Friday, August 5, 2011

"De'Tours" in Elizabeth City, NC

Our third (!) tea room visit during our recent vacation, also discovered via TeaMap, was a trip to "De'Tours" in Elizabeth City and the beautifully restored home of Bonnie Calliotte. In addition to a lovely afternoon tea using her grandmother's 1863 hand painted china, we enjoyed a history of her home and the assorted accoutrement's and historical items in the home followed by a walking tour of the city, homes and churches in the surrounding area. Bonnie loves to cook, she loves history, and she obviously enjoys sharing both aspects when she welcomes her guests to her home.
The table was beautiful, set with a fun variety of tea cups and assorted little dishes.  It was quite a welcoming sight.
Tucked inside each tea cup was a Harney & Sons flavored tea sachet.  Bonnie chatted about her collections as she poured hot water from a silver tea pot.  She shared a delicious pink fruit punch for the younger ones in attendance.

Mother & Daughter Smiles
A gathering of twelve family members from NY-PA-NC-CA graced this tea party.  Sisters, cousins, siblings, and in-laws enjoyed this flavorful contrast to our regular vacation fare.   Ham & brie on a baguette with raspberry sauce, Goat cheese with basil and fig jam on toasted raisin bread,  and Pimento cheese were just a few of the savories.  Scones, of course.  And chocolate dipped strawberries and lemon cake finished the menu.

After tea, we journeyed outside for a personalized walking tour of Elizabeth City.  It was a delightful addition, with our CA cousins particularly enjoying the history of the east coast.

Thank you Bonnie.  We appreciated your gracious Southern hospitality and enjoyed your enthusiasm for your community.

2 comments:

Linda Jennings said...

Nancy, I love the photo of you sitting on the porch of this southern home/tea room. What fun adventures you all have while traveling!

Marilyn Miller said...

The front porch reminded me of one of the tearooms we visited when I went on one of your tours. How fun to eat off all those beautiful dishes and then have a walking tour too.