‘Bursting with flavour’ - we tried afternoon tea at Liverpool’s new Municipal Hotel

Finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, plus a nice, hot brew - the tradition of afternoon tea is as British as fish and chips.

The Botanic Tearoom in the Municipal Hotel on Dale Street offers guests a mixture of sweet and savoury specialities, including a selection of fresh homemade pastries, cakes, scones an sandwiches, which change to reflect the seasons.

Afternoon tea at The Botanic Tearoom: The floral setting is stunning, with natural light illuminating the charming decor. Alongside English breakfast tea and a glass of fizz, we were served the tiered afternoon tea.

The selection of finger sandwiches included ham and mustard, egg, cheese with onion and smoked salmon with cream cheese. One of the savoury pastries paired with this was a sausage roll, topped with sesame seeds which was a real stand out. The homemade scones were generously sized and served with adorable jars of raspberry jam and clotted cream.

The aesthetically pleasing sweet selection consisted of a lemon tart topped with strawberries, chocolate orange cake and my personal favourite, passion fruit macarons which were bursting with flavour.

The history of afternoon tea: Introduced to Britain in the early 1840s, it's neither lunch, supper or dinner but a distinct meal in itself.

We have Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, to thank for the great British tradition of afternoon tea. Finding herself experiencing pangs of hunger during the gap between meals, the Duchess began requesting tea and a snack in her bedroom. She began inviting friends to join her in her rooms at Woburn Abbey. She continued the tradition after returning to London, and the practice became increasingly popular amongst the upper classes.

Afternoon tea, cream tea, high tea - whatever you want to call it and how you want to serve it- has evolved over the years from being an almost daily ritual for the upper classes to an occasional treat indulged in by many of us. And I, for one, always have time for this indulgent refreshment.

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