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I have always been a little bit fascinated with royalty. As
a small fairy, I would slip into their gardens and sitting rooms to determine
how they dressed, what they were talking about, and especially what they ate
and drank. It is therefore no surprise that when I discovered the Fairmont
Empress Hotel in Victoria, Canada, served high tea to anyone who was
appropriately dressed and could afford the experience, I couldn’t wait to get
there.
The Empress has served Afternoon Tea for over 105 years but
with the massive fire in downtown Victoria in 1910 and the start of the Great
War in 1914, we of the Nether World decided to stay away from the Earth Realm
for a time. And then I just got busy. You know how it is; life happens.
This August, I finally got to go and I was not disappointed.
The hotel is filled with beautiful furnishings and décor from the Victorian and
Edwardian eras. Table cloths and napkins are crisp and white. The china is
produced exclusively for the Empress Hotel and was first used in 1939 on the
occasion of a visit from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England. Silver teapots, trays, cream pitchers, and
sugar bowls are used to pour tea. A piano player tickles the ivories in the
background. I do not see this kind of
elegance very often today and it was like I had actually walked into the past.
My companions and I were taken to our table and seated. Our
server provided us with the carte du jour listing the delicacies we would be
served. We had a choice of teas and my companions opted for the Empress Blend.
I chose the Madame Butterfly Jasmine loose leaf tea. Tea was brewed at the
table and poured by the server. My tea was a blend of jasmine and green tea
from Fuijan province in China. The tea’s aroma reminded me of being in an
oriental temple surrounded by trees, little streams, and mountains. How
heavenly and serene!
To start, we were served a dish of fresh blueberries with
Empress Cream. Empress Cream seems to be a cross between whipped cream and
Devonshire cream. I made myself take the time to savor each spoonful. Next came
a tiered tray with finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries. My companions are
not vegetarians and their sandwiches included smoked salmon with dill cream
cheese, honey ham with Dijon mustard, egg salad, Moroccan spiced chicken,
cucumber and ginger. Where their sandwiches included meat, the chef replaced
the selections to accommodate me. I got
a carrot sandwich, an eggplant with curry, and a tomato. Each sandwich was made
with a different kind of bread: croissant, butter brioche, marble rye, and
more. Next came scones with Empress
Cream and strawberry preserves. And last, but not least the pastries: chocolate
cup with berry mousse, pistachio cream tart, rose petal shortbread and at least
two other offerings. We had more food than we could eat. Our server graciously
boxed up the extras and also presented us with a souvenir package of Empress
Blend tea. What a lovely surprise.
The Afternoon Tea is rather costly but it is a wondrous and
unique experience. I recommend you allow a lot of time to fully enjoy the tea
and to tour the flower gardens outside. Extraordinary! Don’t you deserve to be
an Emperor or Empress for at least one afternoon?
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