"When in the Course of Afternoon Tea Events"

      As you climb the marble steps and cross over the wooden threshold, you find yourself stepping back in time to the beginnings of our great nation. The roots of the City Tavern in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania are as old as the United States of America itself. Originally frequented by our founding fathers, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, the City Tavern is referred to as the "CNN Center" of its time.
     The building that is the City Tavern today stands on the exact spot of the first structure that was destroyed by fire in 1834. Realizing its historical importance, the Independence National Historical Park Service was authorized by Congress to restore the Tavern. Using period images, written accounts and insurance surveys, the City Tavern was rebuilt to the original specifications and reopened in 1976 in time for our nation’s Bicentennial celebration.
     From the entrance, a long hallway stretches to the back of the building, with a staircase leading upstairs. Just to the right of the entrance is the "Subscription Room" where the magazines and newspapers of the day, subscribed to by the Tavern, were found. There, merchants arriving by ship to the Port of Philadelphia would meet and catch up on all of the news. Also downstairs are the Bar Room, the Coffee Room and the Southwest Dining Room.
     Upstairs, on the second floor, some of our nation’s most momentous occasions took place in the Long Room, which stretches the width of the City Tavern at the front of the building. Here, on July 4, 1777, America’s first Fourth of July celebration was held. It was also the location for George Washington’s first inaugural banquet. Delegates to the first Continental Congress dined there, and it served as the official headquarters of the Continental Army under General Washington for three days.
     Tea played a big part in America’s fight for freedom. Even Paul Revere arrived at the Tavern in 1774 to announce Parliament’s closing of the port of Boston, as a direct result of the Boston Tea Party rebellion a few months earlier. Exactly 220 years later, Chef Walter Staib won congressional approval to operate the rebuilt City Tavern.
     Chef Staib has gone to painstaking lengths to recreate the rich culinary history of 18^th century Philadelphia, which held on to the legacy of European dishes as well as adopted the new innovations of America. Philadelphians of the time favored English puddings and jellies, French ice cream and pastry, and German breads and cookies. They also embraced New World creations made with native ingredients such as apples, cranberries, molasses, corn and maple syrup. Baked goods and confectionery played an important role in Philadelphia’s gastronomic traditions, and European fare became symbols of culture and status that often graced some of the finest tables in the City.
     Experimenting with new menu items and special events, Chef Staib began serving afternoon tea accompanied by an 18^th century sweet table. Guests were offered a lavish spread, including Apricot Tea Cookies, Spice Cookies, Rosewater-Almond Cookies, Financiers, and Madeleines. Also on the table were Sweet Potato and Pecan Biscuits, Lemon-Blueberry Bread, Buttermilk Scones, Citrus Tarts, Berry Tarts and Linzertorte. To complete the afternoon tea table, Berry Preserves, Orange Marmalade and Mixed Berry Compote were provided to spread lavishly over popovers and scones. Unfortunately, over the years, lunch began to overshadow the tea service and eventually afternoon tea came to a sad end. But, it’s legacy will always be fondly remembered. 
     Without people like Chef Walter Staib and his staff at City Tavern, Americans would find a gastronomic void in their lives. The City Tavern is a culinary museum dedicated to preserving the historical cuisine that our forefathers savored. If he could, George Washington would certainly dine there again!

     A tremendous debt of gratitude goes to Chef Walter Staib and Miranda Orso, Public Relations Coordinator, for their gracious hospitality and generous contributions of time and input in making this article possible.

Sources: www.citytavern.com
The City Tavern Baking and Dessert Cookbook
Photos: © City Tavern