pastries, and finger foods is furnished. StolenTime afternoon tea is, as all things in our beautiful boutique resort, devoted to peace and into which one invariably wraps oneself either to share with a company or simply be with oneself.
The History of Afternoon Tea
During the early 19th century, tea consumption in Britain increased tremendously and it was around this time that Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford is said to have complained of “having that sinking feeling” during the late afternoon.
The cure for this, she found, was a pot of tea and a light meal during the afternoon, taken in her boudoir or in rooms at Woburn Abbey where guests were welcomed to join her. This was unusual for the time as it was standard for people to only take two main meals a day, breakfast and dinner; however, this tradition that the Duchess had started became so increasingly popular that other social hostesses quickly became inspired to adopt the idea of afternoon tea and soon the concept spread. Before long, nearly all of fashionable society were sipping tea and nibbling sandwiches in the middle of the afternoon and soon after, the entire nation!
Sadly, nowadays afternoon tea is usually only an occasional luxury for the British, a welcome break from a stressful day shopping in town or a birthday treat in a country house hotel. However, here at StolenTime, we offer guests the chance to indulge in this British tradition every afternoon and take time and effort to ensure that your experience with us will be a fantastic and memorable one that you’ll be looking forward to every day with us.
What is Afternoon Tea like at StolenTime?
Served between 4 pm and 6 pm, “afternoon tea” is a quintessentially British tradition that we have adopted at the resort to provide guests with a lovely window to socialise and indulge in a few afternoon snacks
With afternoon tea, there is no set menu in the traditional sense and the food is usually displayed around tables for guests to come and help themselves; however, there are staples that always remain consistent in their offerings.
“A selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches, warm scones with clotted cream and preserves, a variety of homemade cakes and pastries, your choice from a range of teas.”
Typical sandwiches include smoked salmon and cream cheese, cucumber, egg and cress, coronation chicken and ham and mustard. Scones can vary from plain scones, to scones with raisins or chocolate chips, all served with clotted cream and different preserves such as strawberry or cherry jam.
Teas can range from British classics such as Earl Grey or English breakfast tea to more rare and complex tones such as Darjeeling, Asam and Lapsang Souchong.
Introduced as early as the 19th century to stem the hunger and anticipation of dinner, we integrate our signature style of cuisine with local ingredients and fresh produce providing our own unique and modern twist to enhance and elevate the experience.
With our open grill, where you can watch our chefs cook your beef sliders exactly to your liking or our plentiful and vibrant displays of home-made cakes and pastries, we try to go far and above by offering delicious variations each day that still complement the more classical offerings of scones, sandwiches and of course, tea.
The Health Benefits of Afternoon Tea
Furthermore, did you know that Afternoon Tea is also good for you? Research shows that not only is afternoon tea a fun and joyful experience, it also has many health benefits.
Reduces heart disease: Black teas contain high levels of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant found in plants that help to reduce the risk of heart disease and regulate blood pressure.
Aids digestion: For people suffering from indigestion or IBS, herbal teas such as camomile or peppermint are incredible at relaxing and easing the digestive system, nausea, abdominal pain and bloating, thanks to their antispasmodic properties.
Promotes Gut Health: There are powerful antioxidants in tea such as polyphenols (found in English breakfast tea) which encourage the growth of good bacteria as well as reduce the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the gut. Gut health is very important to your health and wellbeing and there is so much research now into how our gut health can also positively impact our mental health as well. Therefore, it’s so important for us to look after ourselves and fuel the body with gut-friendly food and drinks such as tea.
Reduces inflammation- Ginger tea is well known for its powerful anti-inflammatory benefits that can be used to reduce arthritis muscle pain, as well as many other inflammation-related conditions. Also, turmeric tea was found to have similar properties to help treat stiffness and pain symptoms and offer a similar effect to pain medication in relation to inflammatory joint conditions.
Some studies suggest that catechins can have an anti-cancer effect and that regular tea drinkers can also benefit from a lower risk of developing cancer. This is because teas like green tea in particular obtain a sub-group of polyphenols called catechins, which can be effective in reducing the development of new cancer cells and reducing the spread to cancer cells.
We think you will thoroughly enjoy having afternoon tea with us here at StolenTime and would love to encourage guests to take part in this experience. Whether you prefer the social aspects, health benefits or just simply want to indulge in some delicious sweet treats, we think there’s something for everyone and furthermore:
Who could refuse afternoon tea by the Caribbean sea?