Even though I am a small town girl, the city of Hamilton in Ontario, Canada has a piece of my heart. Heather Peter resides in Hamilton as a marketer and designer and also has a blog devoted to the food scene in the city. After I had moved out of the city, I began following her blog, Hamilton Small Fries. It allows me to still feel connected, especially on days I miss it the most. When we first reached out to one another Heather was working for a tea company, enrolled in a tea course and dreaming of her future mobile tea shop. At the tea table we revisited her travelling tea trailer plans, her favourite afternoon tea spots and what teas she would pair with her favourite meals from local restaurants.
The kettle is on and I can hear it about to sing. What tea are you going to steep for us today?
I typically go for a classic black like English or Irish Breakfast in the day, and Peppermint or Chamomile at night. But I would definitely base what I serve around what my company likes. I have a pretty big tea selection, so depending on whether you prefer caffeinated or herbal, flavoured or unflavoured, fruity, chocolatey, etc.,…I probably have it.
Can’t go wrong with a classic black tea! That has been my morning go-to since the start of my tea journey. How did your journey with tea begin?
Coming from a huge Irish family, tea has always been a major part of family gatherings. If there’s no tea at the party all hell pretty much breaks loose. When I was three or four, I had a tiny china tea set that my mom would set up for me and friends to have tea parties. For the most part, it was just sugar water with the smallest amount of tea, but I think that’s where my love of tea (and tea culture) first blossomed.
This isn’t our first interview! A few years back, we chatted about your mobile tea shop idea, Tea Amo. Will you revisit this idea or something similar in the future?
Actually, yes! When I initially came up with the idea of Tea Amo, the timing just wasn’t right, but I never let go of the dream. My mom retired this year, and since it’s always been her dream to own a tea shop as well, we’re planning to partner! It’s still in the initial stages of start-up but we’re hoping to have a couple private events set up for this summer.
I think my relationship with tea has kind of gone the same way as the mobile tea shop idea – I have simplified both, going back to the classics and what works.
A mother-daughter tea partnership…what a sweet idea! I hope to visit the city again just for your mobile tea shop. One of the things I miss about Hamilton is my favourite afternoon tea room, but it’s actually no longer there.
If it was Let Them Eat Cakes, I totally agree about missing it!
I don’t think I’ve heard of that one, but my favourite was The Vintage Garden Tea Room on Locke Street!
Ahh yes, I loved The Vintage Garden Tea Room, too!
Take us on a tour of Hamilton’s tea shops and cafes today.
Recently, my friends and I have been trying to visit all of the tea rooms and other places nearby that serve high/afternoon tea, which has been super fun. All of them are so different, and I feel like they all have their pros and cons. My favourite in the area is probably Abigail’s Tea Room in Saint George. They have it all: great customer service, amazing food, cool décor, a great tea selection, and a mix of traditional and modern dishes. In Hamilton, I love the food at Taylor’s Tea Room, the service and inexpensive cost of The Duchess, and the atmosphere at Heaven’s Kitchen.
As a tea lover and foodie, if you could pair a tea with a dish from one of your favourite restaurants you have featured on Hamilton Small Fries, what would that pairing look like?
That’s such a tough one! I have had so many amazing meals at local restaurants. Perhaps I would go with a tortas from Maria’s Tortas Jalisco (very under-rated) and serve it up with something like an iced rooibos or herbal fruit tea – something to cut and balance out the spice. Or I might do Moody’s Fried Provolone Cheese with a bold and earthy Pu’erh. 
Speed Round:
Black, Green, Yellow, White, Oolong or Puerh?
Black.
Hot, Iced or Cold?
Hot please!
Teapot, Infuser or Gaiwan?
If I’m alone, infuser, if I’m with someone – teapot.
Straight, Sweetened or Latte?
Straight.
Cheese or Chocolate pairing?
Depends what kind of mood I’m in, but probably cheese.
You’re stranded on a desert island and you could only bring 3 tea related items. What did you bring?
A kettle to put over a campfire, black tea, and milk … or maybe powdered milk since there’s no fridge to keep it cool.
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ABOUT THIS SERIES: Tea tells stories and when connected with humans, more are created. That’s where the idea for this blog series, At the Tea Table, originated. With this series, The Cup of Life asks tea lovers around the world to take us inside their tea lives to share their favourite steeps, spaces, routines and more. Meet some of your fellow tea drinkers here.