Memories of the Pacific

Afternoon tea at the new Ritz Madrid

The historic Palm Court with its signature glass dome is where afternoon tea takes place every day from 4 to 7:30 pm.

Afternoon tea at the Ritz is a set menu consisting of three parts: the first one includes a variety of savoury finger sandwiches, the second one consists of delicate fine pastries and the third and last one are scones with clotted cream and 5 different types of jam. Every person at the table gets one serving of everything. As for drinks, Moet & Chandon champagne is served throughout the experience as well as your choice of tea or coffee.

The food is presented on silver tiered stands and you are talked through the different treats before proceeding to indulge. Every single bite is bursting with flavour and can only be described as heavenly.

The table is set with the most beautiful Limoges porcelain plates, cups and saucers. The birds and flowers on the design remind me of oriental prints, probably a nod to the Mandarin Oriental group that manages this hotel.

The belle-epoque decor of Palm Court consists of glass chandeliers, silver candelabras and the softest chairs and sofas with plush cushions. There are also several works of art hanging from the walls and a white piano from the 50s that was ordered for Frank Sinatra himself.

As you sit comfortably enjoying your tea and delicious treats, taking in the beautiful surroundings whilst the pianist plays in the background hours go by without even noticing. Everything is so perfect and beautiful that it makes it difficult to leave.

Afternoon tea at the Ritz is an unforgettable experience. You feel relaxed, spoilt by the helpful staff and -despite the tiny looking bites- completely full! If you have a birthday, anniversay to celebrate or simply to give yourself a treat, you must try this magical experience.

WHAT: afternoon tea

WHERE: Mandarin Oriental Ritz Hotel Madrid. Plaza de la Lealtad 5, 28014 Madrid.

WHEN: every afternoon from 4 to 7:30 pm

PRICE: 55€ per person

RESERVATIONS: book your table here

What do Spanish people typically eat for dinner?

April 2, 2021

Eat · Life · Spain

What do Spanish people typically eat for dinner? What does a typical Spanish dinner table look like? What sort of dishes are very typical in a Spanish household? Spanish meals and eating habits are unique. Even though every household is different and typical food varies from region to region, I'm going to show you what the last meal of the day is like for us Spaniards so that you get a better idea of what a typical Spanish dinner looks like.

When it comes to eating habits, Spain is different from most countries in the world. Spaniards are well-known for having their meals later than most and lunch is also more abundant and relaxed. Lunch being our main meal, Spanish dinners are usually light and late.

Eating for Spanish people is much more than a biological need. It's part of our culture, it's a pleasure not a necessity and we are very proud of our cuisine.

Spanish meals vary from household to household but lunch generally occurs somewhere between 2 and 4 pm and dinner from 9 to 11 pm. One thing that is common to every Spanish home is that dinner is a family matter. Families eat together either in the kitchen or dinning room and tell each other about what their day has been like.

What do Spanish people typically eat for dinner?

Dinners accross Spain can be put into different categories:

Light dinner. Since our lunch generally consists of a starter, main course and dessert, dinner at home is more casual and simple. It's also close to betime, since you need less energy at this time there's no need to eat a lot. We tipically have a salad, an omelette or a sandwich. Cured meats and cheese are also common.

Light dinners are my favorite ones, especially during summer months when the heat makes your appetite go down. I make huge salads with lots of ingredients: boiled egg, canned fish or chicken, chickpeas, avocado, mixed greens, berries, nuts, cherry tomatoes.... Like different versions of a cobb salad.

Fish or meat dinner. Some people have dinners that requiere more prep like fish with baked potatoes and grilled veggies or meat and a salad.

Find the fish cake recipe here

Lunch leftovers. We don't like food going to waste so having leftovers for dinner is common practice. If you mix small leftovers from different lunches you can end up with a dinner that looks more like a tapas party.

Find out how to create your own tapas feast here

Friday night dinner a.k.a. comfort food day. After a long week of hard work, giving yourself a treat during weekend dinners is the least you could do, right? We are good at keeping up with our Mediterranean diet during the week but we like to cheat on weekends. Friday night dinners vary from pizza -as proud as we are of our food, we do love our pizza night- and take-out to chocolate con churros. Yes, you read that right, chocolate con churros is not only a breakfast. You will most likely find a line outside a churreria from 8pm onwards on a weekend.

Empanada -or the small verion, empanadillas- is another common dinner that's perfect for weekends. Empanada is a pie filled with savoury ingredientes for example tuna, fried tomato and grilled onion and peppers.

Comfort food doesn't necessarily mean pre-cooked meals. A good old homemade quiche is a big favorite of mine.

Fancy a quiche? Check out therse recipes

I hope this post has given you a better idea of what Spanish people tipically eat for dinner. Maybe you got new ideas for dinner at home this week!

What is a typical dinner like where you are?

PUT TOGETHER THE PERFECT SPANISH DINNER WITH THESE ITEMS

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Afternoon Tea at the Brand New Ritz Hotel Madrid

Afternoon tea at the new Ritz Madrid

What do Spanish people typically eat for dinner?

What do Spanish people typically eat for dinner?