Haley Fox - Alice’s Tea Cup: Delectable Recipes for Scones, Cakes, Sandwiches, and More from New York’s Most Whimsical Tea Spot

I n loving memory of grandmas Fox and Thomas,
who were both sweeter than anything
we could ever bake...

Contents

G litter. Sparkle. Fairy dust. Glitter on clothing, on the table, on your face.... Own it. Do it full tilt. Too much? That only means youve unleashed your inner child, and what could be better than that? Just a touch? Great, youre playful yet refi ned. Make your own glitter- encrusted decorations, add sparkleencrusted twigs to your flower arrangements, hang fairy- dusted ornaments from light fi xtures or trees. Sparkle will brighten your surroundings, create a wonderful atmosphere for your guests, and improve your mood! In fact, weve had several employees tell us that they wear our fairy wings when they are at homealonewhen they vacuum or do the dishes. Why? Well, how can it be a chore if youre wearing fairy wings?

Zac glitters a guest

Glitter makes the young feel magical and the rest feel young. No one is ever too old to sparkle!

Lauren and Haley having tea at Chapter I

O nce upon a time, in a land called New York City, there were two sisters. Their father was a spinner of tales, always armed with a freshly brewed mug of English breakfast tea. Their mother was a songstress who loved to be out and about, and together, they would take the sisters to afternoon tea wherever it was served. The sisters learned at a very early age that tea was more than a beverageit was an event to be shared and protected. Tea was a sacred experience, whether at a hotel or at home; it was a time to connect, share your thoughts and dreams, and escape for a spell.

And that is how Alices Tea Cup came to be...

Thanks for everything, Mom and Dad!

Thanks for everything, Mom and Dad!

We, the sisters, Haley and Lauren Fox, spent our lifetimes enjoying the art of tea, from the drink itself to understanding the differences between an Assam and a Darjeeling. The act of taking afternoon teawhether for a tea party, where friends gather to reconnect, or just as a safe haven to have a heart-to-heart with someone you loveis a true joy. Tea is a fixture in our lives, used to wake us up, keep us healthy and detoxified, add flavor to our cooking and baking, and provide a magical ambiance to share with friends.

As we became settled in our twenties, we would meet for tea and dream about a place of our own, a place where the pinky neednt be up, where afternoon tea could be enjoyed before and after noon, where tea was a healthy and hearty meal that didnt leave you hungry, where people could escape from their daily grind for a nostalgic time full of whimsy and comfort, where tea was more like the upside-down tea party of the Mad Hatters than tea at the Palm Courta family-friendly place for the Alice in all of us. We would talk about how someday we would do something that would fulfill us creatively and give us the stability to follow our individual dreams.

Lauren, left alone with a piece of her first birthday cake

Crowding our mom as she baked, as usual! Laurens T-shirt says tea on it!

Haleys sixth birthday

It was almost by chance that we stumbled upon the tiny For Rent sign on Seventy-third Street off Columbus Avenue. But when we saw it, everything changed. Alices Tea Cup opened in December 2001 to a line around the corner. It didnt hurt that Florence Fabricant had featured us on the cover of the Metro section of the New York Times the week before (how lucky are we?), and that many passersby had been coming in, curiouser and curiouser, to find out what we were planning on opening there (oh, Upper West Siders are such a community-minded group!). We had a fire lit under us, with anticipation brewing like a fresh pot of Grand Keemun!

We found ourselves in this position because Haleys husband, Michael Eisenberg, a restaurant consultant, had continued to tell us to act as if rather than just talk about this fantasy tea salon. One day, as he had suspected, we found ourselves with a business plan, financing, and a lease that was just waiting to be signed. Michael had planned to assist us with opening and then continue consulting for others, but he hasnt left us since that day. (Thanks, Michael!) We were immediately embraced by the neighborhood as a shelter from the hustle and bustle of the city streets.

Michael Eisenberg, our director of operations

As our popularity expanded, so did we by lengthening our hours and expanding our menus and, ultimately, by opening up two more locations (Sixty-fourth and Lexington Avenue and Eighty-first between Second and Third avenues). Alices Tea Cup has grown from that one little shop around the corner that offered only afternoon tea, teapots, and loose tea to three bustling Manhattan locations, all offering breakfast, brunch, lunch, supper, and, of course, afternoon tea served before and after noon, along with little shops that sell everything from tea ware to fairy wings! All our locations host bridal and baby showers, birthday parties, and even un-birthday parties. We design and make wedding and birthday cakes and cater parties, and our bakery offers five daily scone choices, incredible cakes, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, and out-of-this-world banana bread. In 2008 we launched our gift website, where shoppers can choose anything from loose tea to unique gift boxes.

People often ask us how it is to work as a family: sister as partner, husband or brother-in-law as the director of operationsit does sound a little frightening. But for us, the family dynamic works in a way that another kind of partnership wouldnt. Our sisterly personalities are so different that we tend to view ourselves as a yin to the others yang, each bringing her own sensibility and expertise to the table. This diversity of personality and expertise is what has made Alices unique and accessible. But what continues to drive Alices growth is really the staff, with their wonderful personalities and unparalleled love for our food and for creating a memorable experience for our customers. We are beyond grateful to them all, past and present, for our continued success.