It’s an average day on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, and crowds are munching on popcorn, pizza, ice cream, and taffy. But customers are going rogue in Victoria’s Restaurant, which fronts the boards.
For 20 years, those in the know have come to Victoria’s for scones, cream puffs, egg salad sandwiches, and salmon on cucumber rounds—and a steaming cup of tea. The hotel establishment’s afternoon tea is a year-round tradition on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Admittedly, the very British tradition makes sense for a restaurant named after a queen, notes Jennifer Zerby, whose family owns the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel, where Victoria’s is housed. “My mother-in-law, who never does anything small, and I went to New York to take tea classes at Harney & Sons for a weekend,” Zerby says.
Victoria’s is serious about its tea menu. One dedicated chef oversees the creation of petit fours, sugared grapes, ham-and-brie sandwiches, and the other goodies destined for the trays.
The restaurant is not the only source of afternoon tea. Elizabeth Parker and her daughter, Annie Forrest, own Wee Fancy Tea in the Glasgow area. Parker’s grandparents were from England, and she grew up having tea. “It was always our thing,” Parker says. Mother and daughter kept their eyes on the former British Bell in Peoples Plaza, hoping someone would reopen it. When that didn’t happen, they decided to brew up a business.
Centreville Place also features tea, and if you want to host your own tea party, Co-Kema Parker of Concepts by CoKo is happy to oblige. She and her team bring everything from the tea to the china—they offer 64 patterns—to homes, churches, and other venues. They’ll also lead tea etiquette classes.
A sip of history
In Asia, tea has been the beverage of choice for thousands of years, and if you want to try some varieties without Britain’s pomp and circumstances, visit the Mercury Café & Teahouse, which has custom blends. (The food menu is vegan and vegetarian.) 206 Delaware St., New Castle.
So, how did tea become associated with the Brits? Dutch and Portuguese trading companies brought the fragrant leaves to Europe in the 1600s. In England, Charles II married Catherine de Braganza, a Portuguese princess with a penchant for tea.
Afternoon tea did not become popular until the mid-1800s. Bluebloods did not eat dinner until 8 p.m., and a 4 p.m. cup of tea with bread and butter curbed their appetite. The menu grew more elaborate, and by the turn of the century, tea was a social affair. Women dressed up to sip tea and nibble small sandwiches in the drawing rooms of friends—or rivals. Low tea began around 4 or 4:30 p.m. Conversely, the middle and working classes enjoyed high or “meat” tea, a heartier meal, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tea parties weren’t limited to the British upper crust. In the 1800s, before Emancipation, enslaved people and freed slaves held tea parties in churches, schools, and homes to talk about social and political matters. In the 1920s and 1930s, African American-owned tea rooms were plentiful.
Consider the Jack and Jill Tea Room in Harlem, New York. As a child, Co-Kema Parker helped set up church teas. She ironed the linens, polished the silverware, hand-washed the glassware, and set the table with the ladies’ prized china. “The beautiful patterns ignited my passion for creating beautiful tablescapes,” says Parker, who often played the piano and sang at the events. “It was such a pleasure to watch it unfold and see all the ladies in their most beautiful tea-length dresses, hats, gloves, and handbags.”
Organizations such as Jack and Jill Inc. and the Girl Scouts held classes in tea etiquette. Children learned about the correct water temperature and steeping times. Parker didn’t stop there; she received a certification in tea blending from the International Tea Masters Association.
Where to go
Parker’s mobile tea parties hold monthly events at various area venues and caters private parties.
Wee Fancy Tea’s afternoon tea includes four tea sandwiches, hot tea, homemade scones—which change with the season—and desserts. The tearoom also has hearty lunch fare, including homemade cream of chicken and rice and Old Country beef barley, a family recipe. The Hamilton, a roast-beef sandwich with Cooper sharp cheese and apricot jam, is named for Elizabeth Parker’s grandfather. She is particularly proud of her chicken salad on raisin-cinnamon bread. Wee Fancy is a frequent location for birthday parties and bridal showers. 890 Peoples Plaza, Newark; 884-7144.
Centreville Place Café & Market hosts a four-course afternoon tea Tuesday through Saturday, but you must make a reservation two days in advance since menu items are made to order. Selections include sandwiches, desserts, and scones with lemon curd, clotted cream, and French jam. 5800 Kennett Pike, Centreville; 425-5808.
Victoria’s Restaurant offers tea only by reservation from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. The menu changes but is a mix of savory and sweet selections. There’s also a children’s tea menu with peanut butter and jelly and turkey sandwiches. Reserve 24 hours in advance. 2 Olive Ave. and the Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach; 227-0615.
No matter where you go, present like a pro by following proper tea etiquette. The cup’s handle should face an imaginary 3 on the clock. Pinch the handle with your index finger and thumb, using your middle finger as an anchor and curl your ring finger and pinky toward the cup’s lower section. Contrary to popular belief, a wayward pinkie is not classy. “It’s frowned upon,” Co-Kema Parker asserts. But if your cup lacks handles, you can make an exception to the rule.
For restaurant listings, click here.
