Those of you who read our wee blog with fanatical fervour may recall that I am a lover of tea. Tea of the lose leaf variety. So when I learnt, on the eve of my most recent overseas travels, that Hong Kong plays host to one of the worlds most famous High Tea destinations, it became immediately apparent how my first afternoon as a traveller would draw to a close. It would be spent indulging in High Tea at the Peninsula Hotel. And so it was that my first day passed awash with vibrant market scenes, new smells and tastes, skyscrapers and friendly faces all framed by the South China Sea glittering in the south, and by hills and mountains stretching for the sky in the north. As the sun began its descent towards the horizon I walked up the stairs to the Peninsula Hotel, ushered in by immaculately dressed doormen I felt immediately conscious of my traveller’s attire and how out of place I must have appeared amidst the grandeur of an establishment steeped in such history. I carefully chose a table, placed my order and watched as guests came and went. My tea arrived in a gilded silver teapot with a paper cover over its dainty silver handle. As I sipped my tea I ate exquisitely tasting morsels all equally impossible to resist and when at last I had reached my full I retraced my steps through the hustle and bustle of one of the worlds most densely populated cities, back to my hotel room where I reflected on the first day of three months on the road.
This scone recipe is an ode to my first day in Hong Kong and to the tradition of High Tea. Long may it last. I have added a splash of orange blossom water to this recipe which imparts a beautiful floral note to the finished product.
