University & Whist Club open for tea, Mother's Day brunch

The private University and Whist Club of Wilmington is opening its doors to the public in May for a three-day "high tea" service as well as brunch on Mother's Day.

"Blossoms at The Whist" is a combination flower show/high tea that will be held at 3 p.m. May 2, May 3 and May 4 at the club located in the historic Tilton Mansion at 805 N. Broom St.

The cost for the tea is $30 for adults, and $15 for children 5 to 12 years old. Reservations are required.

The club also welcomes non-members to Mother’s Day Brunch on May 13. Seatings will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $45 for adults, and $15 for children ages 5 to 12. The brunch includes a buffet with carving and omelet stations, a raw bar and made-to-order eggs Benedict.

The private, city-dining club traces its roots to 1821. It's located in the Tilton Mansion, which has been known by several names through its history and predates the Revolutionary War.

The club, in the city’s Cool Spring neighborhood, first allowed non-members to have dinner at the site in 2016 on Valentine’s Day. Previously, it was open to non-members only for weddings and rented events. 

Flowers are the theme of the May high teas which honor such annual city events as the Wilmington Flower Market (May 10-12) and the Wilmington Garden Day tour (May 5).

"Everyone is thinking spring and flowers. We wanted to participate in the celebration and couldn’t think of a better way than to offer high tea and a flower show,” said Stacey Inglis, the University and Whist Club's Marketing Director.

Local florists Binkley Horticulture, Flowers by Yukie and M. Coty Designs plan to decorate various parts of the mansion for the May 2-4 teas that will be served in the club's various dining rooms.

Binckley Horticulture, the florist for the BrewHaHa! coffeehouses, is embellishing the entrance way and portico of the mansion.

An outdoor bridal pergola and the club's Bellevue Dining Room will be decorated in floral creations by M. Coty Designs. The club's Delaware and Hunt Dining Rooms and its grand staircase, will be draped in creations by Flowers by Yukie.

The menu for the high tea includes traditional three-tiered servers filled with tea sandwiches, scones and desserts.

A selection of Harney & Sons teas includes the new Jane’s Garden, a green tea with rose petals and natural pomegranate flavor, and Royal Wedding Tea, a white tea with pink rosebuds, almond, cornflower, marigold, coconut and vanilla flavors.

Inglis says the tea service, which begins at 3 p.m. and is considered "a mini-meal," is being called high tea instead of afternoon tea because it is being served in the various dining rooms of the mansion.

Floral and landscape oil paintings by the late C. Phillip Wikoff will be on display in the Bellevue Dining room and the lobby. Wikoff was a former club member and was commissioned to paint several paintings of the mansion.

Small and larger party reservations are being accepted now for the Mother's Day brunch on May 13. Seating will be held in the mansion in dining rooms and on the new Tilton Terrace, a four seasons room that had formerly been a deck.

The menu by Chef de Cuisine Joshua Dykes includes a breakfast brunch with bagels and lox, an omelet station, breakfast meats, a pancake and Belgian waffle station, chipped beef and sausage gravy, fresh fruit, lobster quiche and made-to-order eggs Benedict.

The lunch brunch has pasta salad, a carving station with pork shoulder and beef tenderloin, heirloom tomato salad, a raw bar with oysters, shrimp cocktail and ahi tuna martinis, apple and brie stuffed chicken, Manhattan clam chowder, strawberry salad, mini crab cakes, red bliss potatoes and assorted Danish and pastries, creme brulee and other desserts.

Bloody Mary ($5) and mimosas are available for purchase, along with beer, wine and craft cocktails.

To make reservations for the teas and Mother's Day brunch, call (302) 658-5125. Visit www.universityandwhistclub.com/

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Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico