A Nice Cup and a Sit-Down
By Cassaundra Brooks
When an unexpected 111 people showed up for the opening of the English Rose Tea Room during the Carefree Arts and Wine Festival in 2002, it signaled the start of a very long tea party for owner Joanne Gemmill.
“The tea room is a representation of everything I love and collect,” says the English transplant. “I absolutely love the whole ceremony of afternoon tea, and was homesick for a good cup of tea.”
Gemmill imports the best English teas and shares the wealth of the teatime experience with Carefree residents. With teas imported from Taylor’s of Harrogate in England as well as some teas from this side of the pond, the large selection ranges from full- and medium-bodied black teas to green teas and decaffeinated herbal tisanes—all loose leaf.
And the experience extends beyond beverages to dainty and traditional English cuisine. One selection served up in style is their signature dish, the Duchess of Bedford’s Formal Afternoon Tea: an array of tea sandwiches, scones, and petit fours layered on a tiered cake stand. But if you are looking to delve deeper into England without diving into the Atlantic, the tearoom also offers cottage pie, ploughman’s lunch, and beans on toast.
While tea for two (or more) and birthday celebrations are the most popular in the English Rose Tea Room, there are plenty of other reasons people come to tea.
“We have seen it all, from wedding showers to funeral wakes and baby celebrations,” Gemmill says. “The Tea Room provides the ideal atmosphere for our guests to enjoy themselves in a nostalgic and genteel environment.” Its Victorian feel, elegant furnishings, chandeliers, and English-garden dining patio help create an authentic experience.
And with the English Rose Accents store located next door, people can re-create that environment and host afternoon teas in their own homes. The shop offers lovely teatime accoutrements, both antique and modern: fine bone china, sterling silver, vintage hats, table linens, jewelry, and more. And, of course, loose-leaf teas in many varieties.
A quaint and sophisticated spot of culture, the English Rose Tea Room is also now open year round. Spot of tea, anyone?
For additional information, visit carefreetea.com or call (480) 488-4812. Reservations are strongly suggested.