Photo by Deborah Stone
The Peach Tree Bakery and Tea Room is located in Bothell’s Country Village.

“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea,” wrote Henry James.

This oh, so civilized custom, which is an age old tradition in a number of countries around the world, is not, sadly enough, a part of the fabric of American culture. Perhaps it stems back to our abhorrence of anything British after we fought tooth and nail for our independence from Mother England. In defiance, we became a society of coffee drinkers that had no time for such an antiquated ritual.

Over the years, the pace of life has accelerated and now we rush here and there, ordering our elaborate java concoctions to go in disposable cups that we sip at while driving in the car or working at our desk. We can’t seem to slow down and take time out of our busy day to relax and regroup.

But, we desperately need to be reminded of the importance of this necessity. A visit to a tea room can serve as the perfect prompt.

The Peach Tree Bakery and Tea Room in Bothell’s Country Village specializes in dealing with harried, stressed-out folks.

At this charming café, time stops as soon as you step inside. Soothing music and soft tones create a peaceful haven for your temporary respite. The décor speaks of your grandmother’s living room, with floral patterned tablecloths, lace doilies and antique furnishings.

But then you look closer and notice the bits of whimsy here and there, like hand-painted frogs and dragonflies and proverbs about tea penned by everyone from rock stars to Japanese philosophers. There are pictures of old-fashioned ads and photographs of yore, along with a collection of assorted china plates that deck the walls.

The smell of exotic teas around the world mixes with a heavenly baked goods aroma. You sink into a chair, take a deep breath and then let it out with a contented sigh. The hardest part is over. You’ve left the hustle and bustle behind and now you can simply sit and luxuriate in your surroundings.

If you’re up to the challenge, peruse the menu of extensive teas or do as I did and ask the waitress for some suggestions.

I went with the lovely Lady Londonberry, a full-bodied black tea with subtle hints of lemon and strawberry.

The majority of teas served at the Peach Tree come from the Metropolitan Tea Company.

“I sampled many teas,” says Kristine Hawthorne, the restaurant’s owner and baker/chef, “and Metropolitan really has the best and most varieties of tea out there, in my opinion. We stock over 50 varieties of their teas, from the well-known English teas to the rarer Rooibos, or red bush teas. The most popular ones we serve are the Peach Apricot, the Lady Londonberry and Angel’s Dream, a combination of green and black teas with a touch of wild blackberry.”

The Peach Tree Bakery and Tea Room has been a labor of love for Hawthorne, who opened the place five years ago.

She studied at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York and worked most recently as a pastry chef at the Convention Center in downtown Seattle before deciding to go solo.

Her first thought was to keep it simple and open a bakery, as baking is her forte, but then she was encouraged to expand her idea to encompass a tea room. “I love to bake,” comments Hawthorne. “You might say I’m passionate about it. It’s such enjoyable, satisfying work. I first learned the art from my Danish grandma and many of the recipes I use today come from her. As a child, I would help her in the kitchen and she showed me how to make everything from scratch. She was a great teacher.”

Hawthorne’s talent is apparent in the light, flaky scones she serves with homemade English cream and lemon curd, and in the delicately flavored mini tea cookies (try the cocoa blackberry thumbprints or the melt-in-your-mouth shortbreads) that customers clamor for constantly.

They also swoon for her heavenly lemon bars and chocolate chip caramel concoctions. And the die-hard chocoholics go crazy for her double chocolate fudge brownies.

You can order any of these creations individually or opt for one of the afternoon tea-for-two specials, which include a pot of tea, basket of warm scones, tier of crustless tea sandwiches and an assortment of fresh baked tarts and pastries.

Those with eyes bigger than their stomachs will eagerly want to try Sir Mumford’s Grand Afternoon Tea, a full meal deal of tea, soup, fruit, scones, sandwiches and sweets that is almost impossible to finish in one sitting.

Lunchtime regulars also make their way to the Peach Tree for Hawthorne’s grilled, panini-like sandwiches, homemade soups and salads. And if, by chance, you’re looking for that special occasion cake, Hawthorne will be happy to take your order.

She says, “Cake making and decorating is fun and it allows me to be creative, but it does take a lot of time, so I usually can’t do as much of it as I would like.”

On your way out, don’t forget to take a look at the one-of-a-kind fine porcelain teapot sets and the various tea accessories on sale in the little, doll-sized gift shop at the front of the restaurant. You can purchase everything you need to re-create teatime in your own home, including a bag of the restaurant’s housemade scone mix.

“There’s just something about tea that encourages people to slow down,” comments Hawthorne, “and in today’s world, that’s a good thing.”