YACOLT — The richly imagined world inhabited by Anne of Green Gables, chronicled in nine novels and myriad TV series, is beloved by fans not only for the exploits of its plucky, red-haired namesake but also for its loving depiction of turn-of-the-century country life.
Guests at Pomeroy Farm on March 9 paid homage to Anne by savoring a bit of her era: the ritual of afternoon tea.
“It’s a lost art,” mused Jennifer Orr of Vancouver, who was sipping Yorkshire Gold tea with her daughter, Emma Haas, 8. “I think with tea, as opposed to just ‘eating food,’ you really take time to be present … you’re enjoying each little morsel.”
Emma said she liked the “cowcumber sandwiches” — bite-size circles of bread topped with herbed cream cheese and cucumber slices.
Anne with an ‘E’
The classic children’s novel “Anne of Green Gables” was written in 1908 by Lucy Maud Montgomery, and its popularity among readers of all ages inspired a total of eight successive novels, the last of which, “The Blythes Are Quoted,” was published posthumously in 2009. The series follows the adventures of a charmingly quirky orphan named Anne Shirley, adopted by the often-exasperated Marilla Cuthbert and her taciturn brother, Matthew; they live in a green-gabled house on Canada’s ruggedly beautiful Prince Edward Island.
Orr has been coming to tea at Pomeroy for at least two decades, when the upper story of the repurposed carriage house (now called The Gathering Place) operated as a weekend tea room. Orr’s father is British, so the farm’s tea service and gift shop were a way for her family to connect with their heritage — and the only local place, in the pre-internet era, to buy her father’s favorite imported English foods.
“The tea room was my grandmother’s passion project,” said fifth-generation Pomeroy family member Megan Miller, who organizes the annual Anne of Green Gables teas with her cousin, Betsy McKee.
The tea room and gift shop closed in December 2008, after McKee’s parents retired; now sit-down teatimes are offered only in November, December and March. Mother’s Day teas are off the menu this year because Miller and McKee are so busy in May, hosting school programs at the farm and preparing for the Country Life Fair on the last weekend in April.
“There’s just not enough people to go around to get everything done,” said McKee.
And there is plenty to do. McKee makes everything from scratch, planning menus up to a month in advance, prepping and baking for two days and making sure the buttery scones arrive at the table still warm from the oven.
Each item on the printed menu — including three types of sandwiches, lemon bars, raspberry tarts, minicupcakes and chewy, molasses gingersnaps — was paired with excerpts from the novels. McKee also featured a recipe from her grandmother’s cookbook: a refreshing, chilled apricot soup.
Scarlett Young, 4, was delighted with the array of goodies on her plate, though she puzzled for a moment over how to eat the soup: with a spoon, or by sipping it directly from its cut glass teacup?
“My grandmother would say,” noted McKee, “if it is served in a cup with a handle, then you can drink it.”
Scarlett was there with her mother, Heather Young, who had a personal connection with Pomeroy Farm: She worked in the tearoom 20 years ago. The pair were accompanied by Paulette Stinson, Young’s mother and Scarlett’s grandmother.
“We are Anne fans,” Young said. “But we also wanted to bring Scarlett because she loves tea parties.”
Vancouver resident Jonathan Althans was raised in New Orleans with the tradition of afternoon teas. He was there with his wife, Amy, and their children, Bennett, 2, and Elsie, 4, who was cheerfully devouring a tiny chocolate cupcake.
The couple liked the 1980s Anne of Green Gables miniseries, but the event’s true appeal was sharing the joy of teatime with their children.
“I would come for any of the teas,” said Amy Althans, who has enjoyed tea at Pomeroy Farm since she was young — and she wasn’t the only guest with fond memories of the farm, where freshly baked goods and elegant details have garnered a following as devoted as any literary fandom.
“I’ve been coming to Pomeroy House since I was a little girl,” said Courtney Margolin of Vancouver. She and her mother, Karen Evans, had attended other teas at the farm and are longtime fans of the annual spring Herb Festival (now called the Country Life Fair).
Evans said the Anne of Green Gables tea was an ideal occasion to introduce her granddaughter — Madeline Meyers, 8 — to the books as well as the pleasures of a Pomeroy Farm teatime.
All over the room, silverware and teacups clinked, conversation flowed and people took time to savor the moment. Parents and children filled each other’s cups and, just maybe, another generation of tea-drinkers was born.
There are two more Anne of Green Gables teas — March 23 and 30 — but Miller said they are fully booked; tea-lovers can plan to attend one of the Christmas teas in December. The price ($26 per person) includes a tour of the Pomeroy log cabin, built in 1920 and filled with vintage treasures.
For those who can’t wait that long to visit the farm, the Country Life Fair is set for April 28 and 29, and October (Anne’s favorite month, fans might note) will see a hayride down Pumpkin Lane. The farm is at 2092 N.E. Lucia Falls Road, Yacolt. To learn more, visit PomeroyFarm.org.
