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Shelly Moses   

User's reviews

  • High Tea Cottage

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    This quaint, charming and welcoming tea room enchanted us from the moment we walked up to the door. We were greeted first by a sign welcoming our party, then by Ken, the owner who showed us to our table. Ken treated us to an explanation of the origins and benefits of several types of tea that piqued our interests. Then Jenn and he brought out several varieties in jars, which we were allowed to enjoy by aroma, and tried to guess each blend. My 13-year-old niece was reluctant to have any tea -- this being her first true tea experience, but was delighted with the color and flavor of her cranberry-apple iced tea, pressed by Jenn at the table. My Bourbon vanilla was lovely, enhanced by the adorable tea cozy and the fine English bone china I received upon ordering the Royal High Tea. We were tempted to try some of the nontraditional tea meals that included Australian pasties for instance, but stuck with the traditional or English teas. The assortment of sandwiches was fresh and delicious; our favorite was the smoked salmon. The quiche, served with the Royal tea, was light and full of vegetables, not eggy. We snapped photos of the scone tray and Jenn serving us our fresh-baked scones with an assortment of jams and perfect clotted cream. My niece enjoyed the few bites she took of my Queen Elizabeth ginger cake (Jenn secrets the recipe, given to her by a butler of the Royal Mum), topped by the world's largest, ripest strawberry. The petit fours were delightful -- Jenn described the origin and ingredients of each treat. Our experience was topped off with a toasting glass of sparkling cider to celebrate a wonderful afternoon. We thoroughly enjoyed our chats with our personable hosts, especially Ken's anecdotes of Australia. An especially thoughtful touch came when Jenn surprised my niece with a boxed locket from the 'Tea Fairy' to remember her first tea by. We only wish this wonderful cottage were closer to the south bay, but it was well worth the drive for a special and memorable occasion.