Tea the Thirty-First

You remember Cleopatra 

Had a date to meet Mark Anthony at three 

When he came an hour late she said "You'll have to wait" 

For everything stops for tea.

Featured in Jack Buchanan's 1935 film, "Come Out Of The Pantry" 

(Goodhart / Hoffman / Sigler)

Hazlewood Castle Hotel, Hazlewood, North Yorkshire - Sunday 29th December 2013

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Tea Takers

Sarah Ryan

Paul Ryan

Olivia Ryan

Angela Rothbury

Olivia Rothbury

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A beautiful clear winter day and, as the sun began to set, we drove the very familiar road towards Leeds, turning off half-way to follow the winding drive through the woods to Hazlewood Castle.  It is a gorgeous setting and somewhere I have hoped might feature in the odyssey, and provided an excellent location for another important reunion tea.  This time we came to meet Angela, my Latin teacher, and a huge influence from my school days, and her daughter Olivia, who was briefly my colleague at Leweston.

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The earliest records of buildings on the site are found in Domesday Book, which relates that Sir Mauger the Vavasour resided in the Hall of a Thane at Hazelwood (which is just a lovely phrase to type - these opportunites don't come often enough). The Vavasour family, in a feat of impressive continuity, then lived here until the early Twentieth century, with a Thirteenth century scion applying to the king to be allowed to crennellate and fortify his manor, which made it officially a castle.  Parts of the original castle remain, augmented over the centuries to form a mixture of styles and adjoining buildings that are a very attractive conglomeration.  It is an idyllic setting.

The family remained Catholic following the Reformation and the Castle remained in Catholic hands even when sold in 1908. In 1971, having been sold to Carmelite Friars, it became a retreat house. This was its use when I first knew of the place as a teenager. We were told at school that they had amongst their relics the skull of St Luke Kirby, the martyr after whom our form was named, and there was talk that we might visit it, although sadly that was never achieved.

The Castle was sold again in 1996 and was renovated to become a country house hotel.

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We took tea in the library, book-lined with Jacobean dark wood shelving, and a fire burning in the stove at the base of the baronial fireplace.

Tea was very pleasant, sandwiches, scones and clotted cream and a nice selection of cakes, including a fine tarte au citron.  Paul felt it was a little ungenerous - only one type of sandwich per person, one scone and small cakes, however, in their defence, I think the standard of the goods was high and it was very reasonably priced - I certainly had eaten very well and thought that all aspects rated highly on the Ryan tea assessment scale.

Paul rolls up his sleeves for serious work:

Olivia (the younger) opted for toast for which she gave an entirely positive review.

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As mentioned above, Angela was my Latin teacher at Notre Dame High School in Leeds from when I was thirteen.  She taught me both Latin and Classical Studies for A-level and inspired in me a great love for both subjects - I am very aware as a teacher myself, how much she influenced the way I teach, and how I understand learning.  She was also always enormous fun, and it was really lovely to spend time with her again today and to enjoy her excellent company.

I say she taught me throughout my time at school, but there were a notable few terms when she was away on maternity leave - I remember, when we were told the news that she had a new daughter called Olivia, thinking 'what a lovely name' - then stored that thought away for future consideration.

Somw twenty years later, a couple of years into the Graduate Assistant scheme at Leweston, I was really excited to see that one Olivia Rothbury had applied - it was immediately clear from her application that she had to be the person I suspected.  Having professionally handed over the decision-making to other colleages, I was delighted that she turned out to be obviously an outstanding candidate and came to join our team.  Inevitably, perhaps, a chip off the old block, she is a natural teacher and we were very lucky to have her. 

I remember it was particularly entertaining, and a unique experience, to be able to unnerve an interview candidate by saying "actually, we have met before - I babysat for you when you were two..."

Angela has only recently retired from Notre Dame and so it was good to catch up on news and to hear how much things have changed there now. Both Rothbury ladies were exemplary tea companions and I am so pleased they were able to join us.

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Thirty-First Tea - Thirty-First Year

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Mothers and their Olivias

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Tea the Thirtieth

Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures

 which attend a wintry fireside; candles at four o'clock, 

warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, 

curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, 

whilst the wind and rain are raging audibly without.

Thomas de Quincey

36 Well House Drive, Leeds - 26th December 2013

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Tea Takers

Sarah Ryan

Paul Ryan

Olivia Ryan

Jean Thacker

Margaret Griffith

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Time for tea at my Mum's, in the house where I grew up. We moved to 36 Well House Drive in summer 1988 and it was the home of my late teens.

A suburban semi of no great architectural beauty, but an important formative place for me.

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Tea on Boxing Day was a great opportunity to add festive joy to tea and indulge in gingerbread and other Christmas baking experiments.

Lemon drizzle cake (perhaps not strictly Christmassy, but my favourite cake, and baked in a novel tin and glittered, so it definitely counts!)

An opportunity to try out new Ikea cutters for 3D biscuits

Iced Christmas biscuits, Mars Bar 'munch' and some very lovely brownies made by Olivia

Of course, it wouldn't have been afternoon tea without scones and clotted cream so Mary Berry's recipe came back into its own.  Foolishly I forgot the strawberry jam but we had lemon curd and blackcurrant jam as options, which were pleasing if not ideal.

