Tea Time in Fredericksburg

Jun. 19th 2013

Today, I took a break from the tolls of working on my website (sorry Adam) to have an Afternoon Tea with a dear friend at Pinkadilly Tea House in Fredericksburg. I have been there before and written a blog about it, but the first time we only did lunch. Today it was the whole enchilada… okay the whole pot of tea!

http://www.pinkadillytea.com/

http://www.pinkadillytea.com/

I just love that when you come to the Tea House, your tea cup is always different.

That is one thing I will be doing at our house for our teas!

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We filled our tea cups today with Earl Grey Tea, one of my favorites!

Our first course was soup and Quiche.

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Crab Soup (which is to die for!) and Ham, Asparagus, White Cheddar and Provolone Cheese Quiche!

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Our second course  arrived stacked beautifully before us!

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Our Scones with Lemon Curd and Devonshire Cream were:

Vanilla

Cinnamon Raisin

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Our Tea Sandwiches were:

Feta and Almond Spread on a Toasted Baguette

Spinach and Feta Puff Pastry

Chicken Salad

Cucumber Salad

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Our Desserts were:

Chocolate Truffles

Pindadilly Pieshots

Orange Brownies

Blueberry Cheesecake Cups

Each Course was Heavenly!

If you are ever in Fredericksburg, you must call and get a reservation at this wonderful Tea House!

http://www.pinkadillytea.com/

Also be on the look out for a special announcement coming soon!

If you love Afternoon Tea and you are 8 year old or older

You don’t want to miss this announcement!

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Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Darnell History | 25 Comments »

Tea Anyone?

Feb. 23rd 2013

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Today, I had the chance to go back to Bacon’s Castle in Smithfield, Virginia to attend a wonderful Afternoon Tea with the Regency Society of Virginia. The Regency Society of Virginia is an organization for those who are fascinated by the British Regency and the corresponding American periods. They are a family-friendly, volunteer-run group whose goal is to continually grow in our knowledge of the years 1790-1820. Whether you are a Janeite, an English Country or Regency dancer, a re-enactor, a costume historian or lover of period dramas, The Regency Society of Virginia is a great place to be!

Diannahttp://thesedaysofmine.com/

Dianna
http://thesedaysofmine.com/

I received an invitation from my good friend and fellow blogger Dianna. Dianna has been with us almost from the beginning and has followed and supported us through this journey. She invited me early on to come to Smithfield, just about 45 minutes from our current home is Chesapeake to see her beloved Bacon’s Castle. This 1665 home located just outside of Smithfield is the only brick Jacobean home left in America. You can read more about his beautiful home by going to our “Year of the Virginia Historical Homes” Categories and finding it there.

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We started our event with a wonderful history lesson in tea. Did you know that Afternoon Tea Events we have today is largely based on the Victorian Era? The Afternoon Tea came about after the time of dinner was expended to a later time. Most households would have a breakfast and then dinner. When dinner stated getting later and later, the ladies found that they would need something more than tea to get them to dinner. So Afternoon Teas were born.

In the early days of America, tea was a valuable import. It was so valuable that it would be locked up and the mistress of the house would be the only one holding the key! I guess that shows how serious the Colonist were when the threw the tea in to the Boston Harbor!

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We dined on a wonderful plate of bits that were both beautiful and delicious. For our first course we were treated to two small tea sandwiches of egg salad and cucumber tea sandwiches, a bowl of asparagus soup (served cold), a small salad, lavender scones with strawberry preserves and fruit.

Cucumber Tea Sandwich

Cucumber Tea Sandwich

Egg Salad Tea Sandwich

Egg Salad Tea Sandwich

Lavender Scone

Lavender Scone

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After this plentiful plate, we were served our second course of sweet delights! Sweet muffins of apple and lemon poppy seed, vanilla shortbread and a coconut meringue cookie. With smartly dressed Society Ladies as our tea companions, there was a good time had by all!

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin

Apple Muffin

Apple Muffin

Coconut Meringue

Coconut Meringue

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After our Tea, we enjoyed a tour of this historic home. As my tour companion, Dianna gave us a deeper understanding our this home. Her family once owned it! Her mother was born and raised here! How lucky to have such history in ones family.

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If you would like to see this beautiful home, it will reopen for the Spring and Summer Season in March. Please visit their website at

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http://preservationvirginia.org/visit/historic-properties/bacons-castle

If you would like too learn more about the Regency Society or would like to have these wonderful ladies and gentlemen help you make your next tea or picnic event something really special, please visit their Facebook Fan Page at

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http://www.facebook.com/varegency?fref=ts

Get your Regency Dress Ready! Belle Grove Plantation will be hosting a Tea or Picnic Event soon!

To see more pictures of Belle Grove

Please visit our Facebook Fan Page

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We are very close to 1000 Likes!

If you are hungry… don’t read this post!

Sep. 9th 2012

You have been warned!

If you are hungry stop reading now!

We have two new Scone recipes we will be adding to our menu at

Belle Grove Plantation!

Blueberry and Oatmeal Scones with a Lemon Glaze

Peach and Brandy Scones with a Brandy Glaze

I told you to stop reading!

Want to see some of the foods we have added to the menu for Belle Grove?

Check us out on Facebook!

Posted by Michelle Darnell | in Year of the Virginia Historic Homes | 56 Comments »