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In The Portrait of a Lady, Henry James wrote, "Few hours in life are more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony of afternoon tea." Now Huntsvillians can enjoy the British ritual five days a week. The Best of British is now open for tea Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Alice Walker wrote in The Color Purple, "'Tea' to the English is really a picnic indoors"-- maybe that's why we love them so much! Whether you are one of the more than 150 British families living in Huntsville, a Baby Boomer reminiscing the Beatle years, or a true Southerner just wanting to slow down and enjoy a relaxing experience, The Best of British is a place for you to check out.
The tea room menu offers Tea and English Biscuits (cookies), Tea and Scones with choice of jam, Cream Tea (scone, choice of jam and double Devon cream), Tea and English Cakes (a pastry filled with a layer of fruit filling and a natural almond favored cake, topped with Fondant Icing and a half cherry), or Tea and Hot Pie (choice of Steak & Kidney, Steak & Mushroom, Beef & Onion, Pasty or Sausage roll). Prices range from $2.25 to $5.50. The manager, Martyn Douglas, vows that no iced tea will be served! But he does admit that you are welcome to bring your own, if you simply must have it cold.
There are a variety of teas, served with or without milk, on the menu. PG Tips is an Indian blend and the best selling British brand. You can also select Darjeeling, a loose left black tea, a champagne among teas with a delicate and delicious muscatel flavor. Kenya Breakfast tea is a black tea with a strong, pleasant taste and bright liquor color. Earl Grey tea is a China black tea with bergamot oil and is best served black or with very little milk. Taylor's of Harrogate is a Yorkshire Gold bags or loose leaf Indian blend. Citrus Grove is a green tea with lemon peel and lemon grass. Emerald Green is a loose leaf first flush Vietnamese green tea. Jasmine Flowers is green tea with the delicate aroma of scented Jasmine flowers. You might want to try the Tisanes (fruit infusions) that are100% natural and caffeine free and tannin free. Choices include Peach & Apple, Apple & Lemon, Apple Viennese, Passionfruit & Orange, Strawberry & Kiwi, and Berry Fruit Cocktail. When ordering, please inform the server if you prefer weak, medium or strong tea.
Martyn is dedicated to making your experience a true "English" experience. When having your tea, he encourages you to ask him questions. He is happy to explain how tea is made, tea etiquette, the history of tea, and how to serve tea. The shop is also filled with a variety of tea cups and teapots, available for purchase. Classes given by Martyn, a true Brit, are offered to organizations for small groups to come in and have a "lesson" on "Taking Tea."
Once a month, the ladies of the Holy Trinity Anglican Church serve "High Tea" in the Best of British tea room. The day I was there, my friend and I enjoyed our choice of tea (she ordered Earl Grey and I got PG Tips, each served in individual 2-cup pots), fruited and plain scones, chocolate covered cherries, tea sandwiches--cucumber, tuna salad, egg salad--plus chicken salad in a pasty shell, lemon cookies, and a delightful cream puff with chocolate topping and a vanilla filling. Reservations are taken for different sittings for the tea, from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm. Be sure to call the shop at 256- 534-2378 to find out when the next "High Tea" is scheduled.
The Best of British store and tea room, located at 2121 E Whitesburg Drive Whitesburg Drive in Huntsville, stocks Sweets & Chocolates, Biscuits & Cookies, Desserts & Cake Mixes, Jams & Marmalades, Soups, Soft Drinks, Tea & Hot Drinks, Gifts & Collectibles, Condiments, Cereals, Dairy Products, Fish Products, and Frozen Foods.
This English tea room is an excellent environment to escape the daily hassles of Huntsville and indulge your senses with a lingering cup of tea and some delightful conversation.
Related Topics
The Best of British
A small shop specializing in English, Scottish, and Irish foodstuffs
and gifts with online shopping available. They also feature a British style tea
room.
