A Woman Owned Business / February 2006
Tea for a Town
 Sarah White-Cresap |
As a girl, Sarah White-Cresap couldn’t understand why her mother wanted to live her life in one place, Hurricane, West Virginia. “I wanted to see everything and do everything!” After a year studying art at in Tennessee, Sarah moved on, to twenty eight places in the ten years after she left college. “When something piqued my interest, I would go. That’s the way I lived.”
Working her way from Miami to New England, Sarah learned the necessary skills to take care of herself and her two children. She became part of the national movement that encouraged self sufficiency and the return to nature. In New Hampshire, as the care taker for a self-sufficient farm, Sarah developed what became a life long interest in herbs.
Now she’s back in Hurricane, owner and hostess of Ferguson Tea Room and proprietor and resident authority of the adjoining herbal enterprise, Root Cellar Herbs.
After thirty years, herbs remain her passion and the attraction of Hurricane has become irresistible.
Ferguson Tea Room, named after her great-grandmother, is Sarah’s consuming interest. It is an elegant retreat in Edwardian style, artfully decorated in creamy colors with black and gold accents, a ceiling mural and original tromp l’oiel painting. Sarah serves tea from all over the world, along with fresh scones, finger sandwiches and specialty soups seasoned with healthful herbs. She generously shares her knowledge and expertise of medicinal and culinary herbs with customers and students of her cooking classes.
Sarah opened her first tea room and herb shop in Hurricane in 1979, near Culloden, WV. “We had an old house with a wood stove and would serve herb tea to our customers. We had it about three years.” With a third child on the way, “I decided to devote my time to that, but I always planned to have another tea room.”
In 1997, Sarah and her daughter Anna opened Ferguson Tea Room and Root Cellar Herbs. But, Anna married and moved away. Sarah developed pneumonia, and just couldn’t seem to get well, so she sold the store and joined her daughter, living in Arizona for several years.
Still, Sarah says, “My roots are here. I missed the tea room and I missed lecturing.” She started lecturing again and when the store owners that had bought her building went out of business in 2004, she moved back in, taking adjacent space so she could double the tea room’s seating. “Now we can accommodate 35-40 customers for tea lunch, tea brunch, high tea -or just an excellent cup of tea.”
The enterprise is so successful, reservations are a must. Sarah says, “We never want to turn anyone away, and if we have room, everyone is welcome anytime. We just don’t want anyone to be disappointed.”
Sarah says, “Anything involving herbs interests me. With the tea room and herb shop, I can surround myself with herbs and people who love them. The best part is being with the women.” She says high tea is a great favorite, with three tiers of scones, deserts and sandwiches. “Certainly everyone feels better after they’ve eaten. We like people to sit and chat afterwards. I see stressed, tired, preoccupied faces coming in, and cheerful countenances departing.”
Sarah continues to dispense and absorb lore and learning about herbs. Two years ago, she spent a month China to study Chinese herbs. “Every herb and spice we use to season our food has some beneficial effect. With a little research you can find the perfect seasoning to ease many of the minor discomforts daily activity brings.”
Although Sarah and her husband still have their place in Arizona, “He’s in the natural medicine field, and gradually growing his practice here.” Hurricane is her home again. Sarah has come to appreciate her mother’s preference. “I want to make Hurricane as special for everyone as it is to me. We have wonderful people in Hurricane. And you can see them in the tea room.”
The Ferguson Tea Room, 2739 Main Street, Hurricane WV, 304-562-4139 is open Tuesdays-Saturdays 11-5. Root Cellar herbs is open from 10-5.
Copyright © 2005-2006 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
Femme Fair 2006
Top • Home • Subscribe • Advertise • Submit • Distribution • Contact
Support Our Advertisers • Organization Resources • Women Owned Business
Designed by Livewire Studio
Send an Email About This Article