Thunderstorm Tea at Bruentrup Farm

A thunderstorm isn't going to stop this tea partier. After driving my husband's truck 45 minutes in a downpour complete with thunder and lightning, I made it to the East side of the Twin Cities. As I stepped out into a puddle, I knew there was a reason I bought funky rain boots! Off to the farm...

Did you know that the land the Maplewood Mall is on was once part of the Bruentrup family dairy farm? The farm was established in 1891 and once spanned 175 acres along White Bear Avenue. The historical society now maintains the farmhouse buildings.

 The tea was held in the barn and theme was "Flowers to Spring Forward."  

Inside the barn was a bit chilly, but dry. It was a unique setting for a tea complete with hay bales in the rafters, hanging ladders and tools.

We thought all of the umbrella's lining the inside of the barn wall was rather pretty.

The women and men of the historical society took great care in planning and executing the tea. The tables were nicely decorated with spring colors. We even received a packet of seeds to take home and plant in our garden. We had a great time.

The centerpieces were teapots made out of moss filled with fresh flowers - super cute!

Our table of five had matching cups and saucers with a pretty floral pattern to hold our Early Gray.

The food and tea was exceptional.

The first course included asparagus soup and a spring salad with strawberry vinaigrette.

Next the sandwiches - chicken salad supreme on a croissant (mine was egg salad), egg salad on marble bread (mine was a walnut cheese), and open face cucumber on rye with chive blossoms as a garnish. All were very good.

 For the dessert courses we sipped a black peach tea, which we were told was purveyed in Seattle. The scone was a mixed berry served with Devonshire cream.

 We also enjoyed pound cake, chocolate covered strawberries, lemon bars, windmill cookies, and fresh fruit.

And here we are enjoying tea. Pictured left to right:

Sue (Emma's mom), me, Yvonne, Emma & Eileen.

We took a quick peak inside the first floor of the farmhouse.

Emma's mom purchased one of the fun flower centerpieces to enjoy for weeks to come.

 It was a good way to spend the afternoon - inside a cozy barn on a stormy day.

Tea at Brit's Pub

Tiff invited us for afternoon tea at Brit's Pub in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday. As we entered the room, conjuring images of British royalty, it was very charming with long tables set for tea. Each place setting was adorned with a tea for one in deep shades of burgundy, navy and green.

Could it be true? Who is that next to Kimmy? Is that Emma in Minneapolis?

It is indeed, she crossed the river, ha ha!

Our group was the first to tea that afternoon. The next person to arrive was truly dressed for tea in England. We talked with her and learned she was celebrating her thirty-second birthday at Brit's and the theme was Doctor Who. Now, I don't know much about that show other than it's British. She made her dress and many of her guests were also in costume, including the men. Loved her little train case. What a fun birthday!
  
Harrisons and Crosfield tea was served and we each selected our preferred flavor of tea. My only critique of tea at Brit's is that they heated up the hot water in a vessel used for coffee, which made the tea taste like watered down coffee. Hopefully, they will remedy this as it is a simple solution and will allow customers to truly taste and enjoy the tea.

So many scones - they served two saucer size scones for each of us. The traditional heavy Devonshire cream and marmalade were a fun treat. The sandwiches were delicious - a well done cucumber and cream cheese, egg salad on a mini croissant and what I would call their signature sandwich - the Dubliner Irish Cheddar and chutney - unique and tasty.

We enjoyed the lavender tea bread and fruit and while I think we all gave the "Brit's famous bread pudding" a good try; I don't think any of us took a liking to it - it had a liquor flavor - an acquired taste perhaps? Not to mind as we were on to the lemon bars.

The hostess, Tiffany, with Andrea. Andrea matches the room -

it's as if she was destine to have tea at Brit's!

Wisconsin Weekend

Our adventure across the border began on Saturday, April 28 with a stop at the Leinie Lodge, from which we emerged with a full size paddle for our future bar. Since we were passing through, we checked out Lambeau Field and their Pro Shop. Needless to say we were the only car with Minnesota plates in the parking lot. Then it was on to our destination...Kohler!

