Time for tea . . . Alison shares with us that Traditional British Tea has quite a history that is surrounded by debate. The story goes that in the early 19th Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford, devised a way to stave off hunger until a proper dinner could be served later in the evening by what is now known as "Afternoon Tea." |
This ubiquitous and stereotypically British upper-class pastime was popularized with the advent of electrical lights and a newly thriving tea trade. Now, dinner could be held later in the evening under the glow of candle light, and an assortment of scones, cakes, and little sandwiches washed down with a cup of China tea could bridge the hunger gap . . . Brilliant!
Afternoon Tea vs High Tea
Most foreigners (like me) incorrectly refer to Traditional British Tea as "High Tea," the implication being that the latter is more high-brow than "Afternoon Tea." Wrong, we are told. "High Tea" evolved from the working class, who couldn't afford the luxury of taking tea at 4 PM and eating a formal dinner at 8 PM. Their solution was to turn Afternoon Tea into a proper meal . . . at least that is one story . . . Another is that the tea was taken at a table and not served in the parlour. To confuse things more, the upper-classes then created their own version of a "High Tea" by adding more substantial dishes to the menu.
So what is Cream Tea? Generally scones, clotted cream (my personal favorite — on anything!) and preserves served with a pot of tea. Many hotels now add a glass of champagne (at an extra cost) to add to the deliciousness, calling it Champagne Afternoon Tea.
Afternoon Tea vs High Tea
Most foreigners (like me) incorrectly refer to Traditional British Tea as "High Tea," the implication being that the latter is more high-brow than "Afternoon Tea." Wrong, we are told. "High Tea" evolved from the working class, who couldn't afford the luxury of taking tea at 4 PM and eating a formal dinner at 8 PM. Their solution was to turn Afternoon Tea into a proper meal . . . at least that is one story . . . Another is that the tea was taken at a table and not served in the parlour. To confuse things more, the upper-classes then created their own version of a "High Tea" by adding more substantial dishes to the menu.
So what is Cream Tea? Generally scones, clotted cream (my personal favorite — on anything!) and preserves served with a pot of tea. Many hotels now add a glass of champagne (at an extra cost) to add to the deliciousness, calling it Champagne Afternoon Tea.
The Perfect Scone Scones date back to the early 1500s and are a melding of Scottish and Dutch baking traditions . . . although it is argued that the true scone originated in the town of Scone, Scotland where monarchs were once crowned! Scones fall under the category of "quick breads." While in the UK, the term "scone" is most widely used, in North America we often use the terms biscuit, shortcake and bannock as well. Canadian, Alison tells us that all First Nation traditions in Canada have adopted bannock into their diet. |
A Simple Scone
2 C flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 Tbs sugar (optional)
1/4 — 1/2 C unsalted butter (more butter means a richer dough)
3/4 C whole milk or cream (or 1/2 C milk/cream plus 1 large egg for a richer variation)
Variations: Lemon Poppyseed, Orange Lavender, Brandied Currant, Cardamom, Cranberry White Chocolate, Cheddar and Chive, Sun-dried Tomato and Chive, Feta and Spinach.
2 C flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 Tbs sugar (optional)
1/4 — 1/2 C unsalted butter (more butter means a richer dough)
3/4 C whole milk or cream (or 1/2 C milk/cream plus 1 large egg for a richer variation)
- Combine dry ingredients and "cut in" butter
- Combine the liquid ingredients
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the liquid
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface, knead lightly and cut to shape — if the dough seems very soft, knead in a bit more flour, but be careful not to overwork the dough
Variations: Lemon Poppyseed, Orange Lavender, Brandied Currant, Cardamom, Cranberry White Chocolate, Cheddar and Chive, Sun-dried Tomato and Chive, Feta and Spinach.