Part 2 You will hear a radio host interviewing a restaurant manager called Claire about afternoon tea at a hotel. First you have some time to look at questions 11 to 14. Now listen carefully and answer questions 11 to 14.
Our special guest today is Claire Benetall, the restaurant manager of the Emperor Hotel here in town. She's here to tell us about their famous afternoon teas in the restaurant. Welcome.
Thanks, Peter. Tell us about what makes afternoon tea so special. Well, it's been a time-honored tradition for over a century.
At the Emperor Hotel, we've been serving tea to royalty, dignitaries, and movie stars in the grandest tradition. A lot of people come to see the expensive fabrics, antique carpets, and beautiful handmade furniture we have here. Our waiters serve tea against the picturesque backdrop of the boats on the harbor.
We're busy, so we strongly recommend making reservations. However, we rarely turn guests away. Tea is always an event here.
Of course, we serve the Emperor Tea Blend, which is created exclusively for the hotel by the Metropolitan Tea Company. This famous blend comes from more than six different places all over the world. That's why the taste is so special.
I also have some interesting facts about our tea tables. During our dining room renovation, we kept the wood from the original floor and used it to make our tea tables. You can now say you are eating off the floor.
They always have white tablecloths on them, which is, of course, normal in the better hotels. We'll finish renovating next year by covering the chairs in a shade of red to match the walls. These days, we serve about half a million cups of tea every year.
Our waiting staff have over 42 years of combined service with us. The original cups and saucers were first used by the hotel back in 1939 for a visit by the King and Queen of England. Today, the pattern is still made by the Midland China Company, exclusively for us, and is available for sale in the hotel store and online.
Before you hear the rest of the talk, you have some time to look at questions 15 to 20. Now listen and answer questions 15 to 20. Would you describe your afternoon tea parties for our listeners? Sure.
The hotel has several different kinds of tea parties. We have a special afternoon tea for children known as the playtime tea. Children can enjoy bubblegum tea and cookies inside a little children's castle.
We give them crowns and dress-up clothes to wear. This gives them the experience of being kings and queens. Our bridal tea can be customized for any upcoming marriage.
It's a traditional afternoon where women, friends, and family get together and shower the bride with gifts. Our photographer will be there to take many pictures of the best moments of the day, to remind the bride and her friends of something special that they can look back at. The summer tea is served out in the lovely hotel grounds.
We spread a souvenir blanket for you under a tree. A basket is prepared for you. Inside, it has four local Salt Spring Island cheeses with fresh honey that's made from the chef's own beehives.
Our Canadian tea is the most popular one with our international visitors. It includes strawberries and peaches grown in the neighborhood, which we serve with special sandwiches and jam made with raspberries from our own backyard. The farmer's tea is our most famous party.
Guests love having a satisfying tea where our famous drink is served with a variety of meat and egg pies hot from the oven, along with our homemade bread. And don't forget the farm-style fruit pies for dessert. And finally, back by popular demand, is our seniors' tea.
If you're 60 or older, you can enjoy afternoon tea in our cozy library. While there, you can look at the photos of famous actors and musicians that have visited our hotel and read what they said about the hotel. Our chef and restaurant staff serve handmade scones, delicious pastries, and sweets freshly baked in our restaurant daily.
It's wonderful. That is the end of Part 2. You now have 30 seconds to check your answers to Part 2.