By Stacey Tinsley, Press-Tribune
In a fractious era, tea room establishments provide an oasis. From elegant to casual, locals can enjoy afternoon tea service at Shreveport’s Sweetport. “Our tea experience is the only one like it north of Lafayette that we know of. All of the recipes have been tested among our English friends to ensure their authenticity. And it’s just a fun experience for all ages,” said Sweetport owner Nicole Spikes.
“The service includes a tiered tray with tea sandwiches (classic cucumber, egg salad, chicken salad), blueberry scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, sweets course with macarons, mini pavlova, and any petite dessert that I want to make to change it up a bit. The menu may vary occasionally as I introduce new sandwiches, scones, or desserts. Each table gets 1-3 pots of tea depending on the party size. The patrons for tea service can choose from a variety of loose teas and pre-made tea bags,” she added. As many locals know, Sweetport is known for its delectable homemade ice cream, milkshakes, floats, snoballs, and confections such as Shorty Lenard’s Black Forest cake (whole and individual), pavlova with lemon curd and fruit (whole or sliced), scratch-made oatmeal cream pies, black & white cookies, macarons, and brownies.
Why did Spikes decide to introduce an afternoon tea service? To put it simply, she wanted to share her personal food experiences from her travels with her local customers. “My husband and I enjoy traveling as much as we can with our three children (Elijah 16, Isaac 13, and Camille 11). We’ve been all over the U.S., but our most inspiring trips have been to Paris and Greece (twice). It was on these trips that I first learned to make meringue and macarons in Paris. This would later fuel my confidence to try the Shorty Lenard cake, which is now a staple in our shop. Growing up, I always enjoyed tea. And through our travels and some totally unexpected friendships that happened by happenstance in Wales and England, it just seemed natural that I would blend ideas gleaned through our family’s foodie wanderlust (and my love of tea) into an authentic proper tea experience,” said Spikes.
Spikes is sharing her made-from-scratch sandwiches and sweet treats with her afternoon tea service customers. However, she is also supporting other local small businesses. “All items are scratch-made in our production kitchen. We also collaborate with other local food establishments to curate our selections. For instance, we use Lowder Baking Company bread for the sandwiches and have a few other possibilities that we are considering,” said Spikes.
For those who do not have the time for a full afternoon tea service, Spikes says she is looking into offering a more simplified tea service for locals. “We will be having at least two tea services per month and may add more as we get better at getting it down to a science. I am wanting to train my staff so that we can offer a walk-in cream tea option on the weekends that we don’t have an afternoon tea service. A ‘cream tea’ includes a pot of tea and scones with the clotted cream and lemon curd. So, a simplified tea option,” said Spikes.
If you are interested in experiencing Sweetport’s afternoon tea service for an upcoming special event such as: Mother’s Day, a bridal shower, a baby shower and so on, you can email Nicole Spikes at: [email protected].
“Our location is small. So, we can only host smaller parties at this time and we will have limited bookings per month,” said Spikes.
A Brief History of Afternoon Tea
The afternoon tea tradition began in upper-class English homes of the 1830s, when the after-dinner tea ritual moved earlier in the day to around 4 p.m., which helped to fill the seven-hour gap between lunch and a late dinner. Though she did not pioneer the afternoon tea tradition, Anna Maria Russell (7th Duchess of Bedford), established the afternoon tea trend among members of Queen Victoria’s court in the mid-1840s. Once Queen Victoria (the original “influencer”) adopted the custom, the world soon followed.
Americans seeking to demonstrate their own status and refinement imitated English high society by becoming a part of the afternoon tea trend. In setting the trend, finely dressed guests would enjoy light finger foods with tea while seated around low sitting dining tables in the drawing room or parlor. Over time, the meal accompanying the afternoon tea became more elaborate. And by the early 20th century, it had become the iconic three-tiered presentation found today across Georgia with a variety of picturesque settings, from historical homes to luxury hotels.
Sweetport is located at 3301 Line Ave, Shreveport, LA 71104
