Ana M. Wagner, News Special Writer 

The first time I tried to pour myself a cup, I messed up completely. I'd carefully tilted the bone china teapot, pouring a stream of fragrant sunset-or-ange liquid into the clear glass top of the metal strainer straddling my teacup. After several perplexing moments of watching the tea sit still instead of pass through, I was rescued by one of the Tea Garden Cafe's servers, and soon I was sipping some of Britain's favorite beverages.

A silly mistake - remove the glass cover from the strainer before pouring the tea - but perhaps a common one at the cafe, where the English custom of afternoon tea meets the Midwest.

It makes perfectly civilized sense: after a full day toiling at the office, caring for the kids, or running endless errands, a time-out for tea and a bite to eat reenergizes you. Fortunately, you don't have to travel to London to partake in tea time - just to Tecumseh, where the Tea Garden Cafe has revived this charming tradition. With its countryside murals, lace curtains, and floral tablecloths, it's the perfect place to take a short break, but brace yourself when entering the premises, for before you even get to one of the dark wood booths, you have to make it past the pantry.

The British Pantry, that is. Occupying the front half of the cafe, the British Pantry carries an enticing array of everything British: sweet biscuits, Cadbury chocolates, Bisto gravy, mushy peas, and Devonshire clotted cream are among the staples. There are goodies that reflect the far reach of England, including Australian Vegemite, Scottish shortbread, and Indian poppodums. And, of course, there's tea, enough of it to make colonial Boston cringe.

The Tea Garden Cafe does not do high tea, the elegant - and expensive - variation of tea time featuring a towering tray of treats. Instead, it offers everyday tea, the kind most Britons partake in at about 4 p.m.: a pot of tea and a tidbit or two on the side. Selecting the snack was simple, as scones, crumpets, and finger sandwiches were the only true traditional choices (the cafe also carries a variety of luscious, calorie-ridden desserts).

It was deciding on the tea that took some time. Again and again I perused the selections: common teas such as Darjeeling, Oolong, and Orange Pekoe, lesser-known types such as Yorkshire Gold, China Gunpowder Green, and PG Tips, and flavored varieties such as cinnamon plum, black currant, and amaretto. After deliberating for 10 minutes, I finally asked one of the cafe staff for help.

My blundering didn't detract from my enjoyment of afternoon tea, however. I happily sipped three cups without adding so much as a teaspoon of sugar. The crumpets - circular, upscale English muffins - were accompanied by butter and raspberry preserves, and the scrumptious scones - cream, cinnamon, and orange cranberry - came with clotted cream. The entire meal was delicious and, despite the offer of free refills on tea, just the right size for an afternoon snack.

For those who need a bit more to nosh on, the Tea Garden Cafe also offers lunch, featuring salads, sandwiches, and such British items such as cottage pie, English pork pie, and baked beans on toast. I couldn't resist the Ploughman's Lunch, a traditional pub meal featuring a wedge of cheese, sliced tomatoes, pickles, chutney, pickled onions, and bread, while a friend relished his chicken pasty, filled with carrots, onions, potatoes, broccoli, and bits of tender chicken. The Scottish beef pie, an attractive pastry circle stuffed with seasoned beef, was a bit on the bland side, however, and the egg salad was just too dry for my taste. A good thing there was a little pot of tea there to help wash it down.

Tea Garden Cafe - 112 E. Chicago Blvd., Tecumseh, Michigan 49286

Garden salads, sandwiches, and traditional British lunch items and a vast assortment of teas make this cafe a perfect place for a light afternoon meal.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (lunch) and 3-5 p.m. (tea/dessert); Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

Liquor: none.

Plastic: Visa, Mastercard,
American Express, Discover.

Prices: Inexpensive.
Salads, sandwiches, and traditional British lunch items range in price from approximately $2 to $5.50. Afternoon tea starts at $4.50 per person.

Wheelchair access: Good.
The aisles in the tea room and adjacent boutique are wide, and the individual restrooms are spacious and equipped with handrails.

Smoking section: No.

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