Vegan afternoon tea in Culloden Hotel

It’s no secret that I am a massive fan of an afternoon tea and when I was invited to try this out, I was curious to see how it would compare to the traditional version with meat & dairy.

Sam, the Food & Beverage manager came to say hello and introduced Johnny, the Executive Sous Chef who made our tea and talked us through his vegan creations:

French onion soup, smoked paprika, sun dried tomato & hummus tart, sandwiches with avocado, napa slaw, lime & coriander, balsamic onions, sciracha & vegan cheese, hummus, sun blushed tomatoes & rocket and cucumber, tomato and red onion. On the sweet side we had scones with jam and a vegan alternative to butter, pistacchio creme patiserie, chocolate cake with glazed fruit, shortbread, chocolate & raspberry mousse and a peach melba crumble. What a feast!

This really was a delicious array of food and I’m really not sure how the team managed to pack in so much flavour with just vegan ingredients. The French onion soup in particular, tasted just like the real thing, which normally depends heavily on beef stock for its taste!

Only with hindsight did I miss the clotted cream from my scone with jam but I really didn’t notice the gap at the time and my struggling waist line thanks me!

Vegan food aside, the Culloden is a perfect location for afternoon tea. This prestigious 5* castle hotel was originally built as an official place for the Bishops of Down and stands in 12 acres of beautiful woodland and secluded gardens with stunning sculptures to explore.

Palatial surroundings, exquisite decor, fine antiques and exceptional service make this a very special location. Tea there is a really special experience!