THE BRANDON SUN • Lake Life • SATURDAY, MAY 24, 2025
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“I came and spent Thanksgiving weekend with them here in 2023 and Gillian showed me the empty space that she had left here at the hotel for a restaurant. We walked around and talked about all the possibilities. I went home and thought about it and I said: I really, really want to do this. So we worked on it through 2024 and here I am in 2025,” says Pankiw. Pankiw says she loves the warmth and hospitality that a tea room offers. It’s a place to foster friendships. “I believe that relationships keep community strong,” she says. “A strong community is just so important for the foun-
dation of good society. So if my little tea room can encourage and provide people a place to come and have relationship and conversation, then I believe we’ll have a strong community.” She says it’s a pleasure seeing her guests laughing
and talking at their tables. “When we prepare an afternoon tea tray - that’s the three-tier tray that has the dainty sandwiches and delicious scones and sweets on top - and you hear the oohs and aahs and ‘how lovely,’ we just marvel at that. And it inspires us to work harder to make sure that the food we prepare and serve is absolutely delicious and presented so beautifully,” she says. “I just love making sure that my guests have a wonderful time, good food and wonderful service!” She welcomes her guests to ask about dietary restrictions and how they can be accommodated. Pankiw is also par- ticular about the tea she serves in the restaurant. “What makes a great pot of tea? Well, first off the water. And then next, the tea leaves. Our loose leaf tea leaves are absolutely delicious. I’ve got a Canadian mak- er - Pluck Tea. They do small batch blending so that they have a better control on their quality,” she says. “They get their tea leaves from all over the world. They bring it back to Toronto, and they’re mixing it up and add- ing parts and pieces of Canada to it. So if the Maple tea has maple syrup in it, that maple syrup came from our Quebec maple trees. Or maybe there’s lavender or grapes or apples or mint leaves and such. So I like that they do add Canadi- an-grown things to their worldly grown tea leaves.” Visitors will also be able to explore the little gift shop where they will find Pluck Tea, locally roasted coffee, carefully curat- ed dragonfly- and Manitoba-themed items, and other lovely things, many made by local artisans. The tea room, like the dragonflies it is named after, is seasonal, running from April until October. Breakfast is served from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. followed by lunch. Afternoon tea is 3 p.m. to 7 p.m “We’re going to be introducing elevensies as well as a plowman’s lunch in May and June and eventually, when I have more staffing, I will be able to stay open for a light din- ner,” says Joanne Pankiw. Tea time is a time to slow down in the afternoon - a time to take a slow breath and take in the lovely things all around you. “Enjoy coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, some sweets, maybe some scones,” says Pankiew. “Talk and relax.”
Proprietor Joanne Pankiw serves up delectable dainties and tea in high style. (Submitted)
... it inspires us to work harder to make sure that the food we prepare and serve is absolutely delicious and presented so beautifully.
Joanne Pankiw
» wendyjbking@gmail.com
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