I had my first formal afternoon tea years ago at this grand old hotel overlooking Regent's Park. I fell in love with the ritual: the fresh flowers on every table, the starched aprons on the servers, the bone china cups, the three-tiered silver serving tray. There were tiny smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches and exquisite cakes with cream or jam. And then there was the tea itself. I chose Earl Grey because, well, it sounded the most British. I was served a beautiful loose-leaf brew with a sweet fragrance of bergamot that lingers in my mind to this day. —Sissy Carter, Gatesville, Texas