Afternoon tea is the classic Mother’s Day treat. It’s indulgent, traditional and beautifully simple. However there’s certainly more than one way to serve an afternoon tea, as demonstrated by the many top hotels that produce their own variations on this British institution.
Self-service
For a slightly different take on the traditional tiered cake stand, why not offer a ‘choose your own’ option with a Williams Pastry Chiller. Specifically designed to chill and hold goods like cakes and pastries, produce is attractively displayed and customers can choose which desserts they’d like from a selection. You could even display the sandwiches in a similar way and allow your customers to mix and match
A sundae treat
You could always shun the idea of baked goods altogether and opt for frozen treats instead - a particularly nice option for those customers who have gluten restricted diets and try to avoid cakes and bread. Mini ice cream sundaes or saucers of single scoop sorbets can be a refreshing addition to an alternative afternoon tea. Or why not take a tip from Fortnum and Mason and serve up a deliciously unusual high tea sundae? And with Williams freezer drawers’ with easy grab full width handles, serving up these delicious treats will be simple and quick.
Blast chill your way to perfect preparation
If you’re opting for the classic no-frills afternoon tea selection some dishes lend themselves very well to a Cook-Chill system where you can prepare things well in advance. Fresh joints of ham can be cooked, blast chilled, stored and regenerated prior to service, before being sliced to make the signature dainty sandwiches. Blast chilling also makes equal portioning and consistent dishes a doddle, as every customer will receive the same size and quality of food.
A boozy affair
Prosecco or Champagne afternoon teas are fairly well established in most hotels and licensed cafes nowadays. Why not elevate this further by offering a cocktail afternoon tea? Flex your creative muscles and dedicate a signature Mother’s Day themed cocktail using a range of spirits and liqueurs. The Williams TW4 Thermowell can really come in handy here - a refrigerated countertop unit designed to keep ingredients perfectly chilled. This is a great place to store pre-prepared syrups and garnishes such as sliced fruit, herbs and the classic maraschino cherry!
Lighter alternative
In March (believe it or not) some of your customers will still be keeping their New Year’s resolutions to eat healthily, and a light afternoon tea is a quirky way of capturing this type of diner. However, everyone still wants a treat on Mother’s Day. Take a tip from the Tea Tox of Brown’s Hotel with deliciously low calorie fare such as raw chocolate, matcha lattes and gluten-free fruit based cakes.
Your guests and their mothers are sure to love your personalised take on a traditional afternoon tea, whether you go all-out with a quirky version or simply choose to add some unexpected elements. Making the meal unique to your establishment ensures a bespoke and ultimately special experience for your customers, and by utilising your Williams equipment to help you save time, it should be a day to remember for all the right reasons.