Hello again! Its been a while…I’ve spent the last few months
focusing on finishing university, writing my dissertation and enjoying the
restaurants and bars York has to offer! (which consists of a surprising amount
of gluten-free restaurants!). So I thought I would do a quick blog post to
re-start my blog up now I have some more time on my hands and a better kitchen
for baking and cooking in! So more recipes to come soon….
But thought I would write about the most amazing afternoon
tea experience I have had. I travelled up to York for my friends graduation
(two days before my own) and her lovely family had invited me out for afternoon
tea, pre-graduation ceremony. Now for a coeliac the idea of afternoon tea is
somewhat petrifying…sandwiches, cakes, scones and all sorts of gluten-filled
little devils! However, I had the experience of a completely gluten-free
afternoon tea…amazing, I know!
We visited the Cedar Court Hotel, which is just opposite the
train station in York. The hotel itself is very grand, beautiful and luxurious
so the perfect setting for a graduation celebration! My friend had phoned up in
advance to explain that I couldn’t eat gluten and would need an alternative…so
I though they may do me a gluten free sandwich and a cake or would bring me some
antipasti or a salad or something….but oh how wrong I was!!
When we sat down for lunch the waitresses bought out an array
of sandwiches for those lucky gluten eaters...smoked salmon and dill, egg, ham
and mustard, chicken and cream cheese and dill…it all looked very lovely. I thought
that there was no chance I would get anything like that…it’s such a faff for the
kitchen to do an array of coeliac sandwiches and probably not worth the time or
effort. But then the bought my plate out…which was to my shock, the exact same
as the normal sandwiches! I had the exact same fillings, with different types
of bread, all impeccably presented and they tasted delicious! So nice to the
point I as sceptical whether they were even gluten free or not (do not fear,
they were)!
Next came desert, I had seen the waitresses bring desert out
for other tables of customers and they looked amazing…scones and clotted cream,
chocolate puddings, mini lemon meringue pies and some fruit cake. Now no way
did I expect to get the same as everyone else…I mean how often can they get
gluten free requests? Surely they can’t get enough to make such a wide range of
deserts for special people like myself? But OH NO once again, they smashed
through my expectations and bought out gluten free scones, brownies, lemon meringue
pies, victoria sponge and a trifle! Once again, they were to die for! They were
so delicious it was untrue! I couldn’t believe my luck! Although I was beyond
full when I was half way through pudding, I refused to leave even a little morsel
left on my plate as so much effort had gone into creating the delicious food
for me! And how often do you find a place like that!? I ate every single last
bite and loved it! The only disappointment was that I hadn’t found this place sooner…although
it would have probably increased my weight and decreased my disposable income!!
York has so many brilliant places to offer for coeliacs, and
I have never been disappointed….but if you are ever in York and fancy a treat…call
the Cedar Court Hotel in advance and get yourself an afternoon tea! I can
assure you…you will not be disappointed!
