King Charles III and Queen Camilla were greeted in the United States with a festive afternoon tea that included a slew of sweet and savory bites.
The British royals arrived in Washington D.C. on April 27 for their first official state visit as Britain’s reigning monarch and queen consort and had a full day of events beginning with a private tea with President Trump and first lady Melania Trump. They then attended a garden party at the British Ambassador’s residence, where a full menu with almost 3,000 sandwiches were made for the 650 guests.
The British Embassy Washington’s X account shared a behind the scenes look at the preparations as Craig Harnden, the head chef at the British Embassy, detailed what the king and queen would be treated to during the event.
Harnden said they would be making approximately 2,500 to 3,000 sandwiches.
“The calculation is based on experience and a little bit of luck,” he said, adding that they would be making four types of sandwiches.
What Was the Menu Served at King Charles' Garden Party?
The sandwiches consisted of a Scottish salmon sandwich with salmon, lemon butter and black pepper brown bread.
There was also a roast beef and horseradish sandwich, which the chef noted is “not normally” served in traditional afternoon tea flavors.
“However, we do have the first imports of British beef, which I’m more than happy to use for this special occasion,” he said. “Bend the rules a little bit.”
The third was a “classic” egg mayonnaise sandwich with “nicely boiled eggs, a little bit of mayonnaise, black pepper and salt.”
Lastly, they made a cucumber sandwich, which he called “one of the simplest ones.” However, he spiced things up by slightly pickling the cucumbers.
“So the sweetness and acidity into the sandwich makes it a little bit more interesting,” he said.
The kitchen also served scones, which were baked about an hour and a half before the service so they are “fresh and warm.” Alongside the baked goods, there was warm clotted cream, strawberry jam and “a nice strawberry on top.”
Charles and Camilla are in the U.S. to honor the American people as the nation celebrates 250 years of independence. According to the British Embassy Washington, the visit also celebrates “the enduring cultural, historical, and personal links that make the US and UK.”
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
