History and Lore

Anna, seventh duchess of Bedford ( 1783-1857) in the very early years of the nineteenth century, not been incredibly greedy, afternoon tea as we knew it in England, and to some extent as we still know it today, might never have become our national habit.

Legend has it that as the time between breakfast and dinner lengthened in the lighter months of the summer, this august lady, unable to await the immense repast she would surely have enjoyed at her laden dinner table, took to her boudoir midafternoon and demanded of her servants slivers of bread spread with ‘good sweet butter,’ on which, together with ‘mackeroons,’ cheesecakes, tarts, biscuits, small cakes, and other niceties, she secretly gorged. It did not take long for her secret to be exposed, and far from ridiculing her-as might well have happened in back-biting eighteenth-century English society-other ladies who also might have enjoyed a clandestine indulgence joined her in the habit. Afternoon Tea become not only acceptable but a most fashionable thing of which to partake if you were to remain a lady of status.

The Blue Willo Café LLC requires 48 hour notice for tea service. (Due to the fact that all our pastries and scones are homemade from scratch.) A minimum of 4 guests is also required.

Each guest chooses from a variety of loose leaf teas for their own tea experience.

The meal consists of three courses to accompany the tea,
-Assorted finger sandwiches
-Homemade scones served with jam & cream
-Assorted Homemade pastries

Please call to make a reservation and for pricing.