There are some things that just seem to naturally go together. Then, there are other pairings that fill us with delighted amazement.
A full English tea in a charming Victorian tearoom in the midst of Albuquerque would seem to be one of those delights.
A fire blazes in the fireplace at the end of the room. Curtains and dividers separate the room into private nooks. Seated on a cozy sofa with the
atmosphere of Old England, I try various teas, munch on dainty morsels of delicious savories, tea sandwiches, breads, and sweets. If I wanted I could
add a lovely hat and gloves to complete the image of a fashionable English Lady. Only the blue New Mexico sky tells me I’m not in Old England.
Mary Alice Higbie is the proprietress of this charming renaissance of a gentler age. The St. James Tearoom (named after her husband James -- a man of
saintly disposition) was the outgrowth of her dedication to tea parties, an activity she pursued since early childhood. The tearoom is a great passion
for me, says Mary Alice, and it is not only about my love of tea that makes it so. Seeing the pace of life increase steadily, and the notion
of gracious living deteriorate into counting possessions, she sought an answer. And found it in her childhood devotion to the art of tea.
The menu changes monthly but it almost always includes their decadently delicious buttery scones with clotted cream and lemon curd. One of the few things
in life that makes me sigh with pleasure. The young women who serve the teas are soft-spoken and gentle. And thoroughly professional. Chef Andrea Schulte
(a graduate of Johnson & Wales of South Carolina) presides over the kitchen with great skill creating tidbits that are tiny works of culinary art.
The teas encompass varieties you’ll never find in the supermarket. The China Keemun, the dominant tea in English Breakfast tea; Lavender Provence, a
black tea fragrant with lavender, and Tropical Rainforest Green tea infused with passion fruit and papaya. All together there are almost 70 teas that make their appearance
in the shop and at teatime. Plan on bringing some home from the gift shop. These are loose teas, often unique blends.
Across the way, barely visible from the alcove in which I sit, is a young couple enjoying the quiet romance of an afternoon tea. When English tea first started
it was generally a "ladies only" pleasure. But soon, tea had to move from the "boudoir" where ladies first enjoyed it, to the parlor because men
decided they also wanted to take tea.
Mary Alice wants American men to enjoy this tradition. What could be more romantic than sipping, talking, and taking the time to enjoy one another’s company? Intrigued? In addition to afternoon tea, the
St. James Tearoom is open Friday and Saturday evenings. Of course, it’s not just for couples, anyone who wants a bit of time out of the normal flow of
life may want to consider this.
In a hurried world, taking a couple of hours to savor the food, the company, and life would seem not an indulgence, but a delightful necessity.
For more information visit The St. James Tearoom
Website. Also visit Offbeat New York for travel information for New York City
