Pamela’s Tearoom

Tearooms come and go in America, but ex-pat Pamela Brand from York has weathered the last two decades’ economic storms and trends to establish herself as an icon in the Orange County, California tea community.

We asked her some pointed questions and found her answers delightfully candid.

How long ago did you come to the states and what brought you here in the first place?

I came to the states in 1993. I was going through a divorce and could not settle, so I came out here to visit friends who I had met when I was a nanny here in 1966. I decided whilst here that I wanted to come back and open a tearoom. The feeling was so strong ― gut and all that ― that when I went back to England I put the wheels in motion. A very heart wrenching time to leave my children; Katie was 23 and James 20, but nevertheless my babies. Took me about 10 years to call this place home.

What did you do professionally prior to coming stateside?

I worked in the Probation Service on the Youth team. Quite an eye opener. The youths that came through the system don't stand a chance. They all came from backgrounds of some crime or another and grew up in that environment. Lot of them were good kids. Sad thing is we cannot do anything for the children until they come through the system. I had one mother call me to say here 14-year-old was off to the town centre to meet undesirable persons what could she do about it. I told her to give him a good hiding and stop him going out. I told my boss and got my wrists slapped. He said there is nothing we can do to help until he does something that gets him into the system. This lady needed help before her son got into trouble.

Has living here changed you? And if so, how?

Living here has changed me in as much as I am Pamela Brand not Mrs Malcolm Brand. My first husband is a good guy, but we just grew apart. Still friends today. I am a lot more garrulous than I was and have opinions that I am not afraid to speak of, but sometimes not a good idea. My daughter tells me I am opinionated, but I tell her I just air my views.

What misconceptions do yanks harbor when it comes to tea service?

When I first had a tearoom, I used to notice that the cup was often separated from its companion ― the saucer ― and finally decided that Yanks are used to drinking out of mugs which do not have saucers. I could have saved a lot of washing up had I just served a cup. They also like to have scones first.

Have you noticed any trends among tea room customers over the years?

We have quite a lot of young people coming through, often in groups of 4 or 5. They enjoy the experience and like the peace and quiet to visit with friends in a friendly atmosphere, instead of coffee shops where computers rule. Another thing is the ladies do not dress with hats very much anymore. They come to tea to be comfortable with whomever they are with and dress accordingly for the amount of food they are about to indulge in!

If you were going to tea, where would you like to go? And what would you look forward to eating?

To be honest, I have only been to tea a couple of times. It is not my first choice when going out with a friend. I love to serve tea and the food to go with it and see the people enjoy the experience, but I would rather have Sushi.

A bold claim has been made by your webmaster that you make literally "the best scones in the universe." What should a perfect scone be like?

I really don't know. I don't eat scones.

How much tea do you personally drink on average each day?

I used to drink a lot of tea, 8- 10 cups a day. Now I drink more coffee. Since coming here, I found that the tea made in restaurants comes from the hot water from the coffee machine and therefore is not anywhere near hot enough to brew a good pot. Also, being a tea snob, I do not like drinking tea out of a thick, pot mug. Coffee is fine, but tea? No. Also, Lipton’s is not a good tea here. In England it is far superior.

What do you foresee for tearooms over the next few years?

When I first came here and opened a tea room in Orange, there was a tea boom and tea rooms were popping up all over. During the following 10 years many closed. You cannot survive on tea alone. Most tea rooms now are attached to an antiques store or grocery store or something to bring in alternative income. The tea room will continue, but not on as wider scale. However, we shall survive!!!

Any exciting plans or projects you're looking forward to at your tearoom?

Just staying open at the moment and fighting the economy. However, we plan on doing some special events every 2-3 months and try and keep a variety of themes.

Afternoon tea in process