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Time for feasting (and a nice cup of tea)!!!
ANNOUNCEMENT
This is latest communication from the Colonel by his infamous patented 'Pigeon-Morse Code' invention, announcing his tentative Epicurean Afternoon Tea Society (EATS) venture.
The Colonel: "Inspired by those intrepid entrepreneurs back in dear Old Blighty, The Great British Tea Party, and that devil-may-care soul, Mr. Nipper of Bicycle and Ukulele fame, I hope to lay down the foundations of a humble mirror venture here in the Antipodes for the benefit of all those who love a lamington, a Liptons and a good lay down, preferably in a hammock!"
With an attached 'tallyho!' and a 'toodlepip!' he seemed to be gone again in a proverbial cloud of dust, rather like Toad of Toad Hall, come to think of it.
MISS LEONORA'S PORTABLE TEA STRAINER
Miss. Leonora chose the Great Train Weekend in Mt Victoria to launch her prototype model 'Portable Tea Strainer'.
Miss. Isabel, though declaring she could never bring herself to use such a 'likely unsanitary device', approved and applauded but Dr. Yorrick seemed somewhat sceptical of it's efficacy and marketing potential.
THE EPICUREAN AFTERNOON TEA SOCIETY ANTHEM
The Colonel and I have collaborated on a theme tune for the Epicurean Afternoon Tea Society and shall be presenting our composition for further perusal and vocal-imbibing at the next gathering of the society's membership. But before then we would like to share the fine words we have written to celebrate the society's honourable mission.
So without further ado here is The Epicurean Afternoon Tea Society anthem composed by Colonel Reginald Farquhear, R.C.C. (rtd) and his co-author Mr. Ian McLeod, both of Katoomba.
The Epicurean Afternoon Tea Society
(Copyright by Caravanserai Publications MMXIII)
One fine and sunny day
In the early part of Spring
The Colonel and Miss. Isabel
Proposed their grand new thing.
Whilst walking up the drive
That leads up to the Carrington
They had just missed their lunch
But would settle for tea and lamington.
On enquiring as to what
They might thusly obtain
The waiter said,”I’m sorry that, sir
The options to which you pertain
Are not available on our menu
But if you’d return for dinner...”
“Dinner!”, the Colonel replied. “Egad!
Are you trying to make us both thinner??!!”
Miss. Isabel was all a-faint
The Colonel fanned her down
But Miss. Isabel panted clearly
“We need a tea-shoppe in this town!”
The Colonel suddenly stopped
As if struck by lightning bolt
“That’s it”, he said with wild-eyed glee
“You’ve hit on the very fault!”
(Chorus)
“I see an epicurean afternoon tea
Is what Katoomba’s in need of
So I’m forming this grand society
Grand enough for a Tsarina Romanov!
And in Katoomba you’ll be seeing
Everyone thus wanting to be
Amongst those who are the Epicurean
Afternoon Tea Society!”
“Oh Colonel, you so astound me
Why that’s exactly the very thing
We must address Miss. Leonora
And what her talents can bring!
The cakes and biscuits, chocolates and more
She can make most suredly would
Be the creme de la creme to please
The likes of the Duchess of Bedford!”
Just then appeared Mr. Hedgewick
With Sibadeus Yorrick in tow.
Overcome by the air euphoric
They said,”It’s just what’s needed, you know!”
Mr. Hedgewick took all to his emporium
Producing tea cups, tea and samovar
Saying, “I’ve the space for such a gathering
Let’s make this an event beyond par!”
So that’s how the story began
Of this lost piece of local history.
How the likes of a simple missed meal
Creates an event of such propriety
And how the riff-raff of Katoomba
Produced the best of Old Blighty
In the form of the epic Epicurean
Afternoon Tea Society.
(Chorus)
“I see an epicurean afternoon tea
Is what Katoomba’s in need of
So I’m forming this grand society
Grand enough for a Tsarina Romanov!
And in Katoomba you’ll be seeing
Everyone thus wanting to be
Amongst those who are the Epicurean
Afternoon Tea Society!”
We hope you enjoyed our little frivolity and will deign to join our merry band at the next society function of the Epicurean Afternoon Tea Society.
The Colonel has recently been interviewed for a second time by the inaugural Grand Katoomba Tour information establishment entitled Katoomba Waltz which endeavours to bring a quality service to those seekers of high adventure and lower expenses within our beautiful town and region.
This second interview purveys vital information regarding the varieties of tea-imbibing gatherings to socialise within. The following is a short quote from this interview by the esteemed Katoomba Waltz journalist, Mr. Richard Bowden, also of Katoomba.
He's speaking here about the origins of Low, or Afternoon Tea as opposed to High Tea (which he describes in detail previously in the piece):
"Now, as you may know, afternoon teas have a history in themselves as I believe it was Anne, Duchess of Bedford who first instigated the practice. As one of Queen Ma’am’s, er that is Victoria’s, ladies-in-waiting, she requested that light sandwiches be brought to her in her boudoir in the late afternoon to alleviate the ‘sinking feeling’ that she felt between meals. At that time, of course, the nobility ate large breakfasts, small lunches and very late suppers. So, finding this new routine very pleasing, she decided to invite others to join her and thus began the great afternoon tea tradition."
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| Duchess of Bedford Anna Maria Russell |
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| Queen Victoria |
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| Duchess of Bedford tea bags |
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| Afternoon tea painting by Mary Cassat |
A little bit of gallery viewing for you whilst supping your tea.
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| 1906 Henri Gervex - Cinq Heures Chez Paquin |
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| Victorian Afternoon Tea |
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| Victorian Afternoon Tea |
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| Lady at tea |
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| A quiet breakfast pot |
And some jolly old teatimes from storyland and beyond.
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| Beauty and the Beast |
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| The Wind In The Willows |
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| Teatime for Teddy Bears |
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