A marsipan day

What better way to celebrate the 30th birthday of one of your childhood friends, than to take her to a sumptuous chocolate and champagne afternoon tea at the Winter Garden?

Surrounded by palm trees and elegance, we stuffed ourselves silly on a delicious selection of sandwich fingers - organic egg mayonnaise and mustard cress, chicken, tarragon, and creme fraiche, oak smoked Scottish salmon, and the classic cucumber sandwich on fluffy white bread.

We quaffed sparkling glasses of Rose Tattinger Reserve Brut Champagne, sipped warming cups of the Winter Garden's bespoke tea, and then gorged ourselves into stupors on our tower of chocolate! For those not in the know, the tower of chocolate includes such delights as a white chocolate and mint macaroon, chocolate dipped strawberries, chocolate and raspberry creme brulee, a milk chocolate and banana pot au chocolate, and a dark chocolate and mango 'dream'...

There were also chocolate chip and fruit peel scones served with jam, clotted cream, and chocolate hazelnut spread but, our poor little tummies could take no more! So, we had them packed up for this beautiful lady to take them home for later in her special Landmark shopping bag.