Wednesday 5 January 2011

Lyons-style Tea Houses - And..............

Lyons-Style Tea Houses to take on the Coffee Shops




The first Cadbury Cocoa House
Photo not too clear as I took it with my mobile phone

 



In a world full of Starbucks and Costa etc., it I not so easy to get a cream tea with a good choice of teas on the high streets as coffee shops abound in our towns these days. Most good tea rooms are in the countryside and villages.


I well remember in the days before England was inundated with American coffee shops, most cities had a Lyons Corner House. These were tea shops and the first was opened in Piccadilly in 1894 and the first Corner House in 1909. They went into decline in the 1950’s with the arrival of the less formal coffee shops.

Now a group of entrepreneurs are taking a step back in time to the pre-war days of the Tea House. This time it is the Cadbury Cocoa House and here we see the first one at the Bluewater shopping mall.

The theme has echoes of the stylish Lyons Corner Houses, with their uniformed waitresses serving up finger sandwiches and pastries on a silver stand.

As well as classic British dishes, the restaurants will offer a ‘Ritz-style’ tea for two, including a selection of finger sandwiches such as cucumber, cream cheese and smoked salmon. These come with freshly baked scones together with a selection of pastries and Twinings tea. The outlets will feature furniture and accessories sourced from British craftsmen including chandeliers.




This is  not the Cadburys cocoa House
we opted instead for cup cakes at another outlet this time

And..................................


Grandson Oliver's first day at school
Hard for me to imagine four and a half already

And for the many who asked about the difference between Jams and Preserves
Anything can be preserved, it does not have to be Jam
As far as Jam is concerned there are two kinds
Jam has water added
and then there are Conserves which are just fruit and sugar
no water

11 comments:

Vee said...

Handsome Oliver! Yes, what is this new shift to get children off to school? My own grands are also in school at four and three (nearly five and four). This represents some sort of shift.

Oh that tea house looks wonderful. I've never enjoyed a proper tea out. Probably never enjoyed a "proper" tea in either for that matter. :D

Thank you for further education on the differences in jams, jellies, preserves, and conserves.

Elizabeth said...

Tea shops sound great!
Now my great favorite was FULLERS where you could get toasted tea cakes
with butter.
They also did a particular walnut cake that was very good.
When did they all close down?
Happy New Year.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I love my coffee but I couldn't do with out my tea either. I'm sure it's a good thing I don't visit those tea houses as everything that goes with the tea does sound divine. Now the names Cadbury and Twinning are very familiar ones here. Cadbury for its chocolate of course and then Twinning Teas. They are the best. A delicious combination!

Deanna said...

Barb, Your little man is sure handsome! They do grow up so quickly.

Tea in the country would be wonderfully peaceful. Wish I could experience such an occasion.

God bless,
d

Needled Mom said...

I just want to give that little Oliver a big hug!!! How cute he is!!!!

It is nice to see that they are starting to bring back some of the tea houses. Those sweets look divine and there is nothing quite like high tea.

a woman who is said...

Oh my Barbara how our babies are growing up. What a handsome little man he is becoming. Always was a cutie pie. I love his great big smile.

So happy to hear you Brits are embracing your Brittishness. I must admit London shocked me when most of what I saw in the shopping district was American stores.(that was 10 years ago) I think it was Regents St. On the other hand Bond St. was so international. I preferred the real British shops like Harrods.

Sorry, I had no idea our coffee shops had invaded your country so. Living here in the P.N.W. where the whole coffee thing blew up with Starbucks, I tend to think it is mostly regional. Then there is Portland, they are the real coffee snobs and wouldn't dare touch a Starbuck bean. For them it is pure Stumptown or little roast it your self mom and pop shops. I must admit this time of the year I love a coffee shop, but the other 9 months of the year I prefer tea shops which we have very few of. I do not count having to drink my tea in a paper cup thank you very much. Okay I am rambling and ranting...lol

Annie Jeffries said...

I look forward to the Cadbury cream eggs every Easter season. The kids, even now all grown up, have to have them. We have Twinning tea in the cupboard and when I have had enough coffee and my poor stomach rebels, tea with cream always settles things down. Of course, then I think I should always choose tea with cream. Alas, coffee always wins the day.

Betty said...

Barbara,
I can't believe how much Oliver has grown! Seems just a short time ago you were knitting a hat and mittens for a little fellow...

Wishing you and yours a blessed 2011...

Love and Prayers,
Betty

theresa said...

What a handsome young man and I love the smile!! I have 2 granddaughters and they are my jewels. Love love being a grandma!

Aqeela said...

I love tea shops but find that in Leicester they are too quaint now that i have a pushchair and a toddler. But i much prefer them to coffee shops. I have a pot of tea every time i go into town, and always go to John Lewis for it. Infact, ive never been in a starbucks, costa etc as ive always prefered the little tea shops tucked down side streets (until i had zakareeya) and now J.L just feels so posh but also homely so ive stuck with it.
Aqeela xx

Terri said...

Tea houses, I can't wait for them to come to the U.S.! So charming... we could do with some of that!
<3 You,
Terri