Swinton Park afternoon tea is a regal affair!
Swinton Park.
AFTERNOON tea was once the reserve of high society.
In many respects, it has all but disappeared off the culinary map as the rigours and pressures of modern society have squashed and squeezed it out of fashion.
But there are still a few notable venues that keep the tradition alive. And few better examples remain than the exquisite experience served up at Swinton Park Hotel, near Masham.
The ancestral home of the Cunliffe-Lister family, the castle is set in 200 acres of parkland, lakes and gardens. It’s surrounded by the family estate, in which guests have access to rivers, reservoirs, moorland, dales and the beautiful Yorkshire countryside.
What better setting could there be in which to indulge in a touch of class and elegance that harks back to happier times?
Afternoon tea at Swinton is a regal affair, but comfortably affordable for those without blue blood!
A simply sumptuous selection of cakes, sandwiches and scones are served on silver stands in either the bar or breathtaking drawing room. If you’re lucky enough to be staying in the hotel, it can also be served in your room.
Lavishly furnished, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy a stately home experience, combining the traditional warmth of a family home with all the modern creature comforts of a contemporary hotel.
From the moment you pass through the gatehouse along the sweeping road winding its way to the entrance, you’re instantly transported to a different time and place – one where you can relax and unwind, leaving all the stress of modern day life at the front door.
All the cakes for your tasty treat are freshly baked in the hotel kitchens, and even the jams are locally made.
I plumped for the traditional Wensleydale Tea, which at just £7.50 represents a real bargain. Swinton’s own blend of tea leaves made for a refreshing brew, while the cheese and fruitcake were the perfect accompaniment for a lighter version.
There’s also a cream tea option, but the remainder of our party pushed the boat out for the full afternoon menu, featuring a choice of tea served with hand-cut sandwiches, fruit loaf, shortbread, fruitcake, home-made scone, clotted cream and those wonderful locally-made preserves. It was a feast fit for a king or queen, and while costing £18, was the sort of quality and quantity that could keep you going for the rest of the day!
Talking of the aristocracy, why not go the extra mile with a Royal Garden Party Afternoon Tea – all the above with the added refinement of a glass of chilled champagne.
With chefs of the ilk of award-winning Simon Crannage and TV celebrity Rosemary Shrager plying their trade here, it’s little wonder the food and drink on offer is of such a high standard.
The care taken in the preparation of these moreish morsels was obvious to see – and taste – and the setting, looking out through huge windows onto the picture perfect Dales stretching out in front of you, made for the sort of charming experience that left you wishing you lived in a different time … and place!
* Afternoon tea is served at Swinton Park Hotel daily from 3 to 6pm. Log-on to www.swintonpark.com or call 01765 680900 for further information about and to book, which can be advisable in case there’s a function planned.
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Weather for Selby
Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
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