Edison & Melrose

I love tea. When I lived in London, the capital of tea, for half a decade, I never missed tea time.

I took tea all dolled-up as a tourist at the Ritz. I drank it whilst on a punter’s picnic clad in muddied navy boating attire. I sipped it traditionally as a newbie city professional at the old members clubs along the Strand. I enjoyed it late night in pajamas with a gaggle of gals down at our London local.

It was part of my routine, because it can encompasses so much – camaraderie, mood, food. But that changed when I moved back to California. The tea experience just doesn’t translate across an ocean and a continent, apparently.

Or so I thought. That changed when I encountered a Branson pickle sandwich with guacamole.

To be fair, there was a lot more to my tea service renaissance – including the white-washed cottage beams, exquisite sandwiches and free tiaras – but it’s the pickle sandwich that does the best job of summing up what Karen Anne Murray has done with her unique tea shop.

The shop is called Edison & Melrose Tea Room, and it’s celebrating its fifth year in business with all the cute little tea sandwich triangles it can muster. What Murray’s done is keep all the great elements of a true English tea experience and woven in California flair wisely. With the Branson pickle relish sandwich on whole wheat, she does it with creamy, zesty guac, which blends surprisingly well.

The complete high tea service ($35; more basic teas start at $9) includes a tasting of almost everything Edison offers, starting with a cranberry lemon sparkler ($2.25 a la carte), a berry-based, slightly tangy house soda water that cleanses your palate.

A bottomless antique floral pot of your choice of tea arrives next ($5 a la carte). You can change tea as you go – the selection includes grey, green and a slew of herbal teas – and all-you-can-drink.

The tastiest tea I tried was the apricot brandy, like a warm and robust sidecar mocktail. If I was leaning toward more classic English tea, I’d select the Spencer George, with side of lemon, which was crafted by Murray in honor of the newest royal baby. It reminds me of an amazing classic California iced tea, warm, like a soothing, flavorful and more delicate take on Earl Grey.

The food came as soon as I’d enjoyed a bit of each beverage. I went for salad over soup, and liked the crispy, light mixed greens ($8.50 a la carte) in an uncommon yet appeasing floral dressing. Fresh baked scones came next, toasty on the outside and soft on the inside, and accompanied by rich clotted cream, just lemony-enough curd and posh preserves on the top tier of a well-polished silver tea service tower. Eaters can even get scones made with almond flour, if they call in advance.

On the second tier came the sandwiches. There was the famous Ritz cucumber, with zippity cream cheese on sugar bread. There was the smoked salmon with dashes of smoky cedar plank flavor playing off the grainy bread. There was the sundried tomato bacon, full of fruity flavor and greasy goodness, and the cranberry chicken salad, tart and plump, with a celery crunch.

Philadelphia-style cream cheese, cranberries and sundried tomatoes don’t make many appearances in a traditional tea service, but they all worked well.

Finally, tucked at the base of the tower, on the last tier of stacked plates, were very visually appealing and satisfying cupcake bites. Just enough sweetness to finish properly.

I tried some strictly a la carte options too, including the rose petal chicken salad – which is gentle, yet zesty, with an exquisite blend of peppery chicken on a bed of lightly perfumed greens ($12). The sausage roll comes weighty, well-seasoned and providing just the right amount of buttery pastry puff wrapping. The Ploughman’s Platter ($14) provides a fine selection of British delicacies like herbed meat and vegetable pastries, Irish cheddar slices, cuts of juicy melons and citrus, with a sweet ‘n’ sour English pickle.

The full tea service and a la carte options are all served in a bright and adorable setting accented with floral patterns and high-end tea equipment, by appointment only. Murray also caters to your location of choice, and stocks to-go options.

Her handmade granola is the standout there, with sweet, spiced and slightly salty almond pecan, cranberry, coconut orange and wheat-free golden walnut ($10/bag). There are even three tea shop flavors of fluffy from-scratch frosting pints – vanilla, chocolate and pink! ($5.25/8-ounce; $9.75/16). The pink! is an exceptional rose petal-enriched blend.

The crowning accomplishment of the place, though, has to be the novelty tea-themed party options. The “Mad Hatter” party presents a delightfully wacky version of tea for kids, with Cheshire Cat appearances and menu items reworked to pay homage to the book and film ($22 per child). “Baby Boots” delivers a dainty yet decadent version of their time-honored afternoon tea ($16) with cupcakes tailored to celebrate upcoming arrivals ($20).

Murray admits she’s surprised five years have passed so quickly. I know the feeling. It happened to me in London. And I know why: Time flies with great tea.

Mark C. Anderson contributed to this report.

EDDISON & MELROSE 25 Soledad Drive, Monterey • 11am-3pm Tuesday-Saturday by appointment. • 393-9479, www.emtearoom.com