You don’t always have to board a jet to enjoy an “out of
country” experience. Recently I made a lunch hour visit to English and Miller,
a British tearoom and shop located at 89 Dunlop St. East, Barrie, Ontario.
The tea room is big on flavour and large on ambience. A view awaits patrons at every table through
two picture windows that overlook beautiful Heritage Park and Lake Simcoe. The
room is surprisingly quiet for being so large; laminate flooring and a rustic
barn board counter absorb the click of fine
china and conversation and a fireplace with an audience of stuffed chairs and a
sofa further warms the atmosphere. An antique wood hutch stands at the ready
with tiered trays, a variety of teapots, cups and saucers, all different. I watch as the owner, looking very English in
her knee length full skirt and apron, pauses and gives considerable thought
before selecting a teacup as if she is trying to match it with the personality
of a customer.
Jean and Neil Bevan , moved from the United Kingdom in
April 2012 and their accents make you truly believe you are visiting across the
pond rather than lakeside in a city just one hour north of Toronto. Together they have created an English destination
with every detail carefully thought out. British offerings adorn the luncheon
menu - baked potatoes with your choice of stuffing, salads, soups, ploughman’s
platter of bread, ham, cheddar, stilton, pickled onions, branston pickles to
the highest quality tea and coffee.
If you have never had the opportunity to pamper yourself
with high tea then this definitely is an experience you won’t want to miss. Your
selection of tea will be served to you in a china teapot along with a tray of
finger sandwiches, scones, jam, devon cream, small cakes and biscuits. It’s an
English ritual perfected over centuries and hands down aces the metal tea pots
found in restaurants with the tea bag floating in tepid water like an
afterthought. Not quite that hungry? No problem. Opt instead for Cream Tea
which includes a scone, jam, devon cream, and a pot of tea. In a rush? It is still an event. You can
even order a mug of tea and pair it with one of their irresistible looking
small cakes or desserts showcased at the counter, or crumpets if you don’t have
a sweet tooth.
Don’t hurry off after your tea without visiting the shop. Actually,
there are two. One corner of the tearoom has various teas, English cookies in
teddy bear tins and fun gadgets to brew your tea in, cups, mugs, and aprons for
sale. The second shop is joined to the tea room by a hallway and has many items
from the United Kingdom such as a selection of beautiful , fine scarves and
gloves, jewellery and a large selection of items for children. My favourite? Pretty tins of plasters for children, which,
I learned, are adhesive bandages.
When your experience at English & Miller is over and you
are feeling fully immersed in British tradition, please don’t forget to drive
on the right side of the road!
