putting the knit in shizknitz

My first year at UCLA, one of my 3 roommates was an exchange student from the University of Birmingham who grew up in London. The first thing I remember about her was telling me that she was going “outside to have a fag” (a cigarette). The first thing I remember her puchasing was an electric water pot. Her obsession with tea was perplexing to me at the time, as this was before my devirginization by Starbucks and other caffeinated corners. Throughout my year with her, I would experience fine English Breakfast tea as well as stories of crumpets and whatnots. My friend N had told me about a British Teahouse awhile back during our typical food talks but I had never ventured out to one before. But finally, FINALLY, I have experienced what she described, and more! The boyfriend took me for my surprise Valentines lunch, to the Tudor House in Santa Monica.

First of course, I had to check out the aisles of british goodies, many of them were typically american goods with different outside packaging. But the cutest part was the tearoom - a small room with cozy tables decorated with fresh tulips and a small container of milk - and had it not be for the elaborately loudly talking girls next to us (because the guy she had danced with last night isn’t someone she would marry, but someone she would date, and someone she would at least dance with) I would have described it to be comfortably private.

They had an extensive menu of things that I vaguely recognized but had never tasted, and of course wanted to taste everything. I ended up getting the Tudor House Afternoon Tea course which consisted of a choice of Tea (I had the house Tea) with a platter that had: a salad, veggie quiche, 2 quarter pieces of salmon and cucumber sandwich, and this biscuit with something that looked like raisins inside (is this a crumpet?) with a side of butter and raspberry jam. For dessert you had a choice, I got the almond tart (a little too sweet) and the boyfriend a gingerbread man (which reminded me of a time a roommate and I had made anatomically correct gingerbread people….). This biscuit/crumpet thing was absolutely amazing - as a carb freak I could have skipped the rest of the plate and just had four servings of that!

Though the rest of the day was a tad bit more stressful (parents visiting), I kept with this British tradition and the wise words of my old roommate - “keep your pecker up”! Overall, a wonderful trip to tea. Next time, I will get the glass platter with various sandwiches and foods, nothing better than a large assortment!