In the couple of months before my holiday trip home, mom kept talking about a tea shop she heard about on the small main street on the way to the bank. The bank that the tellers used to give us lollipops with my parents' paycheck deposits in the tube shootie-uppie vacuum thingie. (Is there a real name for that?) I was able to take her when I was home last month. (Really, when do I ever say no when food is involved.) Tea with Tracy, in Seymour, CT.
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| A shot down main street around noon. |
The varieties of teas available is like nothing else I've ever seen. Dozens. Caf, decaf and cocoas. How can one decide? (Pressure from your mother, that's how.)
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| Unparalleled options. |
The menu was on the table with a little holiday decor. Tea for whatever number in your party included, for each patron, your choice of scone, sandwich and dessert.
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| Evergreens and sparkles always say holidays. |
The owners worked there with their daughters and all came to greet us throughout the time we spent there. Everyone was so friendly in this family affair. In that light, I too was there with some of my family - mom and my cousin. We all ordered different teas as expected. You get your very own little teapot of brew for yourself. As we waited for our tea, I looked around.
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| View back toward the kitchen and the shelves that hold all the teapots and cups. |
They had about six cloth covered tables that fit 3-4 people each, but can be put together in arrangements to fit larger parties. Which is what happened shortly after we arrived, so I'm glad we got a table when we did. The whole place was full soon enough. And after devouring the food, I could see why.
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| Nice windows with sunlight. Christmas tree! |
At the entrance, they have shelves stocked with imported, top quality English teas and cocoas for purchase. How great to know that the tea you had there is likely available to take home with you! I've never seen a bigger, better selection at any other tea shop I've ever been to.
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| Almost impossible to choose less than three. This was only one well-stocked case. They had more in another cabinet and on a shelf. |
In just a wee bit of time passing, our hot teapots were set before us with the instructions that they needed to steep for another few minutes to be of optimum perfection. Good tea brewing is no careless task. I think that's why so many Americans don't love tea. They make low quality tea way too weak and flat. It's meant to be deep and smooth, which you can only get out of higher quality teas.
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| Mismatched cups and pots. Love it! Adds to the "tea at a friend's house" cozy ambiance. |
You should take your time when you are enjoying afternoon tea, yet it wasn't but a quick spell of chatting later that out came our three-tiered dispenser of treats. Both savory and sweet.
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| Look at my gorgeous pumpkin tea in its cup. |
The top plate had scones and clotted cream. Mom got cranberry orange and my cousin and I chose chocolate chip. They told us these were Australian style scones because that's the kind the owner's mother used to make. They are a little more like an Irish soda bread and flatter than what I've experienced as English scones. Bumpy and chewy.
The middle plate had sandwiches on our choice of white or wheat. Egg salad, chicken salad and cranberry brie were our choices. These sandwiches were delish. Fresh bread, cold ingredients. No crusts! Such pampering. I felt like the Queen. (For an hour.)
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| Could you ask for more? Sure, some dessert! |
The bottom plate held all the desserts. It was so difficult to decide on the sweets, but we finally went with the things everyone could share - apple torte, banana bread and this absolutely over the top, incredible, wish I had some right now, Swedish white brownie made with almonds. It was a crusty, chewy, light, amaretto-flavored dream. (Secret family recipe.)
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| Swedish almond brownie on the right. |
They also had some cupcakes and cookies made with flavors of the season that they change up every few months. For a small place, they really offered variety and quality befitting of a much larger restaurant.
I'm glad to see more small businesses open and rejuvenate main streets of small towns. I'll be going back to support them and see what delicious things they come up with next! If you're going to the bank in Seymour, you should definitely stop in and have some tea and that amazing almond cake.
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