Visitors to a Shropshire countryside hotel are set to be served up afternoon tea with a difference – as they will be eating from platters designed to replicate an English garden.
The Wroxeter Hotel has just launched its Garden Tea which features chocolate soil, flowers and many other ingredients laid out to mimic the great outdoors.
The menu was inspired by the location and thought up by new executive chef Paul Marshall, who joined the team in May bringing more than three decades of experience to the job.
He said: “When I arrived at The Wroxeter we were already doing standard cream teas which you can eat in many places so I wanted to create something with a difference.
“I’ve tried to incorporate as many traditional elements of an afternoon tea while adding a modern element too.
“Within the menu there is a platter which includes a lawn of artificial grass and flowers. People won’t find anything like this elsewhere.”
There is also a real emphasis on keeping it local, with ingredients sourced from Shropshire where possible such as the honey used in the menu.
Paul’s menu includes triple sandwiches with fillings such as smoked salmon, locally sourced ham and Shropshire honey, premium Devon scones with Cornish clotted cream, strawberry jam and fresh strawberry and Rosewater cream and fresh raspberry Eton mess garden – all washed down of course with a freshly brewed pot of tea or coffee.
The English Garden Tea is served from Thursday to Sunday at 3.30pm and at other times for groups by arrangements. Groups and parties can have a private room if requested.
Situated halfway between Telford and Shrewsbury, the picturesque venue is a five minute walk from the Roman site of Viriconium and the Wroxeter Roman Vineyard.
For more information or to book, call 01743 761256, e-mail info@thewroxeterhotel.co.uk or visit www.thewroxeterhotel.co.uk.
Paul Marshall, executive chef.
