Surprised, one morning, I was told to pack a bag, we were off for a night away. How exciting. A staycation on our vacation. Coming to the end of a packed visit to the UK, catching up with family and friends, we hadn’t had that much time together. Slightly frazzled from trying to cram in 2 years of life updates in under 2 weeks, we needed some time out. Enter the “date day”. So, finding solace in our silence, we found ourselves driving east, along the M62, the main artery that crosses from the historic dock city of Liverpool, ending in a slightly less historic city of Hull. Our destination was somewhat more quaint than Hull, in my humble opinion (nothing against Hull if we have any readers from there. I loved the Housemartins, if that helps.) We were headed to the country. We were slowing things down a little. We were headed for South Dalton, near Beverley. Our search for the best high tea continues.
A former coaching inn on the majestic Dalton Estate, since 2006 The Pipe and Glass has been run as a pub by James and Kate Mackenzie. And run to great acclaim, achieving a Michelin star in 2010 for the excellent restaurant (we had dinner that evening). There are also five boutique suites to make a night of a perfect day.
Living in Sydney, I yearn for the great British pub. And the Great British Pub at Pipe and Glass is up there with the best of them. Low ceilings. An open fire, the aroma of which hits your nostrils long before you see it. Add a wide selection of hand-pulled ales. A snug. Which self respecting pub hasn’t got a snug? And of course, great British food. Sitting in the bar, with my pint of Black Sheep, a rarity in my adopted home town of Sydney, I was excitedly anticipating the food were here for this afternoon. You may have read that I like a good high tea. In fact, I like all high teas (almost all…a recent weekend in Sydney was a disappointment but that is for another day), but I really, really like a good high tea.
My ongoing search for Sydney’s best high tea is well documented. And will continue. But the search recently moved to England, with the first cab off the rank being high tea at The Devonshire Arms. A high tea that I would highly recommend. Now it was time to sample the best that the Pipe and Glass had to offer.
Driving through the verdant, bucolic countryside in and around Beverley, through to the quaint village of South Dalton, my mouth was watering in anticipation. On arrival in South Dalton we were greeted with a sight that to me is quintessential England. White cottages lining the streets. All the cottages perfectly maintained. One of them occupying the old post office, with the original GR red post box still in situ. With the reign of King George being over since 1952 you are more likely to see postboxes bearing the insignia of his daughter, the Queen of England, ER (Elizabeth Regina). Green gardens, perfectly mowed lawns, stripes even my brother in law would be proud of, and pathways in full bloom with the early summer flowers. The smell of freshly cut grass taking me back to childhood games of football in the local park.
Taking our seats in the bar, in the bay window, we were soon sipping a glass of Gardet champagne, signifying the start of our “Pipe and Glass Afternoon Tea”. As we raised a glass, anticipating what lay ahead, we were soon presented with our range of rather excellent sandwiches. The quality of sandwiches with the high teas we have had in the UK really are a joy to behold. Today we had a selection of three. Mature cheddar, smoked salmon, and ham. Often described as having eyes bigger than my belly, which gets less likely with every passing year and new notch required on the belt, it always helps that the sandwiches are small. Each mouthful, each morsel is enjoyed, and treasured. Leaving you wanting more. Delicious.
The “more” is what follows. The second tier of the high tea tower. For some the piece de resistance. The scones. When writing about the Devonshire High Tea, I may have got carried away with my description of the clotted cream. Whilst it may have been the most delightful thing I had ever tasted, at that point, enter the clotted cream at Pipe and Glass. Oh man. Oh. Oh oh. And the scones? I could live on them. They were that good. Serving scones warm always helps, and as I slowly nibbled (yeah, right!) my scone I felt I was in a very happy place.
I could have stopped there. Stopped there and been a happy man. However, duty called. I still had to eat the top tier. No, I HAD to. The selection of cakes, delicacies, and nibbles. Whether I had room or not was a moot point. I had some research to do. These blogs don’t write themselves.
After all that food and champagne, I was ready for a nap. Lucky for us, we had elected to stay the night so we were able to repair to our cottage, Sage. An old barn, converted into luxury accommodation, the cottage was everything you would expect from luxury, boutique accommodation. The decor was delightful and the bed large and welcoming. I took full advantage.
As I’ve said, the Pipe and Glass is also home to a Michelin starred restaurant, and we were booked in for dinner. Yes, more research. More food. Thankfully, it was a late booking, so I had slept off some of the afternoon’s excesses by the time we sat down in the spacious, but still intimate restaurant. The food lived up to expectation, with the fish pie described as “quite possibly the best ever had”. High praise indeed. An excellent sardine dish opened my evening, and a traditional “bubble and squeak” followed. All excellently complemented by a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Gris. If we lived a little closer, not on the other side of the world, I could see the Pipe and Glass becoming a regular spot for dinner.
The cottages we stayed in each had a private courtyard, and this is where we decided to have our breakfast. You may sense I like food. You would be right. And one of the joys of staying in a historic British hotel is the proper English breakfast you get. What, you ask, is a proper English breakfast. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is a breakfast that includes a thick pork sausage, a slice of fried bread, and a hunk of black pudding. Everything else is incidental, but greatly welcomed, such as bacon, beans, and a sunny side up fried egg. That, my friends, is a proper “full english”. I don’t want to be unfair to the bacon, or the bloody good black pudding, but “James Whites” pork sausages are the kind of sausage that could see a man pack up all his worldly possessions and head on a slow boat home from Sydney.
Very full, and very happy, it was time to leave this slice of paradise. Staying overnight allows for rest and relaxation, but it never quite feels like long enough. Maybe that is the secret. You are always leaving when you wish you were staying. So the memories you take away are ones of longing. The Pipe and Glass is so well run, that you can’t but wish you were brave enough to undertake that tree change you have been promising yourself for many years now. Move to the country. Perhaps do something in hospitality (due to your love of people!), such as a boutique bed and breakfast, or maybe that small wine bar you keep talking about. Give people the kind of experience, and memories you have just had.
Who knows, one day maybe? Until then, I’m off to look for my next high tea.
[…] to spend a perfect day in Mosman. As much as I would have loved to have spent at lot longer at The Pipe and Glass on my recent trip to England, or had even more days in the Margaret River when I was last there at […]