Tea Time Travels

Autumn is my favorite season. I'm sure I'm not alone in this, as many people I talk to express the same feeling. The first cool mornings of September, the ever-so-subtle fading evening light, the start of leaves scattering the walks are all signs to me that Autumn is just around the corner. Not surprising, it has been a particularly dry year in the Sierra Foothills in Northern California so the heat has hung on making me impatient for our change of season. I'll give in to my impatience and happily take off for far flung places to "chase the Fall" so to speak.

A European vacation is just the thing to satisfy my tea time obsession and wanderlust! I've always wanted to visit the beautiful Cotswolds in England after a missed opportunity several years ago while visiting London, so this trip I've made it a priority. Of course I will also be scouting out different and unique places for Afternoon Tea, another favorite pastime (so much so, I own and operate a tearoom). I'm looking for the quintessential experience; what makes a proper tea and how does it differ from city to city?
Where to start in London? That's a difficult question as you will find exceptional places for tea everywhere! Most venues for afternoon tea or high tea are in hotels. I found a lovely hotel to enjoy afternoon tea with a view of Kensington Gardens, the Royal Gardens Hotel. Their Park Terrace lounge and tearoom offer a lovely menu. Awarded the Tea Guilds "Awards of Excellence" two years running for their superb afternoon tea experience, I was welcomed with a seat by the windows to enjoy the view of Kensington Gardens.

I indulged in the royal tea and started with fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar to bring out the sweetness, and a glass of champagne. The tea sommelier brought a tray to my table so that I could make an informed choice of tea selection. I examined each sample and enjoyed seeing many varieties that I stock in my tearoom, but I was looking for something different so I chose a green tea called Eight Butterflies combining the vibrant flavors of cranberries, rose petal and chrysanthemum with a Japanese Sencha and Genmaicha. This tea was a wonderful choice and the delicate aroma and taste was just what I was looking for. I was brought a large pot along with a pot of hot water to top off as needed.
Next came an assortment of delicious sandwiches efficiently set before me by a uniformed waiter, one of many who attended to my needs. The sandwich selection included traditional offerings such as smoked salmon stuffed in a pinwheel of wheat bread, egg mayonnaise and chicken & cress. Other unique tastes included a white cheddar & chutney finger sandwich, tomato basil, roast beef with gherkin and prawn with Mary Rose cocktail sauce. I was informed the "Mary Rose" cocktail sauce did not contain cognac as is customary! They were all delectable, needless to say.

Lastly a three tier of treats with scones on the bottom tier wrapped in linen to keep warm, accompanied with a side tray of thick clotted cream and strawberry & nectarine preserves made in house. The middle tray held tea breads of chocolate and lemon. The top tier held delicious sweets of strawberry shortcake with strawberry cream mousse layered between shortbread and orange cream cake with a tuile of brandy snap filled with Irish cream. It was a lot of food and I was unable to finish it all, but I did try a taste of everything and it was just perfect.

Unlike the frills of Victorian style tearooms, there is an understated air of elegance in the space with diners enjoying tea along with patrons in the lounge directly opposite along the terrace. The resident pianist plays standards and classics all the while as I relax over my tea, now replete. Moon River brings back memories from my childhood. I imagine Holly Go Lightly would have enjoyed having tea at Tiffany's if given the chance. She would have donned her elegant black dress and diamond tiara dressing up to sip tea from delicate china, with pinkie up, or with a flute of bubbly. It's a nice idea to escape for a while and what better way than while enjoying tea. I'm confident Holly Go Lightly would approve, I think to myself. Who wouldn't?

PretTea Pieces

My love of fine china and pottery grew from a young age observing my grandmother care for her china collection passed down from her mother. The beautiful white porcelain collection with dainty rose sprays, embossed with scrolls and trimmed in gold, was surely used to grace a queens table in my young imagination.

Through the years, the "good china" was taken down from the top shelf of my grandma's cupboard for special occasions such as Christmas and was only ever hand washed as there were no automatic dishwashers back then (even when they became available, granny's house was old and not plumbed for such a convenience). Using the good china made the event more special and I didn't mind doing the dishes on such occasions, reverently washing and drying each piece and then using the step stool to place them back on the secluded upper shelf to stay safe.

While I felt a sense of satisfaction after carefully placing the spotless china away, I also was a bit sad that the special occasion had come to an end. I felt a sense of let-down because we had to go back to our normal routine.

I believe my grandmother knew my feelings as she left the china collection in my safekeeping, knowing that I would care for it and use it frequently and continue to care for each piece just as she cared for it many years ago. I store "Granny's good china" in my china hutch along with other pieces that I have collected and that Granny left for me. While I continue to use the collection, unfortunately a long distance move broke four saucers and I regret not packing them more carefully. I have found a popular manufacturer that can replace the pieces, but I still feel bad about the loss-they won't be from my grandma's collection. I certainly learned a hard lesson about protecting keepsakes.

On the bright side of all this I realize that my grandmother's memory lives on every time I set my table with her china. I think back to my childhood and remember my grandma's kitchen, the meals she would prepare, my parents and grandad and my sister all sitting down for Christmas or Easter dinner. My sister and I have created new traditions for our families and I hope to share my recollections with my grandchildren someday over tea or Christmas dinner and to one day pass Granny's china collection on to my daughter for her to create family memories.