Pamela's Victorian Bell Mansion Afternoon Tea

A girl's excursion took us (Susanna and Nancy) north to Bellwood, PA via State College to pick up two college seniors (Angelica and Sara) for an early Valentine's Day tea party at Pamela's Victorian Bell Mansion. We have wanted to visit this tea room ever since Angelica started college, Pamela announced this may be her last month serving tea so we quickly made reservations. We were all thrilled to see that we had a Sunday free on a day she was serving.

The table was adorned to the max, festively set with matching Royal Albert china and coordinating cloth placemats. A delicate pedestaled cup of Raspberry Sorbet was waiting for our arrival and provided a refreshing start to our culinary adventure. A pot of Pamela's Personali-Tea was already on the table. A flavorful black tea with bold spicy notes was warming on this chilly Sunday afternoon.

The first course included a Strawberry Salad topped with your choice of feta cheese or cheddar. Tomatoes, strawberries, almonds, and fresh feta mixed with an assortment of spring greens provided a lovely start to our afternoon tea service.

Pamela presented each course with a flourish and a description of what in included. Here she is sharing the tiered tray of Afternoon Tea Sandwiches. Our pot of Pamela's Personali-Tea was empty so we ordered a pot of Raspberry Chocolate Tea. The other flavor option was Strawberry Chocolate which we enjoyed after our desserts arrived.

 On the top tier, there were cucumber squares and chicken salad in mini croissants, along with a ham sandwich with Dijon mustard. The bottom tier held a cranberry cream spread on cinnamon bread, and a walnut and cream cheese on a cinnamon swirl sweet bread. They were all very tasty.

The final presentation was served atop a pedestaled cake plate and that held the scones and Valentine sweets. Two large footed dishes graced the table with Pamela's sweet cream and strawberry preserves. The scones included a choice of English cream or chocolate chip. The sweets featured a crisp Italian cookie with a delicate anise flavor, and a chocolate truffle. 

There was a lot to look at around the tea room. Pianos, teapots, Victorian frou frou, and lovely decorations set the scene. The 1822 historic house is decorated from top to bottom. Here are just a few of the nooks and corners. Pamela told us that the house was just sold, so I'm not sure what that means for the tea room. She has been serving tea here for 20 years. We are so glad that we got to experience this beautiful destination.