New leaves

Tucked away on a shady tree-lined street on the lower South Hill, TASTE AND SEE TEAROOM is located inside Angelica’s Bed & Breakfast. The beautiful brick house with the wrap-around porch looked inviting after a harried morning of errands. I took a seat by the window and felt immediately relaxed by the charming interior. The soft jazz music, high timbered ceilings, and gleaming hardwoods were warm and welcoming. I felt pampered by the lace tablecloths, china cups and silver tea service that graced my table.

The tearoom is a nonprofit business that provides job training and temporary employment to women in transition. By working with women from shelters in Spokane, owner Thada Ziegler hopes to provide a nurturing environment for the women to learn the life skills necessary to gain employment.

“We have our first graduate,” Ziegler says with obvious pride. “After completing the 350-hour internship, she regained so much confidence and self-esteem.”

The tearoom serves tea and scones, desserts, and a few à la carte lunch items. There are 18 teas to choose from, plus a “sniffer” display so you can smell the teas before you decide. A chalkboard lists the lunch items for the day: a chicken-salad croissant ($5.25) and an organic garden salad ($4.75). Although I was tempted by the double-chocolate Kahlua cake, it was a little early in the day for such indulgence, so I opted for a pot of tea and a scone ($5.50) instead. The Cinnamon Stick tea (black tea, with three types of cinnamon and cloves) and huckleberry scone was just the mid-morning pick-me-up I needed.

Taste and See also offers afternoon teas for $20 and light lunches for $12 by reservation. An open house with live jazz and refreshments is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 6 pm.

In a world of drive-thru coffee and fast food, Taste and See is a tranquil oasis. Treat yourself and feel good about it. — KIRSTEN HARRINGTON

Taste and See Tearoom, 1321 W. Ninth Ave., is open Wed-Sat 9 am-4 pm for tea, scones and limited lunch. Call 714-0097 for afternoon tea or lunch reservations.