Back in 2012, after I'd left college and before I landed a stable job, I had no idea what an afternoon tea was. Uncultured swine, eh? The tables have significantly turned now - I've lost count of the number of 'teas I've served, but I've kept a good count of the number I've eaten!
Over at The Carding Shed, we've got a pretty well-recommended afternoon tea going on. But sitting in the heart of West Yorkshire, I wanted to know what the standard was like in the area. Starting last summer, my mother and I decided to conduct a little experiment. In fact, I can honestly say that's what kickstarted this blog. I've always adored food - sometimes I honestly think it's my one true love. But I'd never thought about combining it with my other passion - writing - until a few months ago.
Winding back a little to our experiment - we researched where in the West Yorkshire area serves afternoon teas, made a list, and decided to go around every couple of weeks trying them out. To date we've sat through six or seven varied tea stands, so we're fancying ourselves experts at this point (naturally). But who to share this knowledge with? Of course, as always, the Internet provides all the answers.
So I'll start with the way-back-when, last summer. A visit to Holme Village - where I grew up! Great for walks, plenty of reservoirs, moorland and woods to trek through. But you'll find yourselves hungry unless you take a packed lunch, so The Fleece is a lovely little spot to enjoy a pint, cup of tea or a sandwich after your expedition.
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| The Fleece Inn, Holme Village. |
Having lived up here for the majority of my life, I've dined at this hearty little pub quite a few times. So I'm used to their generous portion sizes - I know what to expect. But I'd never experienced their afternoon tea until my mum and I decided to lunch out.
I wish I had thought ahead and taken a photo of the thing, but I'll recall from memory - priced at ___, this is fairly expensive compared to some others. However, the option of the 'tea for one or two people was there, and there was a choice of two sandwich fillings per person. We had the option of tea or coffee, which we opted for tea. We chose egg mayo and ham sandwiches (which became our standard of choice - wanting to explore the potential vegetarian option vs. the meat option).
The stand it came on was sturdy, and the presentation was lovely. The cakes were garnished with fresh summer berries. We were given a napkin, and one plate each. We weren't given cutlery, however, which may have just been down to forgetfulness.
The sandwiches came on soft, fresh bread. The fillings were generous; the ham was particularly good, and was not plain as it had tomato on too. The sandwiches were not too big or small.
Tea-wise, we received a pot which was just large enough for two cups of tea each. There was plenty of milk, and the teacups and teapot were very clean (important when you work in catering, trust me: no one likes a teastained teapot!).
I would have liked an extra plate for my cakes - I'm not a picky eater, but customers who are a bit more specific of how they like their food may have wanted this (although I'm sure it would be provided upon request). Our selection of cakes consisted of a piece of fruit cake each, one brownie each, one piece of flapjack, and one cream scone each. The cakes were all delicate little bite sized pieces, and we could tell the scones were freshly baked - hopefully on the premises? The cream was whipped if I remember correctly, and the jam was strawberry flavoured.
All in all, we gave this afternoon tea a 9/10. It ranks a 7 on our overall list so far. For a long time this one held the top spot. The atmosphere was lovely - a warm fire, good service, and comfortable seats. It lost points for minor details, such as we were not sure whether the cakes had been bought in our not. However, The Fleece Inn delivers time after time, and is a lovely spot to eat whether you're going with the family, a partner, or after a walk around the surrounding moors.
Want to visit The Fleece soon? Get yourselves over to their website for more information! http://fleeceinnholme.co.uk/
Think this review was moreish? Check back soon for updates such as a Twitter page, Facebook, and more afternoon tea adventures!
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