Afternoon Tea in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Our "female foursome" left Michigan last Tuesday morning [Sept. 9th] bound for Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where we had reservations for Afternoon Tea at Sweet Remembrances Tea Room at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

I had the privilege of having tea at Sweet Remembrances in 2005 when owner, Nancy Reppert, hosted the first annual seminar for the Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association, which she helped organize.  We reconnected again on a London, England tea tour in 2007, and again in March of this year on a Kentucky tea tour.  Mechanicsburg was on the way to Wilmington, Delaware, so stopping there for tea was a must on our itinerary.  It was the perfect beginning to a wonderful trip!

The tea room, which opened in 1990, is located in a post Civil War red brick row house on Market Street in historic downtown Mechanicsburg. Nancy's sister, Susanna, owns and operates the Rosemary House, a herb and spice specialty shop located next door which their mother, Bertha Reppert, established in 1968.

[Me]

We arrived a few minutes early, so we walked around back to see the garden.  Below is an arbor that Nancy adorns with chipped teapots and teacups that can no longer be used in the tea room.

The cute maid below was near the garden.



 Nancy, the owner of Sweet Remembrances, pictured below.

A table set for four awaited us.

~ Our foursome ~

[L-R:  Linda, Me, Barbara, and Lori]

~ The tea menu ~

I chose Peaches and Ginger to begin with, and later switched to Rosemary's Chai, one of their house blends.  Each of our teapots had a cozy to keep the tea warm.

~ Our tea began with a lovely Mandarin Orange Salad ~

Followed by a three-tiered server, laden with fabulous tea food!

We began with warm from the oven scones - a traditional cream scone, and a lemon pecan scone, served with jam and mock Devonshire cream.  They were the lightest scones I have ever eaten!

The savories consisted of Ham Salad on White Bread rounds; Basil Pesto Chicken Salad triangles; Cucumber, Radish, and fresh Chives on Pumpernickel rounds spread with Goat Cheese; and Pistachio Mascarpone Croistini.  [This recipe was recently provided on Nancy's blog, Rosemary's Sampler.]

Last, but definitely not least, were the desserts - A Fairy Cake, a creamy Chocolate covered Peanut Butter candy, and a Lemon Verbena tart triangle.  All were absolutely delicious!

It was a busy day at the tea room, and by the time we left, every table was in use.

Nancy had several tea-themed vignettes displayed throughout the tea room, and I photographed a few.

The tea set on top of the blue cabinet [pictured below] was Nancy's childhood tea set.

Interior of the Tea Room before patrons arrived.

When we finished eating we "waddled" next door to Susanna's herb shop.

~ Susanna behind the counter ~

Below L-R:  Nancy, Me and Susanna

What did I purchase?  A Sweet Remembrances Cookbook

And two Amy Lawrence Cookbooks.

There was an antique store, Veroniques, next to the herb shop, so we couldn't leave town without going there.  

[Internet Photo]

I was happy to find a 1967 Gone With the Wind booklet. The front and back cover are pictured below.  

Then we were off to Wilmington, Delaware.

*  *  *

Today I'm joining Antiques and Teacups for Tuesday Cuppa Tea
and Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday

Visiting Sweet Remembrances Tea Room

In June 2005 when the Mid-Atlantic Tea Business Association held their first annual seminar, it was conducted at Sweet Remembrances Tea Room in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Nancy Reppert, owner of the tea room and one of the founding members of the association, posted an invitation to a tea-themed E-group  for anyone who had an interest in starting or advancing a tea business to attend.

Always searching for my niche in the tea world,  I thought maybe organizing a tea association in my area might be a possibility.   My hubby and I traveled to Pennsylvania to attend.  He didn't attend the seminar sessions, but he did attend the Afternoon Tea that Nancy hosted.

While reading Nancy's blog, The Rosemary House, on April 7th, I decided to share photos and highlights from  my wonderful visit.   If you are going to be anywhere near Sweet Remembrances Tea Room, I highly recommend making a reservation for Afternoon Tea.

Sweet Remembrances is located in a beautifully restored post Civil War era red brick row house near the historic downtown area. 

Front View

Bruce Richardson, tea educator, author, speaker, and owner of Elmwood Inn Fine Teas and Benjamin Press, was the guest speaker, and his program topics over the two days were:  "From Bush to Cup: How Tea Gets to You" and  "What's Hot in Tea."   He oversaw a professional tea cupping as well.

His lovely wife, Shelley, accompanied him.  In the photo below is Nancy Reppert, Tea Room Owner, Shelley Richardson, and me.

The lovely Afternoon Tea menu that Nancy prepared for us was as follows:
1st course - Chilled strawberry peach soup.
Savories - Chicken salad in cheese puffs, rolled asparagus sandwiches, Parmesan cheese herbed spirals, edible flowers with Boursin cheese, and sweet and savory strawberry cheese sandwiches. 
Scones - Kensington Palace scones and orange currant buttermilk scones with mock clotted cream and jelly.
Desserts - Lemon tartlets, shortbread teapots, tuxedo strawberries, and chocolate raspberry truffle brownies.

I love the way Nancy "re-purposed" a cake stand for serving her savories.

and

It was a privilege for my hubby and I to be seated at the same table with Bruce & Shelley.  They are a wonderful couple.