Saucer crackers were pleasing...

...if a little difficult to pull.

The quality of the jokes was predictable

And some people thought it was appropriate to gesture with them  - tsk!

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It was lovely to be able to use my Grandma's tea service for tea (bought by my Mum for my Grandparents 25th wedding anniversary in 1959, my Grandma having always longed for a rose bud tea set). When I was a child this was something only ever brought out on high days and holy days and it is a clear mark of this being a 'proper' tea party.

Another significant artefact for the occasion was our family teapot - bought by Margie before I was born the teapot (with it attendant hot water jug, milk jug and sugar bowl) - for me it is in a way the archetypal teapot for all its seventies styling.

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Thirtieth Tea - Thirtieth Year

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Margie is my Godmother and is more 'family' than many relations.  She and my Mum met when teaching in Liverpool in the mid-fifties and have been close friends ever since.  She has been a crucial support and provider to our family over many years - she took me on my first trip to London, took me to Austria and Venice, read AA Milne poems to me more times than any adult should have to, and was a key figure in my childhood. 

The best part of sixty years of friendship and they're still smiling...

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Tea the Twenty-Ninth

Now cheer the fire and close the shutters fast, 

Let fall the shutters, wheel the sofa round,

 And, while the bubbling and loud hissing urn

Throws up a steamy column and the cups

 That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each, 

So let us welcome peaceful evening in.

William Cowper - The Task

Bettys, Ilkley - Friday 20th December 2013

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Tea Takers

Sarah Ryan

Paul Ryan

Olivia Ryan

Jean Thacker

Mary Taylor

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Another tea, another Bettys - and frankly, why not, when they do it so well? This time we came to Ilkley with my Mum and a very special family friend, Auntie Mary, enjoying the scenic drive over from her home in Harrogate, with its winding roads skirting the dales and the final stretch affording an excellent view of Ilkely Moor and the Cow and Calf rocks, as you enter the town.

Ilkely is somewhere I have always enjoyed visiting. The Cow and Calf constituted a very exciting trip out when I was a child, and once I earned the status of driver, with its attendant independence, it was somewhere I often drove out to with friends.

Bettys is located in a very typical West Yorkshire stone building and, whilst like the Northallerton branch, its fittings are more recent that the classic Harrogate and York establishments, it has the signature elegance of the company, and a definite air of early twentieth century tea room chic.

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Tea was as excellent as we have come to expect.  I particularly recommend the brioche french toast with bacon, which was glorious. Auntie Mary was very pleased with her rarebit scone, and Olivia also with her now customary bacon muffin.

After the savouries, we then were able to summon the cake trolley, which was an exceedingly pleasing vehicle.  Notice the size of Olivia's eyes as she anticipates cake joy.

Meringue with fresh fruit was the most popular choice with Paul, Mum and Auntie Mary all opting for that, and giving it unequivocally good reviews (Paul claims that it constituted four of his 'five a day' and was practically health food).  Olivia had a slice of a very attractive glossy chocolate cake, but if this odyssey has taught us one thing it is that she reacts unpleasantly to nuts, and after a second mouthful it became clear that these were included among the ingredients (Note Bettys: this is something that you probably ought to indicate) - however, a glass of water helped stem the swelling, and a supply of chocolate from Grandma's handbag provided some compensation.

My eye was caught by a platter almost hidden on the bottom shelf, which was piled with festive fondant fancies - and the delicate mistletoe embellished cube that I received, as well as looking pleasingly elegant and simple, was absolutely delightful - light vanilla sponge, icing with smart crisp edges but a delightfully fudge-like texture, and effectively restrained jam and buttercream filling - quite perfect.

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Auntie Mary and Uncle Ken are incredibly important people in my life, not least because it was they who brought my parents together.  Now that Dad and Uncle Ken are no longer with us, I can only assume that they are wreaking benevolent havoc together somewhere in the Elysian fields. Best friends from their days training to be Methodist ministers, they were most definitely kindred spirits in creativity, spirituality and mischief. Among other exploits they liked to wander the streets of Manchester walking their imaginary hippopotamus, O'Brien - with one of them calling to passers-by to clear the way while the other clung on to the invisible tether.  Whilst obviously missing them very much, they both enhanced our lives so much that we cannot but be grateful and joyful to have been part of the fun.

Auntie Mary was an excellent and discriminating tea companion and we all had a very enjoyable and relaxed afternoon.

Seeing how important this long friendship remains, is very special and I hope that I am still having tea with some of those of you who have joined me recently when I am in my seventies.

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Twenty-Ninth Tea - Twenty-Ninth Year

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The Ilkley branch also featured the usual delightful shop, heaped with beautifully presented if rather expensive items. You can buy a Bettys silver teapot if you have £220 to spare, and add to it a silver salver and cake stand if you want to recreate the whole experience at home. More dangerously tempting are the shelves of cakes, biscuits, and glass cabinets full of cakes and pastries. Fortunately eating a substantial and satisfying tea does give you strength to avoid these blandishments and walk nonchalantly through the shop.

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