The New Maine Times: Culture

Dilettante: Two for Tea at the Clipper Merchant

"It all hints at the gracious living of a bygone era ... You'll want to go there again, and again, and again."

Click here for a detailed account of the Clipper Merchant High Tea experience.

Yankee Magazine Travel Guide 2011

"Best of New England--Editors' Choice"

Read review here.

Tea Time Magazine - May/June 2011

"...a destination that is simply unforgettable"

Find Clipper Merchant recipes and read this comprehensive article on the Tea Room's origins and owners.

Read the full story.

Having Tea in New England by Jean M. Andrews

"...delicious and charmingly served...like walking into a Jane Austen novel."  

Victorian Homes Magazine

"One of the Top 10 Tea Rooms in the U.S."

“Heather and Gary Labbe were searching for a historic house.  They found it in an elegant National Register listed, 1830 Carpenter Gothic.  And with it, they found a new way of life.  “My father was a minister, so I grew up serving tea,' Heather explains.  “When I inherited my aunt's collection of antique china, silver and linens, I decided to open a tea room.”  With its furniture rearranged, the ground floor of the Clipper Merchant has been turned over to the enjoyment of tea and antiques.  “We use all our antiques every day,” Heather says, “We love sharing all these things.  People feel so pampered and special here”.  Located in historic Limerick, Maine, near Willowbrook Museum Village, The Clipper Merchant's menu features homemade luncheon and tea selections, many based on recipes from Heather's aunt.” August 2008 issue. Catherine Titus Felix

Yankee Magazine: Top 5 Teahouses

Five favorites in New England by Katrina Munichiello

"We asked freelance writer and tea blogger ( teapages.blogspot.com ) Katrina Avila Munichiello to take a break from developing her new tea anthology to share her five favorite New England tea spots . She says that choosing just five was daunting, but her list includes "something for everyone."

"1. Clipper Merchant
While Jacqueline's in Freeport and MacNab's in Boothbay get more attention, this new Maine arrival deserves mention. In a 180-year-old, impeccably decorated Carpenter Gothic home, this cozy setting (open April through mid-December) offers an impressive tea list and homemade food." Read the full article.

More from the author of the Yankee Magazine article.

In her blog, Katrina Munichiello gives a vivid account of the Clipper Merchant tea rooms, ambiance and food. This is a must read if you are planning a trip to Limerick. Here are excerpts:

"Welcoming is the ideal word for this tea room. There is soft, relaxing music and it was just a warm, cozy feel throughout. I also wanted to note how many men I saw in this tea room. It was really a pleasant thing to note. There were couples and there was a family party with younger and older couples and friends. This is not a frilly, girls-only spot.

"I was served a lavender lemonade to start. It was a pink lemonade that was slightly sweet with a heavenly lavender perfume. Fantastic. That lemonade put me in the lavender mood so I ordered a lavender earl grey tea. The tea menu is very extensive at Clipper Merchant. They have a great selection of teas and the staff seemed knowledgeable about the options. The tea was served in a teapot on a warmer with an antique tea cup.

"The Clipper Merchant Tea Room is definitely a destination. It's not really "near" much. It's about an hour west of Portland. However, it is a lovely drive into a beautiful part of the state." Read the full story.

Clipper Merchant #1 of 17 Tea Rooms in Maine

The following reviews were added by visitors to the TeaMap site:

Visiting the Clipper Merchant Tea House for the decor and ambiance alone makes this spot worthy to be a destination, even if you have to go out of your way. Charm on top of charm. And then the food is extreme!! Do you know the level of detail to which the owner, Heather, goes to make her food the best? She raises ducks in order to use the fresh duck eggs in her quiches, scones and lemon and lime curds, so they will be richer.
This is not just a tea experience; this is artistry!
- Tonja Ducrest Alexandria, Virginia 06/08/09

There are few hours in life
more agreeable than the
hour dedicated to the
ceremony known as
Afternoon Tea.
Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

One can scarce remember being in such a place! It was a pleasure and treasure to be there in the ambience of this establishment. The staff showed such kindness and graciousness. It made one feel so happy and exceptionally special. The lavender ice tea, Darjeeling tea, Chai tea, tea sandwiches, the Cheese Vegetable Quiche, Chicken Salad Croissant, and Raspberry Cheese Cake, Chocolate lava Cake were tasty and wonderful !! One is NEVER put in a situation where you need to hurry to place your order for food, and hurry to get out. They will even brew coffee for you, if you so desire. I highly recommend finding the time to be there.
- C Barrows NH 05/29/09

This is probably our favorite tearoom, and we have been visiting tearooms all over New England and New York. Wonderful atmosphere, great food and fantastic service!
- Steve & Karen Cole 05/28/09

WOW!!! These folks really know how to do it up right. The tea was great, the food hit the spot, and the service was among the best we have ever experienced. The decor was a perfect fit as well. We think it comes down to the attitude of the hosts. They enjoy what they were doing, so you become infected. It may be out of the way to get to, but it is well worth the trip. You will not be disappointed.
- Jacqueline & Jason from NH 3/08

My husband and I found this relatively new (to Limerick) tea house when we were famished about 3 PM. Lovely surroundings, beautiful antique furnishings, Scottish theme in some rooms. Although not on menu, husband served excellent Oolong tea (loose) and my Assam equally good. Were offered hot water w/tea-a plus! Try the London Tower for 2: variety of sandwiches, scones w/lemon curd, dessert. Soup is OUTSTANDING!
- Tina and Phil

Cape Cod Life Magazine

May 2007, Outdoor Entertaining. Written by Janice Randall Rohlf

Heather was  featured in a 2007 issue of Cape Cod Life Magazine for her outdoor tea parties in her home town of Chatham, Cape Cod, MA. The article follows:

ON A SUNNY AFTERNOON last July, about two dozen girls (and one boy), their mothers, and a couple of big dogs gathered on the sloping lawn outside the Chatham cottage of Rachel Nickerson Luna, author of the Eel Grass Girls book series.  Each young guest had her picture snapped as she arrived, outdoors games were played, berries and bird feathers were gathered in a scavenger hunt, and then it was time for tea.

In true Alice in Wonderland fashion, wonderful things seemed to magically appear in the tree-shaded yard: tables for four or six, each with bunches of wildflowers, mismatched china and cloth napkins, platters of scones and tiny cucumber sandwiches, and, of course, pots of tea with plenty of milk to temper the “adultness” of the beverage.

“When it is tea time, all that really matters is that you stop and enter this enchanted moment,” says Heather Smith Labbe, who orchestrated the Eel Grass Girls affair with Luna, a dear friend since childhood. Growing up, the two were among a group of girls who helped out at church functions, pouring tea and passing cookies. Once, actress Shirley Booth showed up. Reverend Carlyle Smith, Heather's father, was minister of Chatham's Congregational Church in the 1950s and 1960s, and, because of his prominent position in the community, his children learned proper manners at a young age. “Parishioners often took my family out to dinner,” recalls Labbe, emphasizing how important the children's dining etiquette was in such instances.

Her hometown holds great memories for Labbe, who is also an accomplished floral designer.  Looking back, she says one of her fondest times were the years she had legendary Cape potter Harry Holl as her art teacher, both in public school and at the Cape Cod Conservatory of Art.

Even though Labbe has mastered the art of the tea party and is an expert in etiquette, she doesn't take it all too seriously. “No one really has to instruct you as to how to have a tea party,” she says, “You just seem to know that you must.”