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| A slice of delicious Fig & Orange cake |
Let us start this introduction to The Heydon Village Tea Shop with a look at The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers mission statement:
We of 'The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers', are dedicated to the pursuit of the many shades of meaning to be found in wonderful old places. With learning, tweed, companionship, cake and laughter, we rove in search of historic delectations. Huzzah!
As you will see, 'cake' is given an explicit mention in this, our founding charter, and the pursuit of a fine slice has always been a part of our quest. I mention this in order to emphasise the extreme seriousness with which we approach the subject. To reinforce this point, here is a short stop-go animation I made on location today, to demonstrate what happens when a Ragged Rambler encounters a scrumptious slice of cake...
Having made that clear, let us move onto the business at hand...
The Magic Ingredient Is Love
In my opinion, The Heydon Village Tea Shop is quite simply the finest tea shop in Norfolk... in fact, it is my favourite anywhere! 'Quite a claim!' I hear you exclaim. Perhaps it is, but, given the extensive cake-related research that we Ragged Ramblers have undertaken over the years as we scour this land for heritage-related wonders, we can make an informed judgement I feel.
Just as a beautiful musical ensemble involves the interplay of lots of elements, so it should be with a place I choose to eat, relax and spend my time (and coin). What are the 'ingredients', then, that make this tea shop so special?
A Warm Welcome...
I have to be honest, having visited Heydon Church on a number of occasions I hesitated to cross the Tea Shop threshold, being fearful that it might prove to be a bit... well, a bit too posh for the likes of me ("He's just a poor boy from a poor family, spare him his life from this... gastronomy"). However, I couldn't have been more wrong about this. From the very first time I made the excellent decision to visit the Tea Shop, I have been struck by the warm and natural way in which we have been greeted.
Personality & Passion...
The Tea Shop is borne of a passion and dream held by the current proprietors, Cindy and Jamie. From the moment you bite into one of Cindy's cakes you know that, for her, making and baking cake is a labour of love. All of the cakes are made by her. Although she is always experimenting with new ideas, many of the cakes are family recipes handed down from both of her grandmothers. I love this element of baking heritage. We get to taste the fruits of accumulated knowledge and know-how. The food here has both integrity and authenticity.
Care & Quality...
There are so many thoughtful personal touches in The Tea Shop. For instance, if you are a keen baker yourself there is a small library of recipe books available to browse through. Today, when I enquired to Cindy about the lace net that covers the sugar bowl, she explained that these were made from the curtains that they inherited when they took over the shop. In addition, the single button on each one once belonged to her beloved grandmother. From the china to the cutlery to the decor, the 'feel' of the Tea Shop is tasteful and elegant. It is a space composed with a designer's 'eye'.
As well as sampling the outstanding quality cakes, I have taken it upon myself to try most of the lunch menu. In keeping with the cakes, everything has been of the highest quality - locally sourced where possible and beautifully presented. To cite just one example: I am not usually a fan of the baked potato, but here at the Tea Shop the humble potato is made to 'sing'. Lavish and tasty toppings with a lovingly prepared salad make for a really pleasing lunch.
Value for Money...
The prices are what I would describe as 'mid-range'. However, in relation to the quality of the food, the service and the ambience, I think that they represent great value for money. Another important reason for me really loving it here, is that the staff are very forthcoming with extra hot water to top up one's tea. For me, this is always something that is much appreciated. It is no coincidence that the two main establishments I know of who offer this are the ones I most regularly frequent.
Gifts...
I noted today that they have 'Heydon Village Tea Shop Vouchers' for sale as gifts. What a lovely way to show your appreciation of someone - say, a good friend in a tweed jacket. I can tell you now that were any of my fellow Ragged Ramblers to decide to treat me to some of these, in recognition of my services to antiquarian exploration and absurdity, it would be simply capital!
Setting...
The Tea Shop is located in one of the most picturesque villages in Norfolk. It is the archetypal manorial village - indeed, it is actually one of the few privately owned villages in Britain. The church, with its fascinating medieval wall paintings and gargantuan memorial to seventeenth century Lord of the Manor, Erasmus Earle, is well worth visiting in its own right. Likewise, the grounds of Heydon Hall are open for the public to walk around.
Summing up then, The Heydon Village Tea Shop is a very special place.
Go see for yourself (but save some cake for me!)
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| A cake is not just for Christmas! |
The Heydon Village Tea Shop has been added to the Ragged Ramblers Google Map (see below).
View The Ragged Society of Antiquarian Ramblers map in a larger map
~ Please note: this review represents the personal view of Munro Tweeder-Harris, Esq. ~
