Lorraine's features 'high tea', freshness

LAFAYETTE — Lorraine's Cake Shoppe & Tea Room is a step back in time.
It's a place where cell phones can be put away for a while as you spend time with friends and enjoy the lost art of “High Tea.” Crystal chandeliers adorn the ceiling, and old-fashioned tea pots, cups, lace curtains and adornments make Lorraine's something very unique. Above all, everything is homemade right down to the fact that at Lorraine's, they don't use vanilla extract but rather a hard-to-find vanilla bean past to achieve the perfect taste.
Lorraine's was a dream and a vision of Lorraine Perry, of Frankford, for many years. She grew up in Newton and attended Newton High School then, always intrigued with the culinary world, worked as a waitress at various establishments until she became a mom. She was a stay-at-home mom to raise her sons, Jacob, Tom and Cal, and did some baking from her home and then, at 46, decided it was time to start making her dream of a catering business and tea room come true.
“I was the oldest one in my class at The French Culinary Institute in New York City,” she said, “But I was determined to graduate with my degree in the Pastry Arts.”
Perry said she'd always admired those who commuted to the city with the long hours and taking mass transit, but the admiration became a blunt reality her second day of school when the 2006 transit strike hit and she found herself hoofing it from The Port Authority all the way do Soho.
“The concentration was quite a challenge, but I wanted to learn as much as I could,” she said. “The hardest thing was learning to temper chocolate.”
Upon graduation, her husband, Jake, who is a CPA, pushed her to first build a business out of the house and then look for retail space which she did.
When they were ready, they looked at several properties, but each had its issues and didn't come to fruition. Finally, last year, they found the perfect building on Route 15 in Lafayette.
“It took 17 months to get all of the state approvals,” Perry said. “It was no easy process, and we even had to involve Senator Oroho who helped us go to the DEP in Trenton.”
With approvals through, the Perrys sunk their teeth into readying the building, and Lorraine's Cake Shoppe & Tea Room opened on Jan. 3, 2018.
In the months since the opening, business has been booming.
“It's just a matter of getting the word out and letting people know what we're all about,” Perry said.
Lorraine's Tea Room is a delightful world of elegance featuring lovely antiques, vintage dishes and laces incorporated into a charming, old-style theme.
Perry felt strongly about supporting local charities when she chose her décor and furnishings. To this end, most came from the Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity.
And then there's the food.
In the Tea Room, “High Tea” is served daily at 11:30 am and 1 pm. Each selection is named for one of Perry's relatives starting with the most popular one: the QueenAmelia, named for her granddaughter. This features: choice of tea, auiche with a choice of soup or salad, two scones (sweet & savory) served with clotted cream & citrus curd, four assorted tea sandwiches, assorted petite pastries and a plated dessert. There are a number of other selections featuring different combinations and the Duchess Greta is a custom selection for children.
"It's a great place where I enjoy taking my mother and sister," Lafayette Masyor Rick Hughes said. "It takes you back in time, the food is delicious and it's a very nice way to spend an afternoon.”
Lorraine's also features its Cake Shoppe. As you first enter the old-fashioned building, a myriad of cakes, pies, cookies, cup cakes, scones and even homemade macrons (something very hard to find) await in a large case.
Catering is an ever-growing part of the business featuring anything on the menu plus delicious, custom-made wedding cakes. As the holidays approach, Lorraine's will feature mouth-watering homemade pies, cakes, cookie platters and macron gift boxes. Lorraine's also prepares bereavement gifts.
“We are a from scratch bakery and prepare our recipes with the freshest ingredients available," Perry said. "We prepare our recipes without preservatives and cater to you and your special cake occasion. We take great pride in everything that is prepared in our kitchen. We ask for a 72 hour lead time for all special orders.”
“We can put together and deliver a meal or a platter or an assortment of items to be picked up or delivered withing Sussex County,” Perry said.
Upstairs, Lorraine's has a party room which can accommodate up to 20 people.
“People can order what they want but usually go with the Amelia for a shower or party,” Perry said. “We also offer BYOB, so they can bring champagne to make Mimosas or wine.”
Customers are coming from all over. Lorraine's has hosted many women's clubs, groups of friends, mothers and daughters, The Red Hat Society, and assemblies celebrating retirements, birthdays etc.
Joyce and Rob Cappiccille live in the next town of Branchville and frequent Lorraine's several times a week.
“From the atmosphere to how unbelievably delicious everything tastes, we've just never experienced anything like this,” said Rob Cappiccille “Sure you could get some cupcakes from the supermarket, but nothing tastes like the ones they make. They're from scratch and the taste shows that. We love how Lorraine takes special orders, too.”
Perry is thankful for her two bakers, Michelle Binek, of Vernon, and Kayla Kinney, of Wantage. Both are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America and assist Perry with all of the baking. Her front manager is Diane Green, of Sandyston.
Lorraine's Cake Shoppe & Tea Room is located at 86 NJ-15 in Lafayette. Call (973) 579-5300 to make a reservation or for information or visit https://lorrainescakeshoppe.com/.