Autumn in Japan is a great excuse to indulge in seasonal sweets, and this year, there’s an artistic twist. Afternoon Tea TEAROOM is collaborating with the upcoming Louvre Museum Exhibition: Renaissance at Tokyo’s National Art Center on a special afternoon tea inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, La Belle Ferronnière.
The collaboration will be served in two phases, with the first available from September 3 to 30 and the second from October 1 to 31. Each phase features autumn flavors including chestnuts, grapes, raspberries, sweet potato, pears, and Shine Muscat grapes, with the desserts designed around the Renaissance themes of taste, aroma, and color.
The highlight is the Marron Shortcake, available during both phases. It combines chocolate sponge with chestnuts, Italian chestnut paste, diplomat cream, ganache, and raspberry confiture, while raspberries and silver dragees recreate the decorative detail worn across the forehead of the woman in da Vinci’s painting.
The first phase also features Kyoho Grape and Black Tea Blancmange and a Raspberry Petit Parfait. In October, these change to a Sweet Potato and Black Tea Whipped Cream Mont Blanc Tart and a La France Pear and Shine Muscat Petit Parfait.
You can choose three sweets for 1,930 JPY or four for 2,380 JPY, including tea, with the sets available from 2pm. Collaboration sweets can also be added individually for 180 JPY.
There’s also a Grape and Berry Jelly Soda, inspired by the colors of the women’s dresses in La Belle Ferronnière, available for 1,050 JPY from September 3 through October 31.
