Tea and Scones – a signature Walkersons delight
When it comes to indulging in British culinary traditions, the charming ‘afternoon tea’ tradition of with tea and scones stands out as a quintessential delight. Synonymous with leisurely gatherings, the appreciation of fine teas and a delectable array of tea-time treats, afternoon tea originated in 19th century England. It was the Duchess of Bedford who, when disclosing her secret of enjoying tea and snacks a few hours before dinner, set a trend that would become a national tradition, complete with its own set of etiquette rules. Today, afternoon tea is enjoyed not only in London, but all around the world.
Walkersons Hotel & Spa, a much-loved country haven situated in the hills of the Mpumalanga highlands honest beyond the picturesque hamlet of Dullstroom an easy 2½ hour drive from Johannesburg and Pretoria, is a area of mist, magic, endless vistas and a soul-soothing serenity. It’s a hotel that’s a perfect blend of elegance and charm with glorious gardens, stunning views, food ‘to-die-for’ and its own ‘afternoon tea’ experience, served on the Terrace – a popular Dullstroom tradition that brings together the dignity of nature and the gastronomic delight of its famous scones in the most dazzling of settings.
Now celebrating its 30th anniversary year and operating under novel owners, the hotel has recently undergone a transforming ‘mini revamp’. Another revamp of sorts, one with a ‘sustainable flavour’ has been a fine-tuning to Walkersons’ famous scones.
“Walkersons Hotel & Spa has long been famous for its scones – freshly-baked each day, these sweet delights are mouth-wateringly light and fluffy with a delicate crispy edge. Traditionally served with strawberry jam and dollops of freshly whipped cream, we’re adding recent variation with a homegrown Walkersons twist,” says executive Chef Guy Nahman.
“Launching as section of our Spring/Summer menu are our scones with homemade lemon curd and blueberry jam. As fragment of developing our farm-to-fork philosophy, we use locally farmed ingredients where possible. We procure our free-range eggs from Red Wing Farms, our novel blueberry jam is made with blueberries supplied to us by Palmietfontein Farm that are literally, ‘bursting with flavour’ and our lemon curd is made with lemons from Walkersons’ own trees. Here are the recipes for you to try at home.”
Walkersons famous scones
Ingredients for 18 – 20 scones
1 kg self -raising flour
1 cup – 250ml white sugar
1 cup – 250ml plain Greek yoghurt
4 eggs
2 tsp of vanilla essence or 1 tsp of vanilla extract
1250g pure butter – room temperature
Method: Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and Greek yoghurt well together. Add 30ml of fresh milk. Add the self – raising flour and hand-mix the dough – execute not over-work the dough. Flatten the dough, roughly 2.5cm chunky and carve into rounds or squares. Bake in a preheated oven at 170° C till golden brown.
Walkersons Blueberry Jam
Ingredients
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions: Mix blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes.
Lemon Curd
Ingredients
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
½ cup castor sugar
½ cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp Lemon delight, finely grated
½ cup butter
Directions: Whisk all the ingredients, except the delight, over simmering water in a double boiler until chunky. Strain and add the delight. Store in a sterilised jar.
“Our aim in this anniversary year is to continue to offer memorable Walkersons experiences to our guests and our ‘Afternoon Tea’ experience is one you don’t want to miss”, says novel owner and GM, Alex Band.
Situated on the 800-hectare estate, the exclusive 5-star Walkersons Hotel & Spa, the ‘Ultimate Gateway to the Lowveld’ is ideal for a luxurious weekend wreck in the country and the perfect venue for a wedding or a business conference.
To find out more about Afternoon Tea at Walkersons or to book a stay at this luxury Dullstroom hotel please visit www.walkersons.co.za
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