ROUGH GUIDE TO TEAROOMS
Thursday 19 August 2010
Rough Guide to Tearooms
Whilst in recent years we have all been overwhelmed with Lattes and Skinny Lattes, Cappuccinos, and Mochas, the fact of the matter is what do we really want when we are tired and stressed, or when something suddenly happens, but that old refreshing and reviving cup of tea! After water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world. Historically here in Ireland we think of it as a British drink but of course, whilst the British might have had many Tea Plantations in the Colonies, the consumption of tea, along with various tea drinking ceremonies and formalities, is world wide. Chinese legend has it that tea was discovered in 2737 BC by Emperor Shen Nung, Tea is produced from the leaves of Camellia Sinensis, an evergreen plant that grows mainly in tropical and subtropical climates under stringent conditions. Two principal varieties are used, the China plant (C. sinensis sinensis) for most Chinese, Formosan and Japanese teas, and the clonal Assam plant (C. sinensis assamica) used in most Indian and other teas, but not Darjeeling. There are at least six varieties of tea, white, yellow, green, oolong, blacn and pu-erh – the most common being white, green, oolong and black. A tea’s type is determined by the processing it undergoes and most teas sold in the West are blends. Tea is very receptive to the addition of scented and flavoured variants, such as bergamot for Earl Grey tea, Chinese Jasmine tea and Indian spices in Masala Chai. Some cultures add liquid honey, or of course lemon, or even whiskey!
It is good for your health, research this year found that people who consumed tea had significantly less cognitive decline than non-tea drinkers. It is reputed to improve intestinal microflora and provide immunity against intestinal disorders, also to prevent dental caries, to normalise blood pressure, and help with the prevention of coronary heart diseases and diabetes by reducing the blood glucose activity. Both green and black tea infusions contain a number of antioxidants, mainly catechins that have anti carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic and anti-tumoric properties. The English slang word ‘char’ for tea came from the Chinese word ‘cha’ and the more modern American/UK word ‘chai’ refers to Indian masala black tea.
In very many cultures tea is had at high class social events such as Afternoon Tea started in the 19th C by the 7th Duchess of Bedford. In Arab cultures tea is a focal point of social gatherings and in Morocco it is poured from a height to create a foam. In Japan it is a very formal and serene affair – think of the beautiful Japanese Tea Houses – there was a movie too many years ago called the Tea House of the August Moon regaling a comedy of two cultures between Glenn Forde and a Japanese Marlon Brando over the building of a Tea House. There are all sorts of social nicities when it comes to the presentation of tea such as ‘milk in first’ being totally Non U – milk must always be added after tea is poured elegantly without noise or slopping by your hostess. In other countries there are far more specialist shops retailing dozens of varieties of tea – they fascinate me in France where you think of them as just drinking coffee. Thomas Twining opened the first known Tea Room in England in 1706 which still remains at 216 Strand, London, today. J.Lyons & Co. were another company famous for their chain of tea shops, and for the Lyons Corner Houses which were known for their Art Deco Décor. Nigella Lawson, the English food writer, in fact stems from the Lyons Corner House family so catering was obviously in the blood. The Lyons Tea Rooms always had a bakery counter in front and, pre-war, table service was by uniformed waitresses known as ‘Nippies” – after the war the tea shops converted to cafeteria self service finally closing in 1981. All our grannies had special tea sets and cake plates which have been stored in cupboards for years whilst mugs came into daily use. Well take out your tea sets again – tea is highly fashionable. Teapots and teasets are hugely popular with London’s city’s style savvy inhabitants. New shapes and concepts by Terence Conran and Paul Smith are changing the way contemporary Londoners serve their daily cup. Wedgewood too, renowned for its traditional bone china, has commissioned several up and coming young designers to produce a collection of cutting edge tea services to go with all those cup cakes and fancies that have become so popular.
To whet your whistle and your appetite, here are a few tea rooms to try.
In Dublin there is the Phoenix Park Tea Rooms, an original Victorian Tea Rooms, situated beside Dublin Zoo on Chesterfield Avenue. With an outdoor seating area for lazy summer days, they now do modern food such as paninis, as well as baked scones and jam, homemade desserts and cakes and Fairtrade tea. Joy of Cha in East Essex Street, Temple Bar, has a selection of more than 60 loose teas, plus a big selection of tea accessories, and a good selection of cakes and gourmet sandwiches. In CHQ at the IFSC there is the House of Tea with over 120 teas, tea accessories and bcrockery, which you can also buy online www.houseoftea.ie . They have a half a dozen tables or so where they serve lunch, baguettes, ciabatta, and sourdough bread sandwiches using good artisan produce – Ummera smoked chicken, Gubbeen cheese, Black Forest ham, as well as salads, chicken and mushroom pie, ravioli with Mediterranean vegetables, pastries, muffins, afternoon tea on a 2/3 tier stand with finger sandwiches, scones, cake and they also have their own homemade Fairy Cakes. At the new Point Village Market you will find Dairine Keogh’s Clement And Pekoe teas – also available on www.clementandpekoe.com
Langton’s of John Street, Kilkenny, brought in London based top interior designer, David Collins, to create the elegant blue and white old world ambiance of their John Street Tea & Wine Rooms, along with all the pretty accoutrements of tiered cake stands and pretty china. Eddie Langton buys his selection of 35 teas from the Tea Palace in London and there is no doubt that the Duchess of Bedford would feel quite at home here! Afternoon Tea is €15 per head, or €28 for two.