The American Club is a beautifully massive brick building built in 1918. It was built to house the immigrant workers and provide good living conditions and was converted to a five-diamond hotel in 1981. As you drive up, the valet opens your door wearing turn of the century attire - long socks and knickers. We arrived just as they were serving wine and cheese in the library. The hotel feels like you are staying in a mansion with thick oak woodwork and exquisite Kohler bathrooms. The shower had four shower heads, including a rain shower, beautifully intricate sink, and their own line of bath products. It really is an elegant hotel with uncommon luxury. We enjoyed dinner at Horse & Plow; which was once the bowling alley. Our appetizer was fried beer battered cheese curds - when in Rome.

Sunday spa day! The Kohler Waters Spa is small, but elegant. I enjoyed a berries and bliss pedicure and Jeff had a golfer's foot renewal. With proper toes, we enjoyed a spa lunch with smoothies and then relaxed and read by the indoor pool and waterfall.

Returning to the American Club, we enjoyed tea and cookies in the library. We walked around the grounds a bit. The Village of Kohler looks like it is out of a movie - picture perfect. We were told that Kohler owns everything, all of the land, all of the businesses. I kind of wonder how the families that live there feel about Kohler. We enjoyed dinner in The Wisconsin Room, the original dining hall next to the leaded glass window that read "Life without labor is guilt - labor without art is brutality." I ordered forest mushroom risotto, creamy wild mushroom soup, wild grains lettuce salad and an after spa beverage. Jeff had the hazelnut and buttermilk blue cheese-crusted New York strip loin and twice baked potato. We both agreed it was one of the best meals we've ever had. Later we sat at the bar (Horse and Plow) and watched playoff hockey and enjoyed apple pie for dessert. As if the free wine, cheese and tea weren't enough, each night they would deliver fresh baked cookies to our room.

On Monday, as I was blow drying my hair, the power went out. My bad? The novel of a 100 year old hotel? Oh well, on to the Green House for a latte. I could live in this charming antique solarium from Chorley, Lancashire in the north of England, they dismantled it, transported it and reassembled it piece by piece in the courtyard. So peaceful and lovely.

We then went to The Shops at Woodlake. We had lunch at Craverie Chocolate Cafe. The chocolates were amazing - they make some that literally look like jewels - the big blue sapphires would have been fun for the Royal Tea Party. I found a new favorite furniture store - Baker (owned by Kohler of course). Next we checked out the Kohler Design Center, which was inspiring and expensive. They have a wall made out of sinks, tubs and toilets.

We visited the neighboring town of Sheboygan Falls and stopped at the Atrium Tea Room for a hazelnut chocolate scone and coconut oolong tea. It was a neat tea shops with hundreds of tea selections - I purchased some hazelnut truffle tea to take home. The tea room is in Richardson's Furniture Emporium so you can outfit your house or remodel your kitchen while you sip your tea. I found cute silver chair place card holders for an upcoming tea party. We walked through Evan's, which was like a Ben Franklin that hadn't changed in 30 years.

We drove to Whistling Straights, which is on Lake Michigan and a PGA course.

We finished the evening with dinner at Blackwolf Run, which was mediocre, but we did enjoy the British fellows at the table next to us, who did not want any cheese with their dinner and thought the waitress was telling them that they served actual turtles for dessert not knowing we call chocolate/caramel treats turtles. At each and every stop that day, we kept running into another couple, The Johnson's, it was pretty comical by dinner when they sent drinks over and we bought them drinks at the Horse and Plow.

May Day ended our vacation as we drove to Milwaukee for my work event. We checked out Miller Park and had lunch at The Watts Tea Shop. I enjoyed a Waterford Spritzer, cucumber and olive nut sandwiches and a hot Russian. We stayed across the street at The Pfister. It's a beautiful old hotel. We stayed on the fifth floor, the hallways were very tall and wide with a green, pink, white and gold motif. Jeff felt like we were in The Shining and we did find newspaper articles that opposing teams to the Brewers bunk up when staying at The Pfister do to haunting noises, but I ain't afraid of no ghost. When I returned from my event it was nearly 10, but the concierge was awesome, pulling out his old school rolodex and directing us to a nearby Italian restaurant which was amazing.