Rich Pickings
An unforgettable afternoon tea affair at St. Regis Kuala Lumpur
Long-standing traditions and exquisite flavours of the St. Regis Afternoon Tea entice the palate, as experienced in The Drawing Room at St. Regis Kuala Lumpur. By Emmilyn Yeoh.
GREAT SPIRIT
The concept of the afternoon tea came about more than 150 years ago in the 19th century, when Anna Russell, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, felt the signs of an afternoon slump. As a result, she developed a secret ritual of tea sipping (Darjeeling, preferred) and pastry nibbling and shared it with friends. Today, the quintessential British afternoon tea is given a modern uplift by chef de patisserie Hassan Mohammed at St. Regis Kuala Lumpur. Armed with 20 years of pastry knowledge, Mohammed has switched up the traditions, crafting and reimagining the afternoon tea as an experimental journey of flavours and techniques.
DECODING THE TIERS
Now, imagine yourself seated in the elegant Drawing Room, following in the footsteps of Caroline Astor and her confidantes. In the traditional afternoon tea, the middle plate houses scones and the bottom plate is where savoury sandwiches and appetisers are expected. However, for the signature St. Regis Afternoon Tea, the three-tier cake stand is reserved for the sweets only. Start from the bottom, where fluffy, buttery scones await, and slather on the clotted cream and fresh strawberry jam. Then, work your way towards the top tier—the cherry on top—where decadent surprises come in the forms of Mohammed’s most creative creations: the Strawberry Cheesecake and Mixed Berries Trifle make delightful classic treats, while the Caramelized Pecan Short Crust truly stands out, with the popping candy giving a nice tingling fizz to the tastebuds.
SAVOIR-FAIRE
Keep your eyes peeled for the savoury canapés, too, as the humble egg mayonnaise sandwich is given a new spin with charcoal bread and Italian black truffle. The open-faced turkey ham sandwich has a refreshing twist with the surprise element of rock melon, while the mildly smoked Scottish salmon is sure to be a hit. And with its allyou-can-eat policy, BAZAAR recommends being generous with the Alaskan Giant Red King Crab with caviar, washed down with the tea of your choice. Priced at RM140 or RM220 with a glass of Veuve Clicquot, in The Drawing Room, St. Regis Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-2727 6660. www.stregiskualalumpur.com