The first time I really discovered my love for high tea must have been at The Ritz in London. I was on a tight budget for The Palm Court tearoom but made sure I mingled with the ever-so-posh ladies elegantly perched on rose-coloured Louis XVI chairs around marble-topped tables, sipping steaming cups of Earl Grey and oolong tea. To this day I cut the crusts off egg mayonnaise finger sandwiches.

Back home, high tea at The Mount Nelson in Cape Town is a grand affair. Fancy delights are showcased down the length of a highly polished table. I always go for the oversized silver Champagne bowl filled with fresh raspberries, and add a dollop of clotted cream. The salmon and cress sarmies are perfectly delicate and the egg ones give the ones at The Ritz a run for their money.

When I go to Joburg, I somehow always manage to squeeze in visit to The Patisserie in Illovo. I wonder how many taxi fares I have forked out for those delightful treats? It’s just so pretty! The cakes are gorgeous and beautifully displayed, nestling on glass platters covered with pretty paper. Oversized brownies oozing soft, gooey chocolate, jewel-coloured macaroons, granadilla loaf and pretty iced cupcakes – it’s so easy to make a girl happy! On my last visit I had a bit of a Nigella moment in the back of the taxi with my newly acquired prize – a hand-painted box filled with four perfect pink cakes.

Yesterday I popped in to the new Taj Hotel in Cape Town to have a look around and sample a pot of Darjeeling. The interior is really beautiful, the vibrant blue chandeliers in their Bombay Brasserie reminded me of those magnificent ones at The Ritz. We’re going to pop in for dinner over the weekend – I’ll let you know all about it!

Happy tea-totalling!

Abigail