Having your afternoon tea and scones at the Rosen House on the grounds of 90-acre music venue Caramoor takes you back to a bygone era where white-glove service was the order of the day. It takes hold of one’s imagination, into a different time and its customs. The afternoon kicks-off with a guided tour of the Rosen family’s lives and passions including stories behind the beautiful pieces of fine and decorative arts on display at the Rosen House, a Mediterranean-style villa. The family collected these pieces over the years, spent their summers entertaining friends at the estate, restored the buildings and in time turned the Caramoor Estate into a well-loved arts and music center. The estate at the time was also a fully operational farm. From the tour, I learned the Rosen family, like myself, loved organic fresh produce. Whenever the family returned to their apartment in the city, they had their fresh milk and eggs delivered daily from Caramoor, by their chauffeur!
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Today, beautiful Renaissance and 20th-century period rooms have replaced the barns and coops; it’s now a vibrant center for music and arts. You can experience music in nature, stroll the grounds, and explore the allure of their beautiful perennial and cultivated landscapes.
Tea is served in the open air Summer Dining Room overlooking the Spanish Courtyard. The tea is a choice of English Breakfast or Earl Grey served with traditional three-tiered silver trays filled with scrumptious scones, sandwiches, and cookies. The Rosen House has partnered with local caterer, The Market on Spring in South Salem, for these gorgeous afternoon treats. The ingredients are seasonal and local or homemade with sandwiches such as mushroom, goat cheese, a secret mix of herbs on a truffle panini. The menu also offers more traditional tea sandwich fillings such as cucumber and salmon, house-cured by the caterer. One of my favorites was the assorted scones served with preserves and homemade maple scallion whipped butter. Who needs clotted cream if you can have homemade butter instead? I highly recommend the lemon-basil shortbread bars for those with a sweet tooth.
There is so much to see and do at this historic landmark. Make sure you allow yourself enough time after tea to walk through the gardens on a lazy, sunny afternoon.
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The Concert & Afternoon Tea events start with the Mothers & Others Tea Musicale on Mother’s Day weekend, May 13th and runs through to September. These events include a guided tour of the extraordinary Rosen House, featuring fine and decorative arts collected throughout the lives of the Rosen Family. After the tour, a mini-concert will take place in the Music Room followed by the Afternoon Tea, elegantly served in the cozy Summer Dining Room. Reserve now at www.caramoor.org as this special tea musicale sells out every year.
Box Office open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
914.232.1252; boxoffice@caramoor.org
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