I’m a sucker for high tea. All those delicate sandwiches, scrumptious sweets, endless offerings of curated teas, and the space to celebrate friendship or family in style.

I was doing just that at Cordis with my business partner on a rainy December morning. She and I have just purchased this magazine and – Informed Investor – and we hadn’t had a chance to celebrate (running a business, looking after kids etc). Champagne and canapes seemed the ideal celebratory choice.

Sweet spot

I chose the vegetarian high and my college chose the regular version of the Festive High Tea. The two high teas were presented on the traditional three-tiered cake stand: her savouries at the bottom, my vegetarian savouries in the middle, jewel-like sweets artfully placed up top.

The savouries are often my favourite component of high tea. The chefs at Cordis have created a delightful range of savouries for this festive feast – goats cheese panna cotta with compressed balsamic strawberries, cucumber, pea and goats cheese sandwich, asparagus and chervil tart with lemon curd.

But although the offerings were wonderful, the sweets were the real stars. Chocolate, gingerbread and raspberry mousse, yuzu tart with vanilla, and my favourite – pistachio choux.

My sister-in-law is a queen of choux – the delicate French pastry – and delight in its butter delicacy. Paired with pistachio cream, this particular sweet has a light crackle on first nibble, melting into a flavour and texture redolent of the best ice cream.

Festive bubbles

For the first part of our high tea experience, we chose Maude Traditionelle Brut from central Otago. Lemony, with a hint of brioche and biscuit, it was an excellent accompaniment for the high tea. This was followed by French Earl Grey – which I supped as I ate the excellent second course – scones with jam and freshly whipped cream.

High tea is a wonderful tradition (it’s origins apparently date back to 1840 when seventh Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria Russell who started getting peckish mid-afternoon when the invention of gas lighting pushed out dinner much later in the evening). And Cordis keep the Victorian spirit alive with what has proven an enduringly excellent Auckland high tea option.

Festive High Tea, Cordis, until January 6, 2025

Until December 23 and December 28-31
Mon-Fri: NZ$65 per adult
Sat & Sun: NZ$79 per adult

December 24-27 and January 1-3
FESTIVE SEASON SPECIAL OFFER
NZ$88 per adult, includes glass of Champagne and chocolate treat