I went down nostalgia lane this week and took a walk through The Company’s Garden. I was a little skeptical at first, as I did not expect to see the same lush rose garden, beautiful restored statues in the ponds, green lawns and big old trees laden with acorns and flowers. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the only thing that has changed is that the squirrels have gone, and have been replaced by pesky pigeons! It reminded me a bit of the spectacular Durban Botanical Gardens and its tearoom that serves lovely flapjacks! But then I saw the familiar umbrellas and I confess that was the real reason I was there – to visit The Company’s Garden Tearoom!

I hadn’t been back there for, say, 12 years and the menu is exactly the same, except for the prawn and chips – a large plate of six sweet and firm prawns and a pile of hand-cut homemade chips for R75! And remember those good old-fashioned toasted sandwiches? Nice and plain, not bulging with unnecessary stuff.  And, those bright pink milkshakes…

But what I was really after were the scones, which I used to eat with my grandfather. The anticipation of hot, fluffy, oversized scones was a little too much but when they arrived (the last one of the day), I oohed and aahed just the same. Same recipe, same jam, same silver bowl piled with fluffy cream. And the same memories…

Some things never change; good memories are made of this.

Happy eating!

Abigail