An Invitation to Tea

It was absolutely delightful. The room was small and tastefully appointed. Shades were drawn against the afternoon sun.

Two pages of the menu listed a variety of teas. Every leaf you could imagine and more .

Our host personally welcomed us and his lady came to say hello.

It was quiet and relaxing. The conversation was fluid. We spoke of many things but mostly political campaigning. I know something about it. Three hours went by hardly noticed.

The tea came in pots.An egg timer on the table measured three minutes to steep.

Cups and saucers were bone china and the collection had a story. In a long marriage, every time there was disagreement, the husband would buy a china cup and saucer as a peace offering. When the little restaurant opened, the collection was presented as a gesture of good fortune.

There are twenty- four comfortable, high back, upholstered chairs and twelve small tables

The house is small and a hundred and fifty years old. It's a special treat to see how such a small space can be so utilised and so charming.

It's a modest little frame house which undoubtedly has seen many generations of children grow to maturity under its roof. None of whom would ever imagine that one day their home would be a charming little restaurant and people would come to tea and think about them.

The children would walk to school, up and down two hills to Church Street. They would have fun on toboggans in the winter and participate in the soap box derby organized by the Volunteer Firefighters every year, down Tyler Street to the bridge.

Over a hundred of Christmases would be celebrated in the house, some better that others. A depression and two wars are part of its history.

The children probably grew up to have jobs in Collis Leather or Fleury Plough works, which yard abutted their garden.

They would shop in Ardill's at the corner of Yonge and Wellington and later at Caruso's fruit store.

Their entire lives would be in Aurora and its immediate environs.

Some shoe makers were brought from industrial England to Aurora to work at Sisman's Shoe factory and never lived anywhere else.

None of the families of 42 Tyler Street would ever imagine, one day their home would be a charming little restaurant and people would come through the front door to sit down to tea or any other meal.

Delicacies were served on a three tiered Victorian china dish with a brass handle.

Tiny delicate open-faced sandwiches. melt-in the mouth scones with butter honey or jam and delicious petits fours. Everything baked on the premises by renowned chef Bijoy who has cooked for the Queen.

I met Bijoy and his wife at the street sale in June 2009. They were just opening the restaurant .
All this time, I've been meaning to visit. It took an invitation to tea to finally get there.

Don't let it take you so long.

It's special. It's at 42 Temperance Street.

They have parking but the Temperance Street parking lot is handy.

They're on line too at www.bijoysrestaurant.com