Lisa Perkins, of Dunedin, and Karen Witham, of Invercargill, decided to take the King’s Birthday celebration as a day to treat themselves to a cuppa served in bone china alongside a large selection of tasty morsels from Mash Catering.
Ms Perkins said she was glad to join her friend for a cuppa, "who was in the know" about Invercargill events.
"I’ve just come down to visit."
Mrs Witham thought a posh cuppa was a perfect fit for the day.
"What better way to spend King’s Birthday weekend than having a high tea on the celebration day?"
The pair were served a selection from a set menu of chicken, tarragon and mango profiteroles, a variety of sandwiches, mini sausage rolls, chocolate brownie truffles, sweet scones, lemon tarts, raspberry slice and caramel beignet.
"It’s been a particularly good spread for what we’ve got.
"There's 10 different picks of food items and a good cup of tea ... "
Mash Catering front of house Kahlee Snowdon said the catering team had been hosting murder-mystery, Rocky Horror and jazz, gin and money "great bake-offs" as well as high teas at the venue.
All the themed events had proven popular with the public as the game’s focused evenings were accompanied by a three-course meal, while the high teas featured throughout the King’s Birthday weekend.
Ms Snowdon said the catering team were enjoying being able to work with the smaller groups because they were more intimate.
"We do hundreds and hundreds of weddings, then we get to do high teas."
Mash Catering head chef Natasha Davis said it was not the first time the team had turned up to celebrate a royal event.
Events were held at Anderson House most long weekend, and they were not all for adults.
"In the past we’ve done a kids high tea here."
Anderson House was built by businessman and benefactor Sir Robert Anderson for £10,000 in 1925 as a Georgian-style mansion designed by Christchurch architect Cecil Wood.
The couple gifted the home and its grounds to the city to be used as a park and it had housed a New Zealand art collection since 1951.
But in 2014, with its Historic Places Trust Category 1 listing, the house was closed after being assessed as being a serious earthquake risk.
It reopened to the public in November 2022 after undergoing extensive seismic strengthening and water-tightening.
- By Toni McDonald
