Category Archives: Tea Rooms

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – August 2021 – Final Tea

On Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 2:30pm, the Sweet Shalom Tea Room served its last formal Tea and we were there. After 20 years of providing so many special tea experiences, each month a different theme and selection of savory and sweet food offerings, owners Sara Velasquez and Chris Kruse are finally going to take a break and put their feet up so to speak. They deserve it!

Sweet Shalom Tea Room Co-Owners…Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez

I admit my emotions are teary. Going to Sweet Shalom has been our special outing each month for more years than we can remember. Even during COVID when Sweet Shalom was serving their teas as take-outs only, we were there enjoying the boxed savories and sweets with hot tea in our van in their back parking lot.

One last look at the Sweet Shalom Tea Room. The house has sold and a new business will move in.

I think Sara and Chris know how much David and I love them, and how deeply appreciative we are of their friendship, hospitality and inclusive natures. So it is with David and my heartfelt fondness that we wish you all the best as you venture into the next chapter of your lives. As Bob Hope famously said…“Thanks for the memories!”

Here is the final formal tea at Sweet Shalom Tea Room…the theme “This Old House”.

My personalized menu with its theme “This Old House” featuring the yellow farmhouse that is the Sweet Shalom Tea Room
Our beautiful table for two
The pretty floral centerpiece
David looking over his menu
Pot of Hot Tea and Cream Scones with Butter and Lemon Curd
My scone lathered up with butter and lemon curd
Along with a cup of hot black tea
Savory Summer Garden Vegetable Pie
Tiered server of bite sized savories and sweets
Lower tiered plate of savories…Angelique Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches, Broccoli Snaps, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Stuffed Baby Tomatoes
Top tier of sweets…Peanut Butter Cookies and Decadent Fudge Tarts
My plate of the tiered server offerings
Finial dessert…Kashmir Cream with Cherries
Sweet Shalom Co-Owner Sara Velasquez giving her final program…talking about the house that was home to the Tea Room
A special presentation and gift given to Sweet Shalom Co-Owners Sara Velasquez and Chris Kruse…a celestial star named in their honor!
A last look at the front main room of the Sweet Shalom Tea Room after the last guests have gone
The beautifully decorated fireplace mantle which complimented each month’s theme
Purchases of a pretty Sadler teapot and an assortment of favorite Harney & Sons Teas (Paris, Boston and Selah) as parting mementoes from the Sweet Shalom Gift Shop

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – July 2021

The theme for July at the Sweet Shalom Tea Room was “Tripping on Tea in Toledo”. Here is a quote the owners used in their newsletter about Toledo…

“Toledo is better than exciting, it’s happy. Because nothing is more conductive to unhappiness than taking yourself seriously, and taking yourself seriously is difficult when your baseball team is the Mud Hens.” (P. J. O’Rourke)

Pictorial recap of our July visit at the Sweet Shalom Tea Room…

My place setting with my personalized menu for July’s theme “Tripping on Tea in Toledo”
David looking over the menu at our table for two in the gift shop room
First course…Cream Scone with Jam and Butter…yum!
Second course…Zesty Chicken Salad on Boston Lettuce
Third course…the beautiful tiered server full of savories and sweets
Savory Onion Tart, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Spinach Nibble, Fresh Tomato Tea Sandwich, Honey Nut Bar, Orange Blueberry Crumb Muffin
Fourth course with finale dessert…Chocolate Mousse

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – June 2021

For my May 2021 post of the Sweet Shalom Tea Room I wrote that the dear owners, Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez, had made the decision to close their tea room by the end of summer after 20 years of business. In their latest and probably last official newsletter they mentioned that “we have made conservatively 96,000 cucumber tea sandwiches and brewed 240,000 cups of tea!” David and I are so grateful to have been able to join them each month over many years to enjoy their gracious hospitality, warm ambiance, tasty food and hot tea.

Here is our June visit…

My place setting with personalized menu…June’s theme was “Celebrating National Iced Tea Month”
But I always prefer a hot cup of black tea!
Almond Cream Scone (with Almond Ambrosia Cream Spread – not pictured)
Summery Spinach Orange Salad
Tiered server of assorted savories and sweets.
Top tier sweets…Wild Blueberry Bars and Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Lower tier of savories…Pimento Cheese Boats, Teriyaki Chicken Tea Sandwiches, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Zucchini Puffs
My plate filled with the tiered server delicacies!
Finial dessert…Lemon Ice Box Pie with Strawberries

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – May 2021

I am going to devote the next three posts to the Sweet Shalom Tea Room…our visits for May, June and July. Earlier this summer the dear owners of Sweet Shalom Tea Room, Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez, made the announcement they will be closing their tea room after 20 years of doing their wonderful themed teas by the end of this summer 2021. Reasons given are due to health, age, energy and that it seems to be a good time to put their beautiful tea room house on the market. David and I have so many happy memories with Sweet Shalom…definitely going to miss going to tea there and seeing our special friends. As I put together this post my emotions are weepy.

