I totally caved, and went for afternoon tea with Ephraim while we were in Quebec City! I just had such a nice time having tea with my Mum in Ottawa, and the Chateau is beautiful, soooo we went.
And oh man, it did not disappoint!!
The food was incredible, for both meat eaters and vegetarians! I have had tea at a couple other Fairmont Hotels (the Chateau Laurier, and Royal York in Toronto) and have found them to be the most accommodating for vegetarian diets. But even then, this exceeded expectations. I mean, just look at it all. The choice to do open face sandwiches was refreshing, and showed of the many beautiful colours.
The room was lovely and basically all wood. It felt nice and warm in there, and Ephraim totally blended in in all his tweed.
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| I love to take photos of him when he isn't looking... he gets me back for this, don't worry. Seriously though he is perfectly styled for that room! |
Needless to say we enjoyed a couple hours filled with tea and nibbles and conversation. I tried the vanilla orchid black tea, it was incredible. I was just about to order Earl Grey, but thought I ought to try something different! Not that there's much of a gamble in vanilla tea!
I promise I don't go for tea NEARLY so often normally, but as I was traveling and had the chance to try some place new, I figured I really must! I'm so glad, because both outings have been a pleasure! It's only a habit I can keep up for a short time though, I should probably save the cakes and pastries till the holidays (at which time I may as well do my best Vader impression, 'cause "there'll be no one to stop us this time"). In the mean time, I'm planning on making a giant batch of pumpkin seeds this weekend. Yum!
--Erin
Beautiful blog - exquisite photography!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you Wendy, and welcome from BBN!
DeleteI have really enjoyed seeing my photography skills take off in the last few months. It's so fun!
--Erin
I love high tea, I don't do it often but when I do I want to do it in style so this looks pretty much perfect. That food is beautiful! The presentation is stunning, and Ephraim looks very dapper. Sounds like the perfect way to spend the afternoon xo
ReplyDeleteI normally only go for my birthday, but it was so bloody cold in Quebec so Eph and I were very pleased to plan a couple hours indoors, bundled up, and full of hot tea!!
DeleteI loved the presentation at the Frontenac! Most places seem to assume the "fanciness" is inherent in afternoon tea and does not need embellishments, but I'm a more is more person, so if I'm shelling out that kind of money I'm much happier when it looks GORGEOUS like this spread did.
And dapper is JUST the word I use to describe him! It's nice dating a man who can dress himself!
--Erin
They went to a proper English "AFTERNOON TEA" not "HIGH TEA" (only Americans call it that). High tea begins at 6:00 rather than 4:00 and it is not a fancy affair. Gone are the silver tea servers & floral china cups. "Brown Bettys" are then used for tea pots. Gone are the dainty sandwiches & little sweeties in favor of savory, robust flavors of ham with strong mustard, Welsh Rarebit, sherried mushrooms on toast, "Scotch woodcock" and big chunks of fabulous cheeses all washed down with big glasses of ale, whiskey, sherry or cocktails. High Tea is like a manly supper that follows the frilly "afternoon tea". Cheerio!
DeleteThe description is for afternoon tea, which is different from high tea.
DeleteLove high tea, love your photos. Love that it seemed to be quite a modern take on high tea too. Exquisite.
ReplyDeleteMay I ask what camera and lens(es) you have?
Oooh it's funny you should say that about this being modern! I took Ephraim to this little place for my birthday to have tea, which they serve in bento boxes! He loved how comparitively traditional this tea was!
DeleteI have the Nikkor 18-55 kit lens, and the 50mm/1.4 which I have been using basically non stop since July. It was a big investment for me as I've not really spent any real money on photography equipment, but it's like I got a whole new camera. Best lens ever!
--Erin
Hahaha. I guess I'm used to the fun little tea houses in Scotland (and the photos of when my grandparents went to the Ritz in London).
DeleteAlways great when the money is worth it :) I bought my camera (Canon Rebel) second-hand but I use it so much. Hope to get a cheap low aperture lens for christmas for me to play with ;)
OOh, see, my Mum used to go to Scotland every year to visit step family, right over my birthday too, and never did I ever get to enoy a REAL tea! And then when I visited England I was super poor and ate brie sandwiches sitting in parks, no fancy dinig for me!
DeleteMy borther used to have a film Canon Rebel that I totally coveted! The one reason I wish I had gone with Canon is that the lenses are MUCH less expensive! Though, Nikon's prices in general went up since the Tsunami. I paid almost $200 more for my lens than it cost when it was released 3 years ago, because production and shipping had been so complicated by all the chaos over there. Still, it was a present to myself and way worth it. I want this camera fused to my hand. Or maybe not...
--Erin
It's not "High Tea"...It is "AFTERNOON TEA! A proper British afternoon tea, nice and pretty, floral china, silver pots of fine loose tea, dainty tea sandwiches, perhaps pastries and scones with fruit preserves. "HIGH TEA" begins at 6:00 (rather than 4:00), the men are invited so away with the silver and lace and bring out the "Brown Betty" tea pots, ale, whiskey, and sherry. No dainty sandwiches but Welsh Rarebit, ham on the bone with strong mustard, chunks of Cheddar and Stilton cheese, and Scotch Woodcock, perhaps sherried mushrooms on toast. "High Tea" is like a light supper that follows a proper "afternoon tea." Cheerio!
DeleteThank you for correcting both commenters from the United Kingdom. I'm sure, 18 months after the fact, they felt rather silly having used the improper term for the tea service (booked any time from noon till 5) I attended.
DeleteIt was delicious, no matter what you want to call it.
SUCH great photos - you got talent girl.
ReplyDeletexo
Thanks so much Sara! You should look back a few months, I have reaaaaally grown photography wise!
Delete--Erin
hmm i'd never heard of vanilla tea actually but that's probably the native Phoenician in me since it's usually so hot we don't get a proper appreciation of our teas. looks like a lovely place and Ephraim's outfit really is stylish & like those candid shots.
ReplyDeleteOne thing that makes Canada feel like it's really a british colony (I guess technically we're still only a Dominion and not actually a country...anyway..) is the intense popularity of tea up here. We have stores selling teas of all kinds, many where you can smell different canisters and chat with the sales people all about tea before you even just purchase one brewed cup. It's insane, and incredible. I guess something has got to get us through the long winters :P
Delete--Erin
I'm coming just as quickly as I can get there. Tea, High Tea, that most wonderful of affairs, I adore tea and it seems the Frontenac is now on my radar.
ReplyDelete