. a very lAdylike afternoon at lAdy Bettys .

did you know that this week has been afternoon tea week ? { oops ! perhaps i should have given you a little bit of warning ahead of time } . i still think that a proper afternoon tea is a really lovely treat . i've been lucky enough to have afternoon tea at The Peninsula in hOng kOng . { such a lovely way to spend a sUnday in hOng kOng } . & . at Fawsley Hall . both of which were lovely .

but . there was one afternoon tea that i was particularly looking forward to . the Lady Betty afternoon tea at the iconic Bettys in Harrogate . afternoon tea at Bettys had been on the cards ever since i booked the tickets for the cAke & bAke show . { and possibly one of the main attractions of going to the show at it's hArrogate venue } . so when Bettys announced the introduction of their new Lady Betty afternoon tea just in time for our visit to hArrogate it seemed too serendipitous to let it pass by . so the reservation was made . a lovely ladylike dress was packed . & . a little 10mile run was ran . { just to build up an appetite } .

and then we went to Bettys .

. Bettys . harrogate .

isn't it just sO lovely ?

the whole occasion just makes you feel so special . there's the wonderfully courteous, aproned waiters & waitresses . the tinkle of the piano being played . the hushed conversations . the chink of cups on saucers .

& what lovely cups & saucers they are too . made by Royal Crown Derby specially for Bettys . using an archive pattern of tea leaves dating from 1919 . which just so happens to be the year Bettys began . as they say themselves . perfect serendipity .

tea blends are selected from a concise menu . arriving in beautiful teapots in a soft gold hue . & . then the food . delightfully miniature in size . a delicately spiced prawn cocktail . gala pie and salmon roulade . & . then the tea stand arrives . with sandwiches . scones . & . the sweetest cake selection . 

a wonderful experience . 

oh . if you would like to find out how those beautiful miniature cakes are made take a look here & also on Bettys facebook page . 

. battenburg . chocolate praline slice . orange religieuse . 

. grand cru square . the macaroon . berry meringue .

. have a very sweet day .