Tea at the Empress Hotel, Vancouver, BC

I recently had tea at the famous Empress Hotel in Vancouver, BC. I was blessed to enjoy it with a dear friend! (Thank you!) We took the ferry over from Vancouver to Victoria. The ferry ride was relaxing and provided us with lovely views of the islands.

Above is a photo of the China - designed exclusively for the Empress by Royal Doulton. The setting is lovely! It's the original tea parlor. Much has remained the same from a 1930s photo we saw. The menu started with fresh strawberries and whipped cream with a Canadian gooseberry on top. Then we had the tea sandwiches: egg salad, salmon & rye pinwheels, cucumber/tarragon, and a delicious and mysterious butter/carrot. Next came scones with golden raisins and jersey cream, and a shortbread biscuit. We finished the feast with chocolate ganache cake, a lemon perfiterole (cream puff), and a fresh fruit tartlet. The Empress serves its own blend of tea, a blend of Darjeeling, Ceylon, and China teas. I drank mine with milk and sugar! It was a wonderful experience that I will treasure!