Tina Stewart (left) of Middletown Florist and Julie Hoskins of Chic Le Chef have opened Chic Le Fleur, a tea and pastry shop in downtown Middletown. Courtesy photo.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Chic Le Fleur, a tea and pastry shop with a European flair, opened in Middletown last month and is now serving up hand-crafted French pastries, cupcakes, local coffee and specialty teas.

The menu of fresh, locally baked goods changes daily, and a listing and photos of the day’s temptations may be found on the Chic Le Fleur Web site, www.ChicLeFleur.com, as well as on its Facebook page.

A sample of recent offerings includes lemon bars, tiramisu cupcakes, chocolate-dipped madeleine cookies, butterscotch almond scones and sticky buns. Fresh-baked pies will be available soon.

The shop, located in the Middletown Plaza opposite Middletown High School, is the brainchild of two Lake County entrepreneurs, Julie Hoskins and Tina Stewart.

Hoskins is the chef-owner of Chic Le Chef, a specialty catering company headquartered in Hidden Valley Lake, and Stewart is the proprietor of Middletown Florist and Gifts.

Hoskins and Stewart, each with decades of business experience, combined their talents to create this joint venture, with Hoskins providing culinary expertise and Stewart retail acumen.

The name “Chic Le Fleur” is a meld of their individual business names (with “fleur” meaning flower in French).

The made-from-scratch philosophy that launched Chic Le Chef will also underpin Chic Le Fleur.

Pastries are baked fresh at the Chic Le Chef kitchen with all-natural ingredients like creamery butter, farm-fresh eggs, fresh lemon zest, rich chocolate, and berries in season.

In addition to sweets, the owners plan to rotate savory items into the menu at a later time, such as savory quiches and vegetable tarts, perfect for a light lunch.

Teas offered at Chic Le Fleur are specialty blends crafted by the award-winning Leland Tea Co. of San Francisco, and the coffee – organic and fair trade – is roasted in Lakeport by the Kelsey Creek Coffee Co.

The variety of tea on the menu reflects a desire to highlight the bounty of Lake County. Blends such as pear caramel and “grape stomp” provide a nod to the agriculture of the area.

Some of the teas have floral notes, appropriate to Stewarts’ background as a florist.

Customers are invited to experience the tea before purchase via samples on the counter that provide a vehicle to smell, see, and touch the blends.

The Parisian-inspired décor of the shop provides a peaceful place for sipping tea alone or with friends.

Clients Jane’a Rubio and Jamie McDowell expressed excitement about a new spot for tea and a chat. In Rubio's words, “There are plenty of coffee spots, but nothing like this. It’s like a cupcakery, but with so much more.”

In addition to edibles, boutique gift items and selected cookbooks will be offered for sale soon, and the shop is available as an event venue for local gatherings.

For information on renting the space for your group or for private catered high teas, call them at 707-987-3040 or visit their Web site.