The Blueberry Tea Room off the Diamond in Donegal Town is a homely little gem for those who love good home cooked food and scrumptious pastries – their Pavlova and chocolate and hazelnut tarts are to die for. Very friendly they even have toys for the kids to play with. In Sligo, just beside where W.B.Yeats is buried at Drumcliffe Church, Drumcliffe Tea House and Craft shop is very popular for good wholesome food and mouth watering home made cakes and desserts. They also provide a selection of Yeats books to browse through.
County Clare is a popular spot for Tea Rooms. The Burren Centre Tearooms is in a cute little cottage providing not only tea and pastries but excellent homely fare including traditional Irish Stew and “and staff eagerly awaiting the opportunity to impress you.” In Ballyvaughan, An Fear Gorta Tea & Garden Rooms in an historic stone building is a perfect place for a lovely afternoon’s relaxation either indoors, or in their conservatory or garden. You will find a lovely display of home made cakes, scones, open sandwiches and so on and a range of speciality teas. Also in County Clare is the Burren Perfumery Tea Rooms at Carron, which is worth a trip for the drive alone and then to visit the Perfumery’s herb garden. Owner Sadie Chowen sources produce for home cooked from organic farmers’ markets. Freshly baked organic scones, homemade coffee cake.honey from the Perfumery’s own beehive, quiches and local cheese platters also.
In Galway the Asian Tea House Restaurant is based on the Asian Tea Houses of old with, in addition to a full restaurant menu, a selection of some 24 Speciality Teas including the sweet aromatic Tieh Guan Yin which is one of the ten most famous teas in China. Their two most expensive teas are Carnation Blossom made with silver needle green tea and carnation flower, and Lu Shue Ya, a very ancient type of high grade green tea, amongst Fujians top three teas. Behind the Pro Cathedral buildings in Galway, is Sweetie Pies Tea Rooms & Cake Shop where along with breakfast and lunch they do leisurely Afternoon Teas, as well as Cupcake Wedding Cakes! Out in Oranmore is Claire’s Tearooms with beautiful china and lovely cakes and goodies. They also have a Hat Room with hats by Galway Designer Mary Rose. Traditionally Irish is Alissa and Michael O’Donoghue’s Teach an Tae – Tearooms and Café - on Insheer on the Aran Islands with a lovely family friendly atmosphere. They serve their own organic soups, scones, soda bread, cakes and preserves, freshly made daily with their own eggs. Just think, hot scones with homemade Inis Oirr blackberry jam… There is a real romantic story being Teach an Tae for Inis Oirr native Michael met Alissa when she visited the island with her grandparents from America and they all had tea and porter cake and exchanged addresses. Kylemore Abbey in Connemara also has a Tea Rooms serving fresh homemade apple pies, chocolate brownies and Bakewell Tart with Kylemore raspberry jam amongst other goodies and all with a view of the magnificent Diamond Hill.
In Killarney Miss Courtney’s Tearooms was set up by Sandra Dunlea in a premises which has gone down the female family line for four generations. It is awash with gorgeous china tea sets, teapots, and traditional tiered afternoon tea stands, glistening under pretty chandeliers! Sandra’s grandfather was big into photography so they also had a huge collection of fabulous vintage black and white glamorous photos of family and friends at parties and events. They do light lunches, waffles, Victoria sandwich cakes, pretty cupcakes and the like. Miss Katie’s Tea Rooms in Blarney too is a sweet old fashioned style tearooms serving freshly baked confectionary from the owner’s bakery and they specialise in great cupcakes –or Fairy cakes as we used call them. Fine china and an open turn fire make this a cosy spot to steady your nerves after you’ve kissed the Blarney Stone.
Finally, in this mini ‘Rough Guide to Tearooms’ is Mary O’Leary’s fantastic Cupan Tae in Kenmare “An Original Irish Teashop” whose motto is “life is like a cup of tea, it’s all in how you make it, and how true that is. Mary opened her Tearoom just a year ago and really got it right. It’s like being in your Granny’s parlour with a mahogony sideboard counter groaning with gorgeous homemade cakes, chocolate, coffee and walnut, lemon drizzle, courgette and lime, orange cake, and fairy cakes. There is even an upright piano for a real old sing song. The tables all have pretty cloths and of course you drink your tea from wonderful china tea sets – all matching. Mary has 26 varieties of tea and she says there isnt one of them that doesn’t sell! May the Lord hold you in his hand, and never close His fist too tight.”
Enjoy an cupan tae…….
THIS ARTICLE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY AUGUST 15 2010.