The English are excellent at keeping alive certain classic habits, such as the monarchy, the pubs, and good BBC series. They are also adept at shaking up what seems eternal. Each trip (a big one) to that country leaves us with examples of revised traditions, which is why it never tires us. A few hours in the life of London are a year in the life of another city. Here are some examples from a place that does not allow itself to get bored with itself.
Adiós, afternoon tea. Hello, afternoon cheese
From afar, it looks like a canonical afternoon tea, with its scones and its protocol. It is not: this is an afternoon cheese, and every bite carries a trace of British cheese. They offer it at the Covent Garden Hotel’s Brasserie Max, in a bustling salon in that neighborhood that is always lively. Here are some examples of the delights enjoyed there: a Stilton éclair from Colston Bassett with pickled walnuts, a Welsh Rarebit-filled donut, and Baron Bigod on malt bread with dried plums. A trick: since it runs from 1 to 5 pm from Monday to Sunday, it serves as lunch. This decadently stylish exercise also helps tell the cheese story, which comes from Neal’s Yard Dairy, a dairy located on the very corner of the street. On our last trip we also discovered other ways to shake up the afternoon tea, such as one aboard a bus. We prefer to eat Stilton while seated in a hotel.
