Tea Time
Last spring, my daughter’s first piano recital was hosted at a small but charming 1940s home in Coral Gables. The house was so stuffed with antiques that you had to walk very slowly through each room, being careful not to bang into anything. (My middle name is not Grace, and I have a habit of tripping over things that are in plain sight.) I didn’t want to embarrass my daughter, or demolish a family heirloom before the young pianists got a chance to play.
The lady of the house – whose two daughters were also performing in the recital – had laid out a beautiful, lace-covered table full of desserts and dainty sandwiches on silver trays, along with two large crystal pitchers of iced tea. I was offered a glass of delicious mango-flavored iced tea, and immediately asked the hostess where it came from. She told me that a new tea shop had opened up a few blocks north of Miracle Mile. My heart skipped a beat. Tea rooms are as rare as hen’s teeth in South Florida.
“Please tell me exactly where it is,” I asked her with some urgency. (I had been waiting forever for a decent tea emporium to open up somewhere within driving distance of my house.)
“Okay, you go a couple blocks north of Miracle Mile, and make a right on Madeira. The shop is called Théine and it’s set back a bit from the street, so be sure to look closely.”
“I’ll find it,” I said, nearly ready to run out on my daughter’s piano recital. Of course, I stayed. And when I finally found Théine a few days later, I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a charming European-style tea room, not too fussy or frilly, with an excellent selection of teas from around the world. Antique oak cabinets, small tables and simple wooden chairs set a soothing tone, and there’s a collection of vintage tea sets from Russia, Japan and elsewhere scattered about the room.
Herbal, white, green, black or oolong – you’ll find your favorite tea here, or discover a new one that catches your fancy. Owner Kyra White is a French-trained chef and scholar of tea culture, and very willing to help you find a tea you like. She hosts regular tastings and classes, and serves a tasty menu of homemade soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. It’s a perfect place to celebrate a special occasion with a few friends.
You can buy small, foil-lined sampler bags of tea, or bring in your own tea canisters (like I do) and fill them to the brim with your favorite leaf. My daughter discovered Red Bush (or Rooibos) tea, an herbal tea that’s a popular drink in South Africa. Its bright berry color and fruity taste make her smile every time I brew it for her.
A couple of Miami’s fancier hotels offer regular afternoon tea, and Cauley Square Historic Village in Homestead is noted for its old-fashioned Tea Room, which has down-home cooking and a very cozy atmosphere. It’s a perfect spot to rest before browsing through the quaint shops of this historic corner of South Florida. (Several of the cottages which now house boutiques were built by South Dade pioneers at the turn of the century.)
The enchantingly beautiful Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden also offers afternoon tea several times a year. If you go before the end of May, you can see the Chihuly glass exhibit, which is one of the most spectacular sights to grace Miami in decades.
So if you’ve been craving some time to sit down and relax with friends – and without cellphones – what better way to do it than with an afternoon tea break? It's a time honored tradition that may just take root here.
AFTERNOON TEA IN MIAMI:
The Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305/445-1926
http://www.biltmorehotel.com
Afternoon Tea reservations are available for Monday thru Friday, for 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. sittings.
Cauley Square Tea Room Restaurant
12310 SW 224th St.,
Miami, FL
305/258-0044
www.cauleysquareshops.com
Hours: Open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fairchild Tropical Garden
10901 Old Cutler Rd.,
Coral Gables, FL 33156
305/667-1651, ext. 3391
www.fairchildgarden.org
The next Afternoon Tea is scheduled for Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
Reservation requested.
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
1435 Brickell Ave.,
Miami, FL 33131
305/358-3535
www.fourseasons.com/miami/
Afternoon tea is served Wednesdays through Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the 14-Thirty-Five lounge and lobby. Call for reservations.
The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove
3300 SW 27th Ave.,
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305/644-4680
www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/coconut_grove/
Afternoon tea reservations must be made 24 hours in advance.
