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Dining Out: Whether you sip Chai or Oolong, take a vow
to visit Beehive Tea Room By Nancy Hobbs
Special to The Tribune
From the time Lisa Brady
was a young girl reading the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Agatha
Christie, she has been intrigued by the custom of afternoon tea, and for
years vowed to help spread the practice on this side of the Atlantic.
But she realized Salt Lakers might not embrace tea in numbers
to sustain a business. So when a time for touting tea recently presented
itself, she added a lure. In addition to antique-cup service in quaint
rooms furnished with velvet chairs, cut crystal and tuffets, she offers
wedding help.
Welcome to the Beehive Tea Room and Wedding Library, in the
heart of downtown at 12 W. Broadway (300 South).
"I was trying to think of a way I could survive in Salt Lake,
being a tea room," Brady said in explaining the dichotomy. "It would
take a lot of pots of tea to pay the rent . . . I used to do
flowers for weddings, and so know there are lots of brides here."
It was during the florist career that she saw the frustration
of brides forced to traverse the valley in order to compare florists,
gowns, portrait packages and the like. Her "library" is still growing
with planning guides, etiquette books and fashion publications, so she
can offer a central bridal resource site -- with or without a spot of
tea.
As helpful as the library might be for the betrothed, the
shop's dozens of teas are elixirs for anyone in need of a respite, be it
from shopping or deposing.
Choose from black teas, green teas, oolong or herbal teas,
all served in two-cup pots to be poured into beautiful china cups after
several minutes of steeping . The green tea with jasmine
is "sweetened" with the perfume of flowers; likewise the chocolate mint
tea exudes a luscious scent that provides much of its flavor.
With a several-page menu of teas, each with a helpful
description, it would take numerous visits to try each one.
Some customers are loyal to one and only; others have
discovered new favorites (since) that Beehive has been open. For the
growing number of Chai drinkers -- a popular East Indian treat made of
hot milk with black tea and spices, most noticeably the aromatic
cardamom -- the Beehive Tea House makes the best I have tasted.
Even the hot chocolate at Beehive is worth buzzing about,
especially the European cocoa, made with melted dark chocolate so it's
super-rich but not too sweet. If you like sweeter -- and a small
mountain of whipping cream to go with it -- order the American
traditional.
Though tea is the main attraction, tea time wouldn't be
complete without English scones, or even a tart. Beehive Tea House's
food menu is small, but adequate.
Brady is willing to try whatever it takes
to introduce tea to the public. She offers a "personal tea party" for
children, which is a silver tea service -- a small pot of tea, cup, milk
and sugar and a sweet treat on an individual tray -- . (Hot Chocolate)
is a kids' favorite, as are choices like "very berry" herbal tea.
In fact, the Willow Room is a favorite spot for adult tea
parties, with its brocade and velvet furnishings, cut crystal, antique
mirrors, and walls painted with a moonlit landscape in the style of
Maxfield Parrish. It can be reserved for small parties and showers, and
was even used recently for an evening of tea-leaf reading -- an idea
that may blossom, especially in conjunction with the wedding business!
The front room also has a dated green couch and chair, which
fit the ambience perfectly, as well as several café-style tables and
chairs for those who aren't interested in lounging. Chess, tic-tac-toe
and dominoes wait to be played.
Brady's impetus for decorating the tea room came largely from
nine years (working on sets) for a television series. When (it) was
canceled , she bought some of the furnishings used
on the set and scoured antique, consignment and thrift shops for other
pieces.
The result is a fun, casual but cozy place to sip tea ...
while visiting with friends, reading the newspaper -- or even planning a
wedding. © Copyright 2004, The Salt
Lake Tribune. Note: This article has been slightly modified from the original to
reflect current tearoom offerings.-BTR
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