In celebration of the Joffrey Ballet’s Nutcracker Suite, join the JW Marriott for a deliciously festive afternoon tea.
A little sugar plum fairy told us that a Nutcracker-themed afternoon tea has arrived at the JW Marriott downtown. The seasonal tea service is available every day in the Lobby Lounge from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and serves a delicious mix of sweet and savory bites accompanied with Dammann Tea.
For those of you who don’t know much about afternoon tea, it’s much more than just a teapot and a cup of copper liquid. Originating in Victorian-era England, afternoon tea was first introduced by the Duchess of Bedford in 1840 as a way to pass the time and socialize between lunch and 8 p.m. dinner. It’s typically served around 4 or 5 p.m. with a selection of finger sandwiches, scones, and petit fours (bite-size confections.) It’s a quintessentially British pastime, but in recent years has gained popularity in the U.S.
JW Marriott’s Nutcracker afternoon tea service is a delightful way to catch up with old friends visiting for the holidays. For $60, The Dammann Tea selections offer a good assortment of flavors to choose from and while the accompanying bites aren’t served on the traditional three-tier cake stand, the menu is fantastic.
Diners have the option to try multiple teas and are given sand tea timers with instructions for achieving the desired strength. We have to say that while the timers are cute, they aren’t the most accurate. You might be better off setting a timer on your phone or watch. For reference, Black teas should typically be steeped for 3-5 minutes, green teas for 2-3, white teas for 1-3, and herbal tea for 5-10. Our favorite teas were the Rouges Flavored Black Tea, the Caramel Au Beurre Sale Flavored Oolong, and the L’Oriental Flavored Green Tea.
In terms of food, we particularly fell head-over-spout for the Sugar Plum Scones and Pink Peppercorn Crusted Ahi Tuna Tar Tar with whipped cream cheese and lemon verbena. The Creamy Egg Nog & Nutmeg Cream Puffs go really well with the Caramel Au Berre Sale (it’s a rock oolong for those of you who are tea nerds.)
If your favorite kind of self-care includes a kettle and tea strainer, we recommend checking out JW Marriott’s Nutcracker afternoon tea service. It’s a delightful between-meals occasion, perfect for the holiday season. Make a reservation here.