EUREKA -- For 10 years, Chiyomi Thompson has been brewing teas, baking scones and serving petite sandwiches to patrons young and old at her tea shop, Mad Hatter's Tea Party, on E Street.

In addition to serving assorted teas and delicacies -- including scones, sandwiches, quiche and other fare -- to folks who come in throughout the day, Thompson also offers a traditional high tea five days a week, all from a cozy dining room.

And, she single-handedly prepares each morsel herself.

The history of tea is a long one, according to Stash Tea's Web site (www.stashtea.com). However, "high tea" didn't come onto the tea scene until the mid-1800s when Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, experienced a "sinking feeling" during the long wait between breakfast and dinner, which was served well into the evening.

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