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The split scones with Devon cream and Manchester preserves is the first hint that traditional South Texas cuisine won't be served here.
But that's why patrons come to this little slice of England tucked away off Schertz Parkway.
The British fare and afternoon teas served at Bawdsey Manor tea room in Schertz offer a special blend of culture and soothing ritual that's drawing guests from near and far.
The response from customers has been enthusiastic.
"I love the nice little setting," comments customer Janie Saldua.
"It's like being at home," chimes in her lunch guest, Celia Benavides. "And the food's really, really good."
The fact that the tea room has gained in popularity comes as no surprise to its customers, who have watched Bawdsey Manor grow from a mere idea into a thriving business over the past seven years.
Owners and sisters Christine Thomas and Vicki Seder weren't sure what to expect when they decided to convert their antique furniture business into a tea room.
But if the British-born siblings had used conventional wisdom and rote business practices, their idea likely never would have come to fruition, they admit.
After all, the idea of a tea room in Schertz could be considered risky in a culture wedded more to coffee and donuts than scones and English tea.
Still, the sisters, who love both the beverage and the ritual surrounding it, had a hunch that area residents would develop a taste for British flavor.
Their hunch has proven correct.
Patrons are drawn to the establishment's British tea poured from porcelain pots into delicate bone china cups. But there's more than tea on the menu.
Devonshire split scones baked from scratch, piled high with authentic English cream; traditional meat and Shepherd's pies; cucumber sandwiches; and mouth-watering fish and chips are popular.
As customer Susan Huggins, an employee at nearby Randolph Air Force Base, describes it, "The food is better than outstanding."
"Everything is cooked to order," Seder says. "It comes right off the stove and onto the table."
Starting from scratch
Seder took the lead in starting the business in 1996. Her original concept was for Bawdsey Manor to...