“Talk and tea is his specialty, said Giles. Come along inside… We’ll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place.” The Wind in the Willows
Afternoon Tea is quintessentially very proper and typically British. Its also a great way to catch up with friends and put the world to right over tea and cakes! With that in mind, the thought of some tasty titbits and on a friends recommendation we headed for ‘Last of The Summer Wine’ country, to The Spiced Pear, Hepworh near Holmfirth yesterday afternoon. Table for 2 at 2.00pm had our name on it.
With the aid of Liz’s satnav we arrived excitedly, early, and in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere. We admired the pretty exterior and then made our way inside. We were greeted by a friendly waitress and seated in the small but tastfully decorated bar. We ordered a coffee each and browsed the menu. There was a great choice, Liz plumped for Traditional Afternoon Tea and Tracey for the Gentlemans Afternoon Tea.
Bang on 2-00pm we were ushered through to the Tea Room. Feeling immediately at home with a roaring log fire, quaint decorations and mis-matched china, we settled in our seats and prepared to ‘take tea’
Come this way as we share the delights with you…
Nowt like a pot of Yorkshire tea for Yorkshire folk!
Did we really eat all this?? Ermmmm…yes!
The Traditional Afternoon Tea started with the usual selection of sandwiches, except being in Yorkshire (where we know how to eat), there wasn’t a wafer thin sandwich triangle in sight. Instead the selection of cheese and chutney (rather than the salmon – I don’t eat seafood), egg mayo and ham and chutney were served on thick, rather filling crusty bread.
Another cup of tea, a bit of a breather and on to the second tier…a selection of mouth watering cakes, pastries and a trifle. We both agreed that the jelly/trifle was a bit on the warm and watery side but that could have been due to being sat next to a furness of a radiator. We still ate it though (and turned the radiator off). A very warm welcome for us but maybe not for the poor little jellies. All the other desserts were devoured – sod the diet!
We might be Yorkshire girls but there’s only so much tea one can drink, Yorkshire or not. We ordered a lager and started on our cream scones, the diets well and truly out of the window.
Fit to bursting, we walked waddled out of the restaurant to admire the grounds and the surrounding scenery…
Gentlemen’s Afternoon Tea commences with Pork Pie, Scotch egg, Yorkshire pudding with beef, piccalilli with caramelised onions and the icing on the cake…Bread and dripping, which was absolutely delicious.
All the hard work dieting the last few weeks blown in a couple of hours
Guess who was sat next to the radiator?! Rosy cheeks.com
The cosy Tearoom, its quirky nic-nacs and the beautiful surrounding countryside…
We attempted to get down and dirty with the locals…they were a little camera shy!
“Oink Oink”
A warm, welcoming restaurant in the most beautiful of surroundings…Yorkshire at it’s best. A fantastic way to “spice” up a dull dreary Saturday.
I’m sure this ‘pear’ of ladies will be back.
L & T