As a little girl, a trip through Comber was not complete without passing the property with the over-sized black iron kettle in front of a gorgeous residence. Built in 1876, this house was many things over the years, but I always knew it as a bed and breakfast. It became a landmark for me, something to admire as I rode by, and day dream about what the inside of that Victorian house looked like. Unless I was planning a staycation, I never really thought I’d get the opportunity to actually put the visuals of The Iron Kettle Bed & Breakfast in mind to rest. That was until they began hosting afternoon tea events, of course.
A fan of afternoon tea herself, co-owner Ginette Tremblay, noticed there were not many options for this service in the area. As a follower of my tea journey, you know I’m a huge fan of Annabelle’s Tea Room in Kingsville, Ontario. But, that place really is the only spot for an afternoon tea experience. After some ideas and planning, Ginette thought they could host this type of public event at their B&B.
The Iron Kettle Bed & Breakfast isn’t shy to offering exquisite food experiences either as it is also run by an internationally experienced chef, Benjamin Leblanc-Beaudoin. The afternoon tea menu was not released ahead of time, so I went over expecting a variety of tea sandwiches. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Iron Kettle went above and beyond when planning this tea time.
The moment I walked through the doors of the bed and breakfast the staff greeted me and checked my coat. I was then directed to a side room where a dark wood table for two was set by the large windows that offered a serene view of a barn and pond. On the table were vintage and mismatched teacups, saucers, plates, milk and cream pots, along with the food and tea menu. 
After being seated at the reserved table, our lovely server welcomed us with a glass of local sparkling wine. Guests began the relaxing event by sipping bubbly and reading over the tea menu. The teas served were all from Harney & Sons, and the Iron Kettle had a nice selection of black teas, green teas and herbal tea blends. They recognize that narrowing it down to a single tea to try may be a challenge. So, they made guests aware that they could try as many teas as they’d like within the hour and a half service.
I was happy to hear this as I like pairing different teas with savoury and sweet items. Fortunately, that’s how their menu was organized for the afternoon. If a guest didn’t fancy a cup of tea, they also offered coffee and specialty coffee drinks.
I decided to begin the tea service with the English Breakfast black tea. Whole leaf tea sachets were brought out on another piece of vintage ware. A tall teapot filled with hot water was provided for multiple steeps. As I waited for the food and my tea to be the perfect strength, I took in the charming atmosphere. I listened to the jazz music softly playing in the background and tea cups clattering during conversations. It was the ideal setting for tea.
Before I knew it, a variety of three tier stands were being brought out to each table. They were all filled with the savoury portion of the menu. This included Deviled Eggs, Pesto Chicken Sandwich on Focaccia, Roasted Beet and Spinach Salad, Herb and Gouda Gougere and Tartare de Saumon. Vegetarian options were available, too. I enjoyed every bite with my English Breakfast tea sips, but I did have a favourite. The Roasted Beet and Spinach Salad was at the top of the savoury menu for me.
When the first half of the menu was complete, I decided to switch up the tea I was drinking so I could pair something else with the sweet menu. I went for Paris — one of my favourites from Harney & Sons. This is a black tea blend that consists of black currant, vanilla, caramel and bergamot flavours. If you’re a fan of earl grey tea, you might be a fan of this tea, too. This tea blend perfectly complimented the sweet menu. It included Chocolate Panna Cotta, Vanilla Macaron, Sucre a la Creme, Honey Almond Biscotti and Spelt Scones.
My favourite from the sweet menu was definitely the Chocolate Panna Cotta. It was dressed with fresh blueberries and crushed up cookies. However, I’m always amazed at how filling afternoon tea can be. Near the end of the event, I couldn’t take another bite or sip! I had to pack up my scone and eat it the following morning. It was then that I easily decided that it was my new favourite from the sweet menu. The scone was served with some of the best house made preserves and clotted cream I ever had. I wish I could head to the Iron Kettle every morning just to sit at that same table, with the same view and devour all their scones for breakfast.
The Iron Kettle Bed & Breakfast hosts this event multiple times throughout the year. The food and tea menu may vary for each date. This afternoon tea service costs $28.00 plus tax per person. This is super reasonable as it includes everything mentioned above from sparkling wine, to multiple teas, to culinary delights. With a quaint location and a chef that trained at Michelin Star restaurants, The Iron Kettle Bed & Breakfast has everything you need for an authentic afternoon tea experience.
If you’re local, follow The Iron Kettle on Instagram to know the next time they are hosting an afternoon tea event! I really look forward to seeing how this event evolves. Perhaps in the future they’ll pair certain teas with the menu or even create tea infused bites to serve. Either way, you can bet that I will be attending another date again soon 🙂
Visit The Iron Kettle Bed & Breakfast:
7005 County Road 46
Comber, Ontario, Canada
www.ironkettlebb.com
This sounds like you had fun! I liked the diversity of the foods. Maybe I should go for high tea again and blog about it. For the blog, of course!
what a great experience! I love all the cute tea ware and the fact you could try different teas during your visit. You painted a lovely picture of the setting too!
Thanks Jen! 🙂