Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Afternoon Tea at Butchart Garden





Tea at Butchart Garden was by far the most wonderful tea experience I have ever had.
After walking through the gardens and celebrating the beauty of the day, we had tea in The Dining Room Restaurant.  The surroundings felt like we were sitting in a historic green house full of orchids.  The service was impeccable.  The food was delicious.  I loved every moment of this wonderful afternoon tea.
The entry to the restaurant took us by Mrs. Butchart own private gardens.  Another day I will show more in the garden, but of course there was tea set even on the garden table.

The menu for this tea included:

Seasonal berry trifle

Savory house made sausage roll with imported mustard
Roasted vegetable and cheese quiche
Smoked wild salmon with maple and whole grain mustard cream cheese
Egg salad and watercress
Mango-curry chicken salad with toasted cashews
Smoked honey ham on a rosemary and aged cheddar biscuit
Cucumber with fresh ginger cream cheese

Lemon tartlet with fresh fruit
Raspberry marzipan Napoleon
Lemon and poppy seed load
Coconut chocolate macaroon
Their own chocolate Grand Marnier truffle

Candied ginger scone with strawberry jam and whipped vanilla Devon-style cream

There were seven tea choices, I enjoyed a lovely blended black tea.
If you ever travel to Victoria, BC, Canada, I wholeheartedly recommend tea at Butchart Garden.

18 comments:

Rosemary said...

Absolutely beautiful! I'm not certain which is more stunning - the surroundings or the plated tea tray. I'm envious Marilyn! Thankyou so much for sharing. Nancy

La Tea Dah said...

Pure delight! It must be an amazing place to be the MOST wonderful place you've ever had tea.

If you go to my Friends of Gracious Hospitality page --- you'll see a picture there that was taken at the very place you were.

Bask in the memories and enjoy a great day!

LaTeaDah

Donna and Miss Spenser said...

So beautiful...loved your photos! We also visited Butchart Gardens...I actually have a coffee mug I adore from there...I cracked it just a bit last year, so now it is retired...but still brings back fond memories of such a beautiful place...what an awesome lady she must have been! Didn't have tea there...but you've inspired me to begin planning my 50th birthday celebration!! I have one year to plan and save...going to have to work hard!! (smile)
Donna (IA)

Jeanne said...

Beautiful
I love all that you share
Kisses
Happy Easter to you and yours
Jeanne♥

parTea lady said...

Butchart Garden just keeps getting better! That tea looks wonderful -great menu and lovely serene surroundings. The tea room is so pretty with those pale green walls and lovely greenhouse windows.

That's a nice photo of you enjoying your tea. To quote Irvel (one of Karen Kingsbury's characters) "did anyone ever tell you....you have the most beautiful hair?".

Steph said...

You look so relaxed and refreshed! I hope to get there some day.

MaryLou said...

Marilyn, My cousin and I had tea at the Empress last summer and also at Butchart Gardens. Both were wonderful but for the price the one at the Gardens can't be beat! we sat just about where you sat --by the windows. Wasn't it just grand?!

Fondly,
MaryLou in Colorado

Brenda @ Its A Beautiful Life said...

Isn't that the most delightful place to visit... and I agree... the tea is awesome. My hubby and I went to Victoria for our honeymoon (a number of years ago) and Butchart Gardens (during the Christmas season) and the Tea was one of those very special moments for us both.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us. Sounds like it was perfect.

Relyn Lawson said...

You are in one of my most favorite places on the planet. And, I tell you, it makes me happy to think of you there.

Angela McRae said...

Hearing such high praise from a longtime tea lover like yourself definitely makes me want to take tea there -- and soon! Such a serene and elegant setting, too. Sigh ...

Joyce said...

One of the places I would love to travel back to and the tea party looks delicious.
Joyce

Linda Jennings said...

I love these photos of tea and the gardens. We were scheduled to have tea at Butchart Gardens 5 years ago on an excursion to Victoria. Due to a mix-up in tour scheduling we toured the gardens, but had to cancel tea. I'm so very glad I got to enjoy the experience through your photos!!

Dutchbaby said...

Next time at Butchart Gardens I'm signing up for the tea! That looks yummerific! The light in the room looks magical! Nice to see you so utterly content!

Bernideen said...

How beautiful and I think I would even love it on a rainyday - it looks very restfull. Delightful food too - glad you went and thanks for the photos!

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

This looks wonderful! I would love to go there! Beautiful, and the food looks delicious! I have some loose tea from there as a friend brought me some when she visited there.

Katherine

Mary said...

Well I know Butchart Gdns. too! So absolutely, amazingly beautiful, could have stayed for days peeking through all those hedges and seeing vistas beyond. The flowers and trees were spectacular. We talked to several gardeners and discovered they were either from England or The Azores.

To think that lady turned the quarry into such a place of loveliness is awesome - I need to borrow those gardeners, ha!ha!

Dinners and Dreams said...

Very artsyy food. Those sandwiches and pastries are making me hungry.

Have a wonderful evening!

Nisrine

Pamela said...

Thank you so much for bringing back fond memories of one of my favorite places to have tea.