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A Little Bit of Europe in PA

I have been on one of my missing Paris kicks recently (well, more so than usual). In particular, I miss sitting in a cozy café while enjoying a pastry and people watching. So, when I went to visit my eldest daughter at college in Indiana, PA, I had some time to kill while she was in class. I went looking for a little pastry shop and discovered the loveliest of places - Caffé Amadeus. I know what you're thinking...named after Mozart, it clearly is not French, but Austrian...but so was Marie Antoinette. Therefore, I believe it qualifies for a spot on my blog! 
Caffé Amadeus - Indiana, PA (JenniferLynn Photography)
Upon entering, I was immediately greeted with a warm smile and the sounds of Mozart (of course). I immediately set about the business of ordering. I knew going into Caffé Amadeus that I wanted tea and a pastry, but since it was a coffee shop, I was not sure what quality of tea I would find. Let me say, I was not disappointed! For a coffee shop, they had a large selection of loose teas - Blacks, Greens, Oolongs, Herbals, and my favorite - White tea. After much consideration, I decided on White Peony...then I had to choose a pastry. Not an easy task when all the choices looked so yummy. 

Inside Caffé Amadeus (JenniferLynn Photography)
Although there was not an overwhelming number of choices, the ones that were staring at me from behind the glass case looked simply scrumptious. Since it was breakfast time, I avoided the overly sweet desserts and went with a Kréme - Hungarian custard between two layers of puff pastry, lightly dusted with confectioner's sugar. I ran out to plug the meter, and when I came back, this was waiting for me:
A Kréme & White Peony Tea - on a Silver Platter! (JenniferLynn Photography)
My tea and dessert were literally served to me on a silver platter! I carried my tray to a cozy spot and settled in. First, I poured my tea - all the while eyeballing the pastry before me. I showed the utmost restraint as I got out my camera to take a "before" picture (the presentation was so lovely I just had to before I annihilated it!) 
Kréme - Hungarian Custard between Puff Pastry (JenniferLynn Photography)
I eagerly picked up my fork and gently applied pressure to the top layer of the pastry so as not to crush it. However, it was not like a typical French pastry as it was not crisp in its flakiness. It took a little more work to gather a bite for consumption. I got the first bite in and...mmmmmm. Heaven on a fork. The custard was mild, milky and smooth - a perfect match for the delicate White Peony tea. It was the perfect breakfast pastry as it was just sweet enough to be satisfying, but not so sugary that it caused me to get sick (early morning sugar does that to me...a quality that wears off as the day progresses, thank goodness!)
White Peony Tea & Kréme Pastry (JenniferLynn Photography)
After about the third forkful of trying to eat this thing gracefully, desire gave way to decorum and I just let loose on the Kréme. 

The Post-Feeding Frenzy Damage (JenniferLynn Photography)
As I sat in a comfy chair, wrapped up in a soft scarf with book in hand and sipped on my tea, I looked around. There is definitely a warm, Old Europe vibe to the place. There is W.A. Mozart memorabilia all around, but some other neat knickknacks adorned the walls...like this antique cappuccino machine that sat atop the bookshelf next to me:
Antique Cappuccino Machine (JenniferLynn Photography)
I spent about an hour at the Caffé Amadeus, but could have stayed there much longer. I know it's not Paris, or even Vienna for that matter. But it is like a little piece of Europe in the center of Indiana, Pennsylvania. There are lunch options, other pastries, and many teas I have yet to try - I will definitely be back!
The View from my Chair (JenniferLynn Photography)
Check out their website: Caffé Amadeus
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Comments

Anonymous said…
This looks like a neat place, and I love the tea side of things. I adore anything that is non-Starbucks and just unique. There used to be an Argentine cafe here in Pittsburgh but it closed :(
November 9, 2013 at 9:15 PM
Anonymous said…
It's still really nice to read your blogs Jenny! You write so lovely! On the Paris - Vienna topic, it's not wrong to say the two cities are similar in a certain way. What I've heard before is that "Vienna is like Paris but without the French". If you haven't visited Vienna already, you should definitely do so! It's a really nice city with stunning palaces! Especially nice during Christmas time!
November 11, 2013 at 8:28 AM
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