The 5pm Dining blog had a fine time last week at One Square in Edinburgh.
We spent the morning filming Bar Manager Hugh Gibb as he talked us through One Square’s splendid collection of over 50 gins. He filled us in on gin’s chequered history from its Dutch origins to its current incarnation as the spirit of choice for the discerning cocktail maker.
We also had a chat, not to mention a very special lunch, with Craig Hart, the recently arrived Executive Chef at One Square. The fruits of our filming will be online when the My Piece of the City campaign focuses on Edinburgh’s West End in July.
Until then, we have news of One Square’s latest afternoon tea. Combining two of our favourite things, namely gin and afternoon tea, The Bloom Gin Afternoon Tea is a thing of summery beauty.
Perfect serve
Available now until the 31st of August in One Square, the afternoon tea has a perfect serve of Bloom Gin at its centre. Poured over ice in a special balloon cocktail glass, it is paired with Fentimans tonic water and finished with summer fruits.
The sandwiches, freshly made scones and cakes of the afternoon tea complement the botanicals in the Bloom Gin. So, the chamomile poached chicken in one of the sandwiches reflects the chamomile used in the gin while a sandwich filled with honey heather glazed ham also features jelly made with Bloom Gin.
Gin-soaked sultanas
The fruit scones have golden sultanas soaked in Bloom gin while the selection of cream cakes and pastries feature strawberry macaroons which customers can fill with pipettes of Bloom Gin.
It is all very elegant and, especially with elements like the gin-filled pipettes, rather good fun.
The Bloom Gin Afternoon Tea is available, daily, between 2.30pm and 5.30pm, and costs £23 per person.
You can see the full menu and book in from here.