Théine
119 Madeira Ave.,
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305/774-0228
www.theineteasalon.com
Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The lady of the house – whose two daughters were also performing in the recital – had laid out a beautiful, lace-covered table full of desserts and dainty sandwiches on silver trays, along with two large crystal pitchers of iced tea. I was offered a glass of delicious mango-flavored iced tea, and immediately asked the hostess where it came from. She told me that a new tea shop had opened up a few blocks north of Miracle Mile. My heart skipped a beat. Tea rooms are as rare as hen’s teeth in South Florida.
“Please tell me exactly where it is,” I asked her with some urgency. (I had been waiting forever for a decent tea emporium to open up somewhere within driving distance of my house.)
“Okay, you go a couple blocks north of Miracle Mile, and make a right on Madeira. The shop is called Théine and it’s set back a bit from the street, so be sure to look closely.”
“I’ll find it,” I said, nearly ready to run out on my daughter’s piano recital. Of course, I stayed. And when I finally found Théine a few days later, I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a charming European-style tea room, not too fussy or frilly, with an excellent selection of teas from around the world. Antique oak cabinets, small tables and simple wooden chairs set a soothing tone, and there’s a collection of vintage tea sets from Russia, Japan and elsewhere scattered about the room.
Herbal, white, green, black or oolong – you’ll find your favorite tea here, or discover a new one that catches your fancy. Owner Kyra White is a French-trained chef and scholar of tea culture, and very willing to help you find a tea you like. She hosts regular tastings and classes, and serves a tasty menu of homemade soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. It’s a perfect place to celebrate a special occasion with a few friends.
You can buy small, foil-lined sampler bags of tea, or bring in your own tea canisters (like I do) and fill them to the brim with your favorite leaf. My daughter discovered Red Bush (or Rooibos) tea, an herbal tea that’s a popular drink in South Africa. Its bright berry color and fruity taste make her smile every time I brew it for her.
A couple of Miami’s fancier hotels offer regular afternoon tea, and Cauley Square Historic Village in Homestead is noted for its old-fashioned Tea Room, which has down-home cooking and a very cozy atmosphere. It’s a perfect spot to rest before browsing through the quaint shops of this historic corner of South Florida. (Several of the cottages which now house boutiques were built by South Dade pioneers at the turn of the century.)
The enchantingly beautiful Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden also offers afternoon tea several times a year. If you go before the end of May, you can see the Chihuly glass exhibit, which is one of the most spectacular sights to grace Miami in decades.
So if you’ve been craving some time to sit down and relax with friends – and without cellphones – what better way to do it than with an afternoon tea break? It's a time honored tradition that may just take root here.
AFTERNOON TEA IN MIAMI:
The Biltmore Hotel
1200 Anastasia Ave.
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305/445-1926
http://www.biltmorehotel.com
Afternoon Tea reservations are available for Monday thru Friday, for 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. sittings.
Cauley Square Tea Room Restaurant
12310 SW 224th St.,
Miami, FL
305/258-0044
www.cauleysquareshops.com
Hours: Open daily 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Fairchild Tropical Garden
10901 Old Cutler Rd.,
Coral Gables, FL 33156
305/667-1651, ext. 3391
www.fairchildgarden.org
The next Afternoon Tea is scheduled for Wednesday, May 10, 2006 at 3:00 p.m.
Reservation requested.
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
1435 Brickell Ave.,
Miami, FL 33131
305/358-3535
www.fourseasons.com/miami/
Afternoon tea is served Wednesdays through Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the 14-Thirty-Five lounge and lobby. Call for reservations.
The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove
3300 SW 27th Ave.,
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
305/644-4680
www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/coconut_grove/
Afternoon tea reservations must be made 24 hours in advance.
Théine
119 Madeira Ave.,
Coral Gables, FL 33134
305/774-0228
www.theineteasalon.com
Hours: Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
posted by Carolyn Keating at
7:13 AM
|
1 comments
