Crest Hill Tea Room, The Plains, VA

A journey south took us to Crest Hill Tea Room in The Plains, VA to connect with an old family friend for afternoon tea. This tearoom is nestled in a little community surrounded by golf courses and horse country. An easy jaunt down route 15, we admired the beautiful countryside and realized we were on the outskirts of the DC area without having to navigate the traffic!

Originally a small tearoom within an antique store, the new owners have turned it into a full-time tearoom, open seven days a week offering afternoon tea, specialty drinks, unique themed events, or simply a stop to grab a quick lunch with sandwiches or salads as an option. There menu is extensive, including a wine and cocktails list.

Billed as a Victorian tearoom, we spotted the queen tucked in the corner and admired the clever and whimsical display with a British flag, frames, and decor on the far wall. Upon arrival, we were seated quickly and began the decision of selecting our teas.

In the center of the table, there was a tray with individually labeled jars showcasing the variety of tea flavors offered. Opening the jars and sniffing the different teas helped to decide which flavor to choose. We each selected a different tea from their extensive collection.

We chose the Afternoon Tea menu which included the option of having soup or salad. The salad was seasonal and tasty with green apple, feta cheese, and a flavorful vinaigrette. The soup was a hearty vegetarian chili. Both options were well received and enjoyed. It was observed that the chili had a little zip to it.

Teatime is extra special when enjoyed with family and close family friends.

The tiered tray always brings a bit of excitement when it is brought to the table. An assortment of sandwiches on the bottom included a classic cucumber sandwich, pimento cheese, chicken salad on a mini roll along with two others. When ordering the afternoon tea, there are different scone flavors to select. Among our group we opted for the Cinnamon chip, Butterscotch, and Plain served with a Devon cream.

The two sandwich plates are slightly different as one of us ordered the High (Afternoon) Tea and the other ordered the seasonal menu. There were slight variations in the sandwiches, and scone flavor options.

Fresh fruit and a variety of cookies, tea bread, and s pumpkin muffin rounded out the fall harvest menu. They are currently promoting their All Hallows Tea and their upcoming Christmas teas. Be sure to check out their Facebook page.

 

The Tea Trolley at Sweet Remembrances

Introducing The Tea Trolley at Sweet Remembrances. We are excited to begin this new journey for the tearoom. The Tea Trolley is located in Delta, PA, near the MD border. However, we welcomed Jordan and her talented crew to create the Tea Trolley experience in Mechanicsburg. The inaugural event was this past Friday, and from the enthusiastic response we received from attendees, it looks like we have found a match. 'Everything was delicious' was a frequent comment.

Once guests were seated and selected their tea, a seasonal green salad dressed with a pear vinaigrette and topped with fresh pear matchsticks, Chevre crumbles, and a streusel topping was served.

Jordan presented the three-tiered tray and the selection of scone toppings to each table. A variety of sandwiches filled the bottom tier, warm vanilla scones with Devonshire cream, lemon curd, and homemade apple butter were placed on the middle tier, and a lovely assortment of desserts completed the top tier. 'We really enjoyed it.'

The sandwich variety included a chicken salad with craisins, green apple, and walnuts on pumpernickel bread. The triangular sandwich on butter bread was a spinach artichoke filling, and the petite square held sliced ham and cheddar cheese with apple butter on white bread, and the crisp phyllo cup held melted brie and apple butter. The sandwiches were all fresh and tasty. 'Our whole table of six voted to come back again.'

The dessert trio included a miniature peach cobbler with a delicate glaze, a snickerdoodle cookie with cream cheese frosting and a caramel drizzle, and a mocha chocolate petit fours. The desserts were as tasty as they look. 'Thank you, ladies, for such a wonderful event!!! It was perfect from beginning to end!'

Here's the kitchen crew in between seatings. 'We had a great time and were so happy to see familiar faces!'

There is an 11 am - 1 pm seating, followed by a 2 pm - 4 pm seating. Events will be posted on The Rosemary House Special Events page with a link to make your prepaid reservation. The Tea Trolley can accommodate special dietary needs as long as they are notified in advance.

 The next available teatime is Saturday, Nov. 28th with availability at 2 pm. And there is also availability on Saturday, Jan. 2nd at 2 pm. The tearoom will be decorated for Christmas for these special teas. Watch for additional teatimes to be announced on the Special Events page.