Here is our May visit…

Our table for two in the gift shop room.
The bright and lovely centerpiece.
My personalized menu with May’s theme…”In Honor of the Ladies – Our Mothers, Sisters, Aunts, and Daughters”.
Warm cream scones with jam and butter.
Always a refreshing cup of black tea for me!
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Tiered server of savories and sweets.
Egg Salad Tea Sandwich, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Veggie Confetti Puff Tea Sandwich, Spring Fruit Salad, Irish Lace Cookie
Daffodil Cake Parfait
Decadent Chocolate Cream Pie
The decorated fireplace mantle in the main parlor room.
Seasonal favorites of Harney & Sons Teas decorate the left side of the mantle.
A beautiful floral teapot decorates the right side of the mantle.

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – April 2021

I have not posted to my blog since March and need to do some catching up…in particular our trips to the Sweet Shalom Tea Room! David, Soapy and I travel to Sylvania, Ohio each month to enjoy their lovely and delicious tea meal offerings. The theme at Sweet Shalom for April was “Sunny Days and Daffodils”.

The Sweet Shalom Tea Room sign welcoming their guests
The beautiful restored Queen Anne style farmhouse that has been the home of the Sweet Shalom Tea Room since 1999
The main parlor’s fireplace mantle decorated for the April theme of “Sunny Days and Daffodils”
A close up view of the mantle decor
The fireplace mantle decor on the left side
The fireplace mantle decor on the right side
Our tea table for two
My personalized menu
Our table’s centerpiece
Warm from the oven Flaky Cream Scones
Butter and Lemon Curd accompany our scones
Savory course of Vegetable Pasta Frittata
Tiered server offerings…Baked Artichoke Tart, Chive Cream Crudité, Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Chicken Angelique Tea Sandwiches, Cherry Cream Cup and Oatmeal Extravaganza Cookies
Finale dessert of Moist Springtime Carrot Cake
And of course…steaming cups of Harney and Sons Premium Black Tea

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – March 2021

Last Sunday David, Soapy and I ventured to Sylvania, Ohio for our March visit to the Sweet Shalom Tea Room. Appropriately the theme for March is “An Irish Tea”. As always we enjoyed the scenic drive, tasty food and relaxing ambiance of our monthly outing to Sweet Shalom. Thank You to co-owners Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez, along with their dear staff members, for their loving hospitality!

The front parlor room mantle decorated beautifully for “An Irish Tea”
A breath of Spring!
Our table for two
David’s personalized menu
Floral table decor complimenting the floral mantle decor
Steaming cup of hot Irish Breakfast Black Tea
Oat Raison Scones (with butter and jam)
Creamy Potato Soup
Double tiered server of savories and sweets
Savory Tier of Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Corned Beef Hand Pie with Dipping Sauce, Rainbow Cabbage Slaw, and Ploughman’s Pate on Toast
Sweets Tier of Apple Crumble with Whipped Cream and Irish Potato Pinwheel Candy
Our plate laden with the savories and sweets
Finale dessert of Bread Pudding with Custard Sauce…yum!

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – February 2021

A break in the winter weather allowed us to safely travel to Sylvania OH for our February visit to the Sweet Shalom Tea Room. Our last visit was before Christmas. The tea room was not open for the month of January. We were able to dine-in for our 11:00am seating. Valentine’s was in the air with romantic roses and white lace tablecloths with a literary twist…the theme being “Happy Endings – Happy Hearts”.

The February theme “Happy Endings – Happy Hearts” took on special significance since our dear mother, Lila, passed on February 11, 2021 at the age of 88. Lila had often come with us to Sweet Shalom Tea Room, and the owners Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez were very fond of her. On our table was a beautiful framed print honoring Lila along with a lovely rose in vase. I must admit this touched me to the point of tears. It was so very lovely and thoughtful…Thank You Chris and Sara!

The February menu offerings were delicious as usual…warm Cream Scones with butter and homemade strawberry jam.

Followed by hot Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumpling Soup…perfect for a cold winter day!

Next a tiered server filled with assorted savories and sweets…Cucumber Tea Sandwiches, Fresh Radish Tea Sandwiches, Deviled Eggs, Baby Quiches (yum!), Pink Lemonade Tartlets, and Sweetheart Sugar Cookies.

