This Is Your Last Chance to Enjoy Frankenstein Tea at the Morgan Library

To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley's gothic classic Frankenstein, The Morgan Library & Museum launched an exhibit last fall to trace the novel's origin and continued impact, across genres and media. "It's Alive! Frankenstein at 200" includes portions of Shelley's original manuscript and notes, as well as the two centuries of art (from comic books to movies to plays) that drew inspiration from her improbably human story of a monster and his maker.

The exhibit, which launched in September, vanishes this Sunday, January 27, and with it goes the Morgan Café's charmingly creepy Frankenstein tea. The afternoon tea, which costs $37 a person, includes tower of treats that feel very appropriate for this pre-Valentine's hellscape season: "bloody" marzipan fingers, chokeberry scones, bright green cake with oozing chocolate ganache, tea sandwiches, cookies printed with images of Frankenstein movie adaptations, eye ball lollipops, and lots of tea. Each tier of the tower represents different portrayals of Dr. Frankenstein's monster, which (we feel) makes it one of the city's more sophisticated tea options.

As it turns out, the Morgan Café is one of the more sophisticated places to eat, in general, if you're planning a museum excursion in the city. Over the past few months, the Morgan has revamped and expanded their culinary offerings pegged to exhibitions. On Friday, January 25, the library kicks off its much-anticipated "Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth" exhibit, which will be commemorated with "The Long Expected Party" later in April: "a Shire-themed event with Hobbit-inspired cocktails," says the museum.

While the thought of patched-together corpse pieces might not whet your appetite, you should catch the Frankenstein tea before it creeps away.

The Morgan Café, 225 Madison Ave. 212-684-0008 ext. 590. Hours: 11:00 am – 4:00 pm on weekends and 11:00 am – 3:00 pm Tuesday – Friday. Ends January 27.