The Tea Cosy

Scones. They are probably one of my favourite things to eat for afternoon tea. Add on some jam and cream, and I am in heaven! It's hard to find the perfect scone. I sure can't bake some even if my life depended on it, and most ones that I find at bakeries just don't meet my expectations. They are either too dense, or too dry, and always seem to disappoint. The last amazing scone I remember having was when I went on a road trip to Woollongong with my best friends for my 22nd birthday. These scones were not only large, but were also light and fluffy, and had the right amount of crispiness to the outside which I love.

So when I came across the 'Tea Cosy' on the internet whilst I was looking for a good afternoon tea spot, and they stated that they had "Scones like Nanna used to make them", I knew I was on to a winner!

Based on George St at the Rocks, the Tea Cosy is known for its scones and high tea. It does not command a large space, as it is an old terrace house that has been converted into a cafe, however provides a very 'homely' atmosphere. Out the front of the cafe (where the lounge would have been), is a little store that sells some novelty items. Walking down the corridor toward the backyard is where the kitchen is situated, with some seating available close to the kitchen and in the backyard itself. However given that it was a hot day and there was not much ventilation, we chose to proceed upstairs to catch the breeze.

We were lucky enough to be able to snag a table on the balcony, from where we could see the hustle and bustle of the Sunday markets below. As both o
f us had not had lunch that day, we decided that in addition to the scone, we would also try some of their sandwiches. We ordered the cucumber and cheese along with the curried egg sandwiches. In addition to this we ordered a basket of scones (1 each). The great thing about this cafe is that they have a number of home made jams from which we could choose from. Tossing up between the rhubarb and the fig, we ended up settling on the fig and ginger jam and cream on the side. Although a hot tea or coffee would have been perfect to marry this meal, the weather was just too hot, so we decided to order the black ice tea with mint and berries.

First the drinks arrived, and they were amazing. Not the typical ice tea that you buy from some restaurants and stores that are full of sugar and taste like syrup. This version tasted authentic, with the intensity of the black tea allowing the flavours to really come through. Although it was hard to get to the berries at the bottom of the glass, they provided a refreshing burst of flavour to the beverage. And then the food arrived, and we were not disappointed!

On two separate plates arrived the two different sandwiches. Three layers of bread cut up into soldiers, with the right amount of filling and full of flavour. My favourite of the two would have to be the cucumber and cream cheese, but the curried egg fell just shortly behind. When the much anticipated scones arrived, I was super eager to break into them to see if it lived up to all the hype - and did it!

These are definitely how I pictured Nanna's scones would taste (If my grandma could actually bake or make scones :P). They were crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside. And the jam? YUM! could have eaten a little pot of it! I'm glad that we went with the fig and ginger option,as the little seeds from the fig matched beautifully with the cream.

All in all, it was an amazing day spent in the city with my close friend, and an even better day having eaten here. We both left incredibly satisfied with our meal, and I would definitely go there in the future once more.

For the Tea Cosy, I score 9/10