Enjoy Mother's Day at Mrs. Teapots

As a belated birthday gift two of my co-workers treated me to "High Tea" at Mrs. Teapots. Located in Bellevue, Kentucky, Mrs. Teapots was not only a great time amongst friends it is an awesome Mother's Day outing.

What is High Tea? According to the UK Tea Council, Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, is reputed to have originated the idea of afternoon tea in the early 1800s. She conceived the idea of having tea around four or five in the afternoon to ward off the hunger pangs between lunch and dinner. However, for the working and farming communities, afternoon tea became high tea. As the main meal of the day, high tea was a cross between the delicate afternoon meal enjoyed in the ladies' drawing rooms and the dinner enjoyed in houses of the gentry at seven or eight in the evening. With the meats, bread and cakes served at high tea, hot tea was taken.

You can experience High Tea at Mrs. Teapots at various times throughout the day. A reservation is required - but other than that your only responsibility is to arrive on time. Our reservations were at 1:15 p.m. and we did not leave until 2:45 p.m. This was my first tea experience at Mrs. Mrs. Teapots and I enjoyed the leisurely pace in which the courses were served.

Our first order... the tea. Mrs. Teapots offers a variety of teas to choose from. The three of us shared two pots of tea - Royal Wedding and Apricot Cream. I know very little about either of these two teas; therefore, I can only provide a modified review. The first tea I had the pleasure of drinking was the Apricot Cream:

Aroma: Apricot is the only way to describe the bouquet.

Liquor: A beautiful burnished orange.

Flavor: A definite fruit flavor. The apricot was sweet, yet not overpowering. I tasted with and without honey - the honey enhanced the apricot flavor.

After enjoying a delicious cup of the Apricot Cream. I unceremoniously progressed to the Royal Wedding:

Aroma: Sweet - not necessarily fruity.

Liquor: Light brown with red tones.

Flavor: Sweet yet floral flavor. A combination I have never experienced. I tasted both with and without honey - it was enjoyable either way.

Once the tea arrived, the food - savories, scones and pastries - immediately followed. I will describe the menu by courses.

Course 1: A salad of mixed greens, carrots and grape tomatoes with your choice of dressing - Apricot Vinaigrette or Ranch. I opted for the Apricot Vinaigrette. The dressing was delicious! It reminded me of a well seasoned Italian dressing with the addition of fresh apricots that added a pleasant sweetness. There was also a fantastic slice of cheese and asparagus quiche in a light flaky crust.

Course 2: Zucchini bread and chocolate chip scones - both white and milk chocolate packed into one. This was served with a tasty pistachio Devonshire cream - a mix between butter and cream cheese. In addition there was a dainty champagne glass filled with fresh fruit.

Course 3: This course included well seasoned chicken salad on a croissant AND a tasty , bite-sized pretzel sandwich. The pretzel sandwich was made of pretzel bread sprinkled with a little salt, a strawberry cream cheese spread, a moderate slice of cucumber and tomato. This was the best finger sandwich I have ever eaten. I would have taken four of those over the chicken salad. This is not to say the chicken salad was not good, but the pretzel sandwich stole the show.

Course 4: A medium sized slice of chocolate cake, a fabulous pecan tart, AND a chocolate covered strawberry.

Please understand each of us were served every item listed above. I was unable to finish it all, not to mention completely stuffed. You can only imagine my surprise every time I received the next course.

The next time you find yourself looking for a great cup of tea, a unique way to celebrate Mother's Day, or simply a relaxing way to pass a leisurely Saturday afternoon, visit Mrs. Teapots. Not only will you receive superior service, you will enjoy delicious tea while seated in the most quaint environment. Mrs. Teapots is chock full of teas and tea accessories to not only ooh and aah over, but to purchase as well. The best part of it all... you will never leave hungry!