ESP's new food writer Kelly Jackson headed over to the pub... to try some tea and cake!
Everybody loves a bit of cake, me included. So, when I discovered on Facebook that the Three Horseshoes pub in Yaxley had recently turned its front bar into a tearoom, it was the perfect excuse to escape my home ‘office’ in pursuit of a new remote working spot.
Homemade treats and a pot of tea are big motivators, after all!
Fairy lights draped over beams and flowers on tables – plus scones and a ‘Cake of the Week’ tantalisingly displayed at the bar – help to transform this part of the pub into a cosy and intimate tearoom from Wednesday to Friday. Not to mention it’s affectionately named ‘The Tea Horseshoes’. I was won over before I’d even taken a bite of food.
I’ve been to my fair share of tearooms, both locally in and around Peterborough and further afield. I never need a reason to indulge in tea and cake, so I count myself a bit of a connoisseur of such things.
On my visit I chose a slice of that week’s signature cake – a lightly spiced ginger sponge topped with a vanilla and lime buttercream and a layer of homemade lime curd (are your taste buds watering yet?) – which came served on a patterned China plate that wouldn’t seem out of place at any vintage tea party.
I say a slice of cake - a slab is a better description. The portions are irresistibly huge. You get your money’s worth here! A pot of tea for one (Yorkshire Tea, no less) washed the soft sponge and velvety filling down a treat. Surrounded by a warm and welcoming atmosphere and the aroma of freshly baked goodies, it was a very good destination to set up my laptop for a working lunch.
If you prefer savoury over sweet, you can choose from a selection of sandwiches and other items on the menu.
Next time I think an afternoon tea might be on the cards!
Check out ‘The Tea Horseshoes’ for yourself. It’s open at the Three Horseshoes pub in Yaxley between noon and 3pm, Wednesday to Friday.
Kelly Jackson