And finally…a decadent Moist Chocolate Layer Cake with Chocolate Truffle Frosting and Whipped Cream!

The front parlor room with decorated fireplace mantle complimenting the February theme of “Happy Endings – Happy Hearts”.

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – December 2020

Catching up now with our visit to the Sweet Shalom Tea Room (Sylvania OH) in December. The theme was “Comfort and Joy”. Due to the uptick in the COVID virus and to protect their patrons, Sweet Shalom decided to only offer their take-out tea menu for the month of December….no dine-in seating. When David and I arrived, and parked in their back parking lot, we phoned the staff we were there, and within a couple minutes our packaged take-out tea food was delivered to us. Warm scones, hot soup, a covered tray filled with delicious savories and sweets, and a decadent dessert of Pecan Pie topped with whipped cream (which I did not get a picture of because we took it home to enjoy later)! Tall cups of hot tea also accompanied this take-out tea meal! While we miss the ambiance of sitting inside the Sweet Shalom Tea Room especially at Christmas time…taking our tea in the comfort of our own van had its own special leisurely fun. Soapy was with us too so it definitely was a family outing!

  • Menu for December “Comfort and Joy”
  • David and Soapy
  • Soapy eyeing the take-out tea packages!
  • Warm Cream Scone
  • Scones opened waiting to be spread with creamy butter
  • Hot Chicken and Vegetable Soup
  • The tray container of savories and sweets
  • Sweet Shalom owners – Chris Kruse and Sara Velasquez – provided a take-away gift to all their patrons
    of frosted cupcakes and decorations for us to add.
    Thank You Chris and Sara for creating this special December Take-Out Tea and
    for continuing to share your Themed Teas into 2021!

Sweet Shalom Tea Room – November 2020

We had another delightful visit to the Sweet Shalom Tea Room in Sylvania OH last Sunday for their 11:00am seating. David and I met up with dear tea friend Betty Hill. The theme for November is “Friends-giving”.

Doing a Google search came up with several explanations for the meaning of “Friendsgiving”…

Friendsgiving 101: The Origin, Date and Traditions

www.totallypromotional.com/blog/friendsgiving

Oct 24, 2018 · Friendsgiving is a gathering of close friends to share the spirit of Thanksgiving. A shorter definition is “Thanksgiving for friends.” Friendsgiving is sometimes the only Thanksgiving celebration for people who live far away from relatives, or can’t make it home for the traditional holiday due to school, work, weather or health reasons. Some people choose to spend the holiday with friends instead of the family due to estranged relationship.

What Is Friendsgiving? Here’s How This Popular Trend Started …

www.allrecipes.com/article/what-friendsgiving

Like mashed potatoes, the name Friendsgiving is a mashup of “friends” and “Thanksgiving.” The gist is to celebrate the American holiday with your best friends, while feasting on turkey, stuffing, pie, and other traditional fare. There is no set date to host this event — pre- or post-Thanksgiving works just fine.

www.merriam-webster.com/…/friendsgiving–meaning

Friendsgiving is a mashup of the word “friend” and “thanksgiving” that refers to a large meal among friends eaten during the Thanksgiving season. The level of formality is dependent on the participants, but the word first appeared around 2007 as an informal replacement for the holiday typically spent with family.

  • Personalized menu for the November theme of “Friends-Giving”
  • Oaten Scone with regular butter and apple butter
  • Chicken Corn Chowder
  • Three tier server filled with delicious savories and sweets
  • Ginger Molasses Cookies
  • Onion Puffs
    Apple Crisps



  • Roast Turkey with Cranberry Tea Sandwiches
    Broccoli Salad in Corn Chip Cup
    Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
  • Sweet Potato Streusel Pie with Whipped Cream
  • Table Centerpiece

Wild Plum Tea Room

On our way home from the Biltmore Estate in Asheville NC, we decided to take a side trip to Gatlinburg TN. While in Gatlinburg, I looked up to see if there were any tea rooms in the area. The Wild Plum Tea Room showed up in my search and had good reviews. So off we went looking for it. We drove around the mountains outside of Gatlinburg for an hour or more before we finally found the tea room! It was 2:45pm in the afternoon and the tea room closed at 3:00pm. We decided to venture inside just to look around but once inside we were invited to sit and have tea. And so we did!

I shared with you in an earlier post our elegant Afternoon Tea experience at the Biltmore Estate Hotel. The Wild Plum Tea Room was a whole different experience…for you see it was located in a log cabin! The Wild Plum staff was so friendly and the food delicious. Truly a memorable experience from start to finish!