The Peter A. McKernan Hospitality Center is launching a Sunday afternoon tea service that is open to the public featuring tea and sweet and savory snacks served with a nod to the British tradition.
The McKernan Center, which is part of Southern Maine Community College and located on its oceanside South Portland Campus, will host its first Tea & Tides tea service on Sunday, June 13. Reservations are required, and staggered seatings are scheduled between 2-4 p.m.
The tea services will feature a selection of hot and iced tea sachets from Harney & Sons tea company, finger sandwiches, scones, and sweets. They will be held about every three weeks, year-round, with a rotating menu of traditional and not-so-traditional food items, including iconic British scones.
“We are excited to bring a taste of the British afternoon tea service to the Portland area,” said Jill Hannaford, the Executive Chef at the McKernan Center. “The afternoon tea dates back to the mid-1800s in England, and we hope to make our version of it a tradition at SMCC.”
The Tea & Tides name refers to the ever-changing ocean tides that guests will see while sipping tea on the McKernan Center’s glass-enclosed porch. Reservations can be made by calling 207-741-5672. The price is $29.75 per person, not including tax or gratuity.
Offering spectacular views of Casco Bay, the McKernan Center serves as a venue for weddings, receptions, holiday parties and more, while providing SMCC Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management students with real-world work experience. It is also the home of the Spring Point Inn, an eight-room inn that is primarily run by SMCC students.