High Tea

I love high tea and everything that has to do with it. Love love love.  I went for high tea with my parents and my friend over the weekend at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and it got me thinking about all the different places that I've had it and allllllllllllll the delicious food that has come along with it.

The first time was at the Pump Room in Bath, UK.  Some reviews have said that this tea is a bit touristy.. but those reviewers are missing out on amazing-ness such as these mini creme-brulees, profiteroles, and teeny tiny fruit tarts.

And thats only the first tier of the three tiers that you get with your tea.

Right below the fancy mini desserts is a more humble looking tier with scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam. Scones aren't as pretty as the little cakes and tarts, but I think I like them better anyways. It makes me wish that I would just bake my own scones instead of moping around being sad that I almost never get to have them.

The tiny sandwiches on the bottom tier were amazing.. and were eaten too quickly to get a picture of them. Only the watercress pieces were left behind.

My first high tea in Canada was at the Secret Garden Tea Room in Vancouver. My mom took me for their Christmas Eve high tea and it was delicious. I couldn't help but take a million pictures of the little desserts...

. ..for obvious reasons. Look at the tiny polar bear! and his tiny scarf! He's sitting on a chocolate and peppermint square that had little candy cane pieces in it.  The mini cheesecake beside him is sitting on a gingersnap cookie. We couldn't finish everything so these came home with us for later.

Since the Christmas Eve high tea I've returned a number of times for their regular high tea. The sandwiches and desserts are always changing but they always seem to include one of these tiny lemon tarts....

..and delicious scones with clotted cream.

If I had to chose between the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and the Secret Garden I think it would have to be the Secret Garden.

The food at the Fairmount was amazing.. every single thing was made perfectly(it was too dark to take pictures of it sadly) but the service was terrible. We didn't get a hot water refill until all of our food was gone and we were always trying to get a server's attention.

The Secret Garden has great service and they make sure that your tea pots never get empty so the over-all experience is just more pleasant.

The Rutherford House in Edmonton also has a great high tea. My friend Noelle ( who is always around when there is tea involved) and I went there on the coldest day of the year. It was a record low of -46.1 C and -58.4 C with the windchill so the hot tea was much appreciated.

The food was really good, but the best part is being in the room of the old house with all the vintage knick-knacks and art everywhere. Plus the tea itself is delicious, especially the monk's blend. It takes a lot of motivation to make me layer up for the winter weather, but the Rutherford House was completely worth the effort and the frozen fingers.

A homemade high tea is also  worth the effort..and if everyone brings a dish then there isn't actually that much effort involved. All you need are some tiny desserts like mini cupcakes or fruit tarts, some little sandwiches or mini quiches, and scones.  We all brought our own tea cups and had a couple of different tea pots going at once.

I'm always looking for a good place for tea, so if you know somewhere amazing let me know!

Comments

[{something sweet}]

thanks for the post, stephanie. i have always wanted to learn more about high tea. aaron and i are going to vancouver in august. i'm putting the Secret Garden Tea Room on our to-do list!

[hocus]

This is lovely! There's something so special about a table of teeny delights just waiting to be enjoyed.

[April Armistead]

Wow - I've never had high tea. Looks pretty awesome. Maybe I should make it a point to experience it soon. ♥

[Mylifeunderthebus]

I have never been but I am absolutely salivating ! I am determined to find one near me and go in the fall - maybe a girls lunch ! Lovely idea - now I am starving !!!

[LDTillustration]

What an absolutely delicious post! I can actually hear my stomach rumbling. It's made me really want to buy some dainty little teacups, like that gorgeous one in the first picture, even though I only drink everything from a mug!

[Bpyarns]

delightful and looking sinfully delicious!

Cathy of
BPyarns and BabbidgePatch

[Lesley Howard]

Everything on your blog makes me very, very hungry!

[Mylifeunderthebus]

OMG...I read this this morning and went to the bookstore with the boys this afternoon and the cover of British Country Living is a tea party ! The whole magazine is devoted to " Make time for tea" and has various tea ideas and 25 favorite tea rooms ! Talk about timely !!! You must check it out !

[Cherryredstudio1.blogspot.com]

that looks soooo amazing! i want to have high tea!

p.s. i love your blog so i gave you an award! you can get it here http://cherryredstudio1.blogspot.com/2010/06/today-i-got-my-first-blog-award-i-am-so.html

[Alsadventure.wordpress.com]

high tea in vancouver? sounds good to me!!!!!

[LilieGreen]

I have fond memories of having high tea at the Rose Cottage in Pasadena, CA -- utterly lovely and delicious. The mini sandwiches were my favorite. I love the idea of hosting one at home -- that never occurred to me. Maybe I'll try that for my next birthday...

[Mylifeunderthebus]

Hi Stephanie ! I got my copy at Borders in the US - I don't know if they stock the same mags there . They also carry it in Barnes and noble here. If you can't find it I'd be happy to send you one- it's a really lovely edition !

[Julia]

I still haven't gotten around to having High Tea. I should. My little sister who lived in London for several years told me it's a lovely experience, and your blog post reminds me I still need to do it :) Oh and mini creme brulees. Can it get much better than that??

By the way, scones are soooo easy to make. Just do it. It's SO yummy when they're totally fresh, preferably with a bit of butter that gets to melt a little.

[Kathy]

High tea at the Fairmont MacDonald hotel in Edmonton is pretty spectacular as well!!

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