Since Downton Abbey is a staple Sunday night show in my family (even my dad enjoys it, although he pretends not to), we needed to find away to celebrate the third season's premiere. Crest Hill Antiques and Tearoom provided the opportunity that we needed with their "Downton Abbey Tea". My mom and I decided that we would invite some friends that are fellow Downton lovers. This was my second visit to the tearoom so I hopeful it would be as great as the first!
Since this was a specialty tea, there was a Downton Abbey inspired menu. All of the recipes came from The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook. We were given the choice of soup or salad for our starter. I decided to go with the soup and found myself wishing I could have another bowl. For the sandwich course, we were served four different types of sandwiches. My favorites were Lady Mary's Crab Canapés and Grand Gougere with Cheese and Sweet Pimento. They were both extremely rich and utterly delicious. For desert, the choice was easy. We were given the option of Mrs. Patmore's Madeira Pound Cake or Tweeny's Tipsy Cake, a chocolate espressos treat. I went with the pound cake since I am not a fan of espresso. The cake was warm and heavenly.
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| Creamy Butternut Squash Soup |
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| Spinach Salad, with Pears, Cranberries, Walnuts, Crumbled Feta, and Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing |
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| Lady Mary's Crab Canapés Cousin Isabel's Smoked Salmon Classic Egg Salad Tea Sandwich Grand Gougere with Cheese and Sweet Pimento |
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| Mrs. Patmore's Madeira Pound Cake |
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| Tweeny's Tipsy Cake |
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| The Downton Abbey Tea Selections |
Overall, I was extremely delighted with the event. The tea and food were are extremely delicious, although everything on their menu is. Everyone in our group had a great time at the tea and Mary, the teahouse owner, provides with the perfect setting to celebrate the new season of Downton Abbey. If you are ever near the Washington, DC area, make sure to plan an afternoon at Crest Hill. You will not regret it!.
Jules
