I was doing some research on the net to look for the interesting places in York before my trip to York. There is this Betty's Tea Room being mentioned a lot of times in the Taiwanese travelers' blogs. The Traditional English High Tea is highly recommended by the travelers. Thus I was telling myself we must try the High Tea even though it is not mentioned in the York Visitor Guide.
Hence after arriving in York, settling down the accommodation in the Hostel, I told MT, 'Let's go to try Traditional English High Tea.'
'High Tea for lunch?'
'Yup, why not? It's very famous in York, and it can fill the stomach too.'
'Do you know where this Betty's Tea Room is?'
'Opps… I forgot to write down the address!'
I thought that this tea room is so famous, we should have no problem to locate it, and thus it has never come across me to copy down the address.
Well, since we were already in York, we can only try our luck hopefully we will run into this place.
It was almost 4 o'clock in the afternoon and we had not seen this Betty's Tea Room. We were both starving (even with a pastry each while wondering around the town). There are a lot of other Tea Houses and Tea Rooms. Nevertheless, we were looking for Betty's.
At the end, we both agreed to go for this little tea room which is recommended in the York Visitor Guide called The Earl Grey Tea Room.
It is a lovely tea house with oak beamed interior. It also has a lot of stylist teapots displayed throughout the tea house.
We ordered the English High Tea to share, also tea and coffee. Traditionally, High Tea is served at four or five o'clock，and it includes three particular courses served specifically in this order
Savories - Tiny sandwiches or appetizers
Scones - Served with jam and Devonshire or clotted cream
Pastries - Cakes, cookies, shortbread and sweets
We ordered Egg and Cucumber Sandwiches, Scones with strawberry preserve and Yorkshire clotted cream, and finally a piece of chocolate cake.
The three courses are served in a fashionable way of a tray set. The presentation is wonderful, but MT and I were both confused if the food is to be eaten on the tray or to be taken down from the tray.
We were both full from sharing just one set of High Tea, we can now imagine how Britons gain weight, from the heavy, sweet and creamy food.
p/s: We came across the Betty's Tea Room on the next day. It is an authentic, lovely, luxurious, traditional tea house serving a lot of delicious, mouth watering cakes, cookies, and sweets. It's also pricey. We didn't try their High Tea, but only the cookies for takeaway.
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还没去约克之前在台湾网上的部落格看到很多介绍贝蒂茶馆的传统英式下午茶，虽然约克的官方旅游册子并没有介绍，但我还是铭记在心，确保不忘了去一睹风采。
所以一解决住宿，放下行李，我就跟MT说：“肚子饿了，我们去尝尝传统英式下午茶吧。”
MT：“午餐时间吃下午茶？”
我：“是啊，很有名噢，一样吃得饱啊！”
MT：“你知道在哪儿吗？”
我：“啊！我忘了抄地址”
乌龙的我以为这闻名海外的茶馆应该不难找，也没想到要抄地址。
既来之，则安之，我们就开始大街小巷到处逛，碰运气希望可以找到这贝蒂茶馆。
逛到近下午四点钟，肚子已经打鼓了(虽然我们都各吃了一个PASTRY) ，走过许多茶馆，有些也非常有特色，但因为我只以贝蒂茶馆为目标，所以都没进去其他茶馆。但现在肚子饿得没法了，我们就选了约克官方旅游册子介绍的THE EARL GREY TEA ROOM。
官方介绍果然不同凡响，里面的摆设都很有特色，传统的茶具、古典式的碟碟碗碗摆在玻璃柜子里。
我们点了传统英式下午茶，因为英式下午茶理论上是有三个组合的食物，蛮多选择，我们选了第一层，巧克力蛋糕，第二层，司拱加鲜奶油与果酱，第三层，青瓜三文治，我们还各自点了不同的咖啡和茶，好兴奋噢。
食物上桌时是摆设在传统的餐架上，很特别。但我和MT暗地里在谈：“这些应该是拿下来吃还是就留在架子上呢？”
一份下午茶我们两个人吃都绰绰有余，在想怪不得英国人会胖，吃得多、又甜、又油。
后记：我们后来终於在隔天看到贝蒂茶馆，很美、很优雅，更卖着许许多多好吃的糕点饼干，还有茶叶、咖啡豆。但价钱也高了些许。我们没有再尝她的下午茶，只外卖她的糕点。
