Afternoon Tea With Tanqueray: Reinventing A Gin-teel Ritual

Finger sandwiches, tiny cupcakes and danishes, buttered croissants and biscuits are among the delights you would find stacked up on a tea tray when you sit down for an elegant afternoon tea. Along with these delicious bites, one would also be welcomed with a warm pot of freshly brewed black or oolong tea packed with flavours like lemon, passion fruit, basil, ginger and many more.

Afternoon tea is perhaps one of the most calming affairs of your day, it is here that you can get together with close friends and share all your news and gossip du jour in an intimate setting.

Planning an afternoon tea for a bigger group is also a delightful home hosting event, it involves arranging all the delicacies on a dainty tea tray and laying out elegant tea cups and saucers on multiple round tables or one long rectangular table set up for the occasion.

And when you want to make things a tad more interesting at such a socialising affair, you can always make your afternoon tea a tad bit boozy by introducing a splash of Tanqueray No. Ten gin into the gathering. Reimagine your classic afternoon tea game with the fresh and herby notes of this quality spirit and the pleasing buzz it induces.

Here’s how you can add a spot of Tanqueray No. Ten gin into your afternoon tea preparations the next time you home host such a spirited gathering:

Gin Infused Cream Cheese

Finger sandwiches or bagel sandwiches at tea time generally constitute a filling of cucumber and cream cheese that bring in some refreshing notes into the small bites. You can infuse the cream cheese lathered on these sandwiches with a bit of gin so that its herbaceous and slightly savoury notes seep into the spread. Gin and cucumber are a classic pairing too, and a bit of the spirit added to cucumber finger sandwiches will simply enhance the overall experience of gorging on this quintessential tea time snack.

Gin Drizzled Cakes

Another way to add a boozy gin filled element into your afternoon tea is to bake a tea cake and drizzle it with lemon and gin drizzled to accompany the scones and clotted cream which will be served at tea time. Tanqueray No. Ten is made from premium juniper berries and contains other botanicals that give the spirit an umami touch. This enables the drink to mix well with sweet treats because it creates a flavour balance that makes for a delicious bite. You can also try experimenting with gin flavoured tarts to enhance their boozy appeal.

Gin Cocktails

One of the best ways to add gin to your afternoon tea is to prepare stunning gin cocktails in lieu of freshly brewed tea. You can craft a quality vesper martini or a delicious gin and tonic with a lemon twist to introduce some rejuvenating flavours into your afternoon drinkies. Alternatively, you can serve some iced tea during summers flavoured with peach or lemon and add a 30 ml pour of Tanqueray No. Ten to this brew so it embodies a nice kick.

Gin And Jams

Pouring gin into your jams will give this spread a spiky finish that is perfect for introducing a light buzz into afternoon tea treats. You can lather your scones or cheese danishes with strawberry jam containing a hint of gin so its citrusy aroma seeps into the sour and sweet fruit jam making for a complex spread that gives your tea a layered quality.

Gin Inspired Tea Blends

Instead of pouring gin directly into your tea cup to gulp it down with a lemon twist, you can go for more complex blends that are inspired by the botanical flavours in the spirit to enjoy its tasting notes. This could mean customising tea blends with juniper berries, citrus peel or floral components. To this brewed concoction, you can add a splash of gin for a boozy finish.