One day last week, baker Terri Moss tweeted a photo of one of her creations, a delicious peach and cream scone. When I responded to Terri how good the scone looked, she invited me down to the tea shop, A Taste of Britain, to try one. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity!
A Taste of Britain is tucked away in the corner of Eagle Village Shops, behind George Perrier’s restaurant off Route 30. It’s a quaint little tea shop. Inside the front door is a small takeout shop where regulars stop in to buy fresh baked goods and classic British imports such as Walkers Potato Chips and a variety of British candy.
Off to the left, in the charming restaurant, a mother shared tea and conversation with her two teenage daughters. The manager, Lisa McNutt, greeted me and contacted Terri who was hard at work in the kitchen. Terri emerged wearing her baker’s apron, a bandana and a big smile. Over a scone and a raspberry iced tea, she told me about baking British specialties.
Terri explained they are primarily a tea shop, serving over fifty types of teas. “But people want scones with their tea.” Terri listed out the assortment of scones she bakes: Buttermilk, Raisin, Lemon, Cherry Almond. They also carry Chocolate chip scones, a hit with the kids. Each month, they also offer a special scone. For July it’s a Peaches and Cream scone. When Terri asked which I wanted to try, I had to go with the special.
“Scones are similar to a biscuit.” Terri explained. “We use six pounds of flour for one batch of scones. Authentic British scones are not as sweet as the scones you often find in chain shops. They are more dense than bread.”
Terri explained the process as she’d recently made six batches of scones. She laid out all the ingredients; butter, flour, eggs, water. There’s no yeast in scones. After mixing it all together in a mixing bowl, she further pounds it by hand. She uses a biscuit cutter to slice them to size before baking.
Lisa, who started at the shop as a baker, jumped in. “It’s a fine line with the liquid when making scones. You don’t want it to be too wet or too dry. Authentic scones are not too sweet.”
My peaches and cream scone was dense as they described, though it was moist enough not to crumble as I pulled it apart. The cream cheese on the top was delectable. “With the peaches and cream, I don’t have to add much water since the peaches provide the moisture. It’s all about the balance.” Terri said.
Terri and Lisa conversed about how they can tell the subtle difference of the scones depending on the baker, and then with a joy that showed their love for their work, they discussed their preferences for eating scones.
In addition to baking batches of scones, Terri also bakes mini-pastries, tarts and petifores. She also bakes special orders for both takeout and their catering service. This week, her creations included both carrot cake and french toast bread pudding. “All our cakes are made from scratch,” Terri said. “Baking has always been a happy place for me. I love baking.”
During my visit, Terri also explained a bit about baking other British specialties such as pasties, pork pies and sausage rolls.
Pasties are fillings wrapped in a type of pie crust, and the cheese and onion is one of their most popular. “The key to making a good cheese and onion pasty is to dry the onion out so the pasty doesn’t become too moist.”
In addition to the baked goods, A Taste of Britain serves sandwiches. Many people come in for the Full Afternoon Tea, which includes eight tea sandwiches, a scone, three pastries, and a pot of tea.
In winter, they bake hearty classic British fare such as steak and kidney pie and shepherds pie. They have a book club that meets regularly and the local chapter of the Red Hat Society meets there. British ex-patriates stop by to stock up on foods they miss. And of course, mothers bring their daughters. “This morning, a grandmother was having tea with her young granddaughter.” Terri smiled. “It’s so fun to see.”
A Taste of Britain is located at 503 West Lancaster Avenue, Wayne PA 19087. Phone number is 610-971-0390. They are open Mondays through Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
