I am lucky enough to meet lovely people from all over the world and, on a recent visit to the excellent AGA at Divertimenti store in London, I bumped into a wonderful AGA afficianado from the United States.

With her British-born husband Edmund, Mary Fry runs the fabulous Rose Tree Cottage tearooms in Pasadena in California, is the AGA dealer for Los Angeles and the surrounding district and also organises regular escorted trips to the UK.

Pageantry and afternoon tea – just some of the visiting group from America as they enjoy their visit to AGA at Divertimenti

The Rose Tree Cottage tearooms – complete with an AGA cooker of course – have the feel of a little bit of England in the US and, when I met up with Mary, she was with a party of Americans soaking up the pageantry and spectacle of London in the year of the Olympic Games and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Home from home – Edmund and Mary Fry have created a little piece of England at the Rose Tree Cottage tearooms in Pasadena

The group had visited Oxford, taking in Blenheim Palace, Emma Bridgewater’s Stoke-on-Trent factory and Stratford-upon-Avon to experience Shakespeare at the theatre.

Then it was on to London and the visit to AGA at Divertimenti on the Brompton Road for afternoon tea with a difference.

As the party enjoyed traditional sandwiches, scones and Victoria sandwich cake they watched a short demonstration by AGA food editor Dawn Roads of the new iTotal Control AGA cooker, which produced more goodies for tea.

And don’t forget, if you want to enjoy a warm welcome in Pasadena then do visit the Rose Tree Cottage tearooms. For more information, simply click here