The time honoured British tradition of afternoon tea has been given a Bermudian twist.

Last week, the Elbow Beach Hotel in Paget launched their locally inspired Afternoon Tea at The Veranda.

Elbow Beach spokesperson Kendaree Burgess Fairn said the move was designed to enhance the Bermudian experience enjoyed by the Island's visitors.

"I think we have always been looking for ways to create a Bermudian experience for our guests,'' she said. "People know and enjoy having afternoon tea and they love the idea of getting something uniquely Bermudian.'' The hotel's trend towards serving Bermudian-inspired cuisine began with the opening of their popular restaurant, the Seahorse Grill.

"It all started with Seahorse Grill and now we're just extending it throughout the hotel. I think its going to be great.'' Executive chef Franz Rohn has devised a menu which includes delectable goodies like Paget Coconut cakes, Bermuda Honey cakes and St. George Ginger cake.

There are also tasty bite-size sandwiches like Island Spice Crabmeat on tomato bread and Tucker's goat cheese with grilled zucchini on walnut bread.

The menu will change frequently to accommodate whatever local produce is in season at the time.

Despite the exotic menu, Ms Burgess Fairn insisted that the tea was something that visitors, locals and even youngsters could enjoy.

"Anyone, including kids, are welcomed to eat here,'' she pointed out. "It is not intimidating at all. It's a completely refreshing atmosphere.'' Afternoon Tea at The Veranda is served between 3 and 5 p.m. every day of the week. Depending on the items selected from the menu, the tea will cost around $20 per person.

*** If escaping work for two hours in the afternoon is completely out of the question and your weekends are too hectic to slip away to the Elbow Beach hotel, why not enjoy a spot of tea in the comforts of your home.

This truly English tradition can easily be savoured at home -- all you need is a pot of tea and some tasty treats.

While Elbow Beach executive chef Franz Rohn's recipes for his delicious cakes and sandwiches are closely guarded secrets, here are a few recipes you might want to give a try if your planning to enjoy high tea at home.

*** BUTTERMILK SCONES 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt 6 tablespoons cold butter 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk SIFT together all the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Add 1 cup buttermilk and work into a ball of dough, using additional buttermilk as needed. Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface. Roll or pat into a large 1 -inch-thick circle. Use a 2-inch-round cookie-cutter to punch out scones. Gather the scraps and roll out again, cut out scones until all the dough is used.

Bake the scones in a preheated 400-degree oven for about 12 minutes until they turn golden. Very nice served with warm Devonshire cream and raspberry preserves.

*** LOQUAT JAM 6 cups of loquats, pitted (save some pits) and cut in half 6 cups sugar 1 cup water 1 cinnamon stick 1 cup Bermuda Gold Liqueur BOIL together the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, Bermuda Gold and fruit, along with a handful of pits for colour until thickened. Remove cinnamon stick and rub through a sieve and cool. Store in very clean jars. Seal, label and date.

Keeps for two months in the refrigerator.

*** BLACK SEAL RUM CHOCOLATE BLACK CAKE 1 cup dates, chopped 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 cup boiling water 2 teaspoons Gosling's Black Seal Rum 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pound unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 2 cups flour 1 cup cocoa 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup pecans, chopped 1 cup Gosling's Black Seal Rum For the Garnish: Confectioner's sugar 1 pint or more fresh raspberries or berries of your choice GREASE and flour a Bundt or tube pan. Mix together the pecans and brown sugar and sprinkle into the pan. Plunge the dates into the boiling water, remove from the heat and add the baking soda, Gosling's Black Zeal Rum and vanilla.

Allow to cool while you cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.

Mix together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture and the date water mixture alternately into the butter and sugar, beating all the while. When all is incorporated, fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon the thick batter into the pan and bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 1 hour or until the tester comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before inverting on to a wire rack. While still warm, and upside down, give it a good dousing of Gosling's Black Seal Rum. Invert, allow to cool about 5 more minutes before attempting to ease off the pan. When completely cool, douse again with Gosling's Black Seal Rum. You may serve it now, or even better, refrigerate overnight or longer. Sprinkle with even more rum before serving. It should become fudge-like, not wet.

Delicious afternoon tea recipes Dust with powdered sugar `snow' and fill the centre with fresh raspberries for a dramatic flourish.

Recipes from The Spirit of Bermuda Cookbook *** COCONUT CAKES 1 coconut (grated) 1 cup coconut milk or water 2 pounds sugar WET sugar with water and boil until sugar dissolves - stirring continuously.

Add grated coconut and boil for about 20 minutes or until a little of the mixture hardens when dropped onto a cutting board.

Remove from heat and beat for 5 minutes. Drop by spoonfuls onto a wet cutting board.

Variations - (1) add 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Use brown sugar (2) 1 teaspoon lemon essence Recipe from The Bermuda Cookbook.

*** HONEY SPICE CAKE 3 eggs separated 1 cup sugar 3 cup honey 1 cup salad oil Juice and grated rind of 1 lemon 1 cup very strong coffee, cooled 1 cup raisins 3 cup coarsely broken walnuts 2 cups flour sifted 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cloves BEAT egg yolks until thick. Add sugar; beat until well mixed. Add honey and beat. Add oil and mix. Stir in juice and rind. Sift flour with other dry ingredients. Use part of this to flour the raisins. Add flour mixture and coffee alternately to honey mixture beginning and ending with the flour. Add nuts and raisins with the last addition of the flour. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites.

Line 9x13 inch pan with foil. Pour batter into pan. Bake in moderate oven of 350 degrees for 65 minutes or until done.

When cake is partially cooled, invert on cake rack and peel off foil. When completely cooled, frost lightly with a lemon-flavoured butter icing.

Recipe from What's Cooking in Bermuda.

Tea for two: Kirsten Kling from Philadelphia (left) and Rachel Phillips from New York enjoy afternoon tea, poured by Bally Kasthambadi, at The Veranda at the Elbow Beach Hotel in Paget.

Tea-rrific!: The original tea menu at The Veranda includes little Johnny Bread cakes with whipped cream and berry compote, homemade raisin black rum scones and St. George's Ginger cake.

Photos by Tony Cordeiro Tasty treats: Elbow Beach executive chef Franz Rohn has created some delicious Bermudian-inspired cakes and sandwiches for patrons to enjoy with their afternoon tea.