If I were to give anyone who is opening a tea room advice, I would say wash your dishes carefully! Tea stains tea cups and pots very easily and it's not easy to get off. Someone mentioned Tea and Sympathy here in New York City. A place that I don't care for, for a variety of reasons which include gross teaware. Ditto for sugar pots. Some poeple put a used teaspoon into a sugar pot and make the sugar stained and clumped. Which is why food rules are nice, they make for a nicer world, and we could use more of that in America. Freedom for us too often means freedom to ignore someone else's feelings or a valid sense of esthetics. I would have to agree with everyone who recommended loose tea steeped for an appropriate time. Cream will clot in tea, which is why milk is used, and it should be whole milk. Regarding the mania for Earl Grey infused foods -- I can't imagine why this is a good idea since the tea itself seems to be the point, but I once had an Earl Grey infused creme brulee, and it was delicious. I am in agreement that the sandwiches should be cold, and delicately flavored. There are some nice recipes for tea sandwiches in the Two Fat Ladies' cookbooks. But to the point that truly interests me: what sweets to serve. I agree with the scone purists. There is a dandy recipe for scones in Joy of Cooking that is perfect. A Victoria Sandwich is always a good idea. With a nice lemon or lime curd, preferably homemade. I like a selection of not-too-flavorful cookies. Shortbread, sugar cookies, and the like. And something with a lot of cream to it. A cake, or a cream puff or a cream-filled merengue. The fresh clean taste and creamy texture is a good foil for tea. But my opinions are based on what is a good companion for a cup of tea, as I am a tea lover. For many people, tea is a pleasant experience that may have very little to do with tea itself. The important thing for me is that tea is a refreshing respite. The best tea I ever had was about seven courses, all you can eat, and the final course started with the question, "Would you care for dessert?" The tea itself included very interesting offerings in the courses, one of which was candied ginger slices. When I plan a tea myself, I try to include surprising extras like that. The atmosphere was also very nice, dark and quiet and sedate. One could easily imagine a man in the setting, whereas in most tea settings, one can't. Here's a recipe for clotted cream. 20 ounces heavy whipping cream 2 quarts or more of milk Choose a wide-mouthed bowl or stainless steel bowl with sloping sides. Fill it with milk, leaving a deep enough rim free to avoid spillage. Add 20 oz double cream. Leave in the refrigerator for at least several hours, and preferably overnight. Set the bowl over a pan of water kept at 82C (180F) and leave until the top of the milk is crusted with a nubbly yellowish-cream surface. This will take at least 1 1/2 hours, but it is prudent to allow much longer. Take the bowl from the pan and cool it rapidly in a bowl of ice water, then store in the refrigerator until very cold. Take the crust off with a skimmer, and put it into another bowl with a certain amount of the creamy liquid underneath; it is surprising how much the clotted part firms up--it needs the liquid. You can now put the milk back over the heat for a second crust to form, and add that in its turn to the first one. The milk left over makes the most delicious rice pudding, or can be used in baking, especially of yeast buns. Preferably extra-rich milk, if you can get it in your area. Makes 8 servings.