Is this England?...

I have woken up every days since Thanksgiving , (by the way it was a great success and I have the pounds to prove it, no, that is not a play on words, playing on my first question), that day we had a snow, not much but enough for some places to make snowmen. The only problem with making snow men with a little snow on the ground they look more like macaroons that were burnt. They usually have all of the dirt and debris that comes with rolling the snow all around to get enough to make a ball. Isn't that funny how I make everything into food? It must be my obsession with food and how I like to make things and eventually eat it. Am I rambling? If so just make me something to eat and I'll stop, well isn't that a hoot…more food. Anyway back to what I was about to say. Every morning since Thanksgiving it has been foggy. Not just foggy, but really foggy, sort of like all of those classic movies that are made in England. You know the ones like Casablanca, or is that in Morocco or, Turkey, (again back to something that you can eat and I had my fill of Turkey), or, how about the Sherlock Holmes movies, they always have a lot of fog in them, (at least the sound stages that give off the effect of fog), they are so mysterious and you just wait for something to happen when you hear that eerie music and then boo, ( sorry that was a previous blog, in Halloween), but, you know what I mean, you just want to see the characters ask how much they adore each other or how much they long for each other, (not), and by the way, "do you want a spot of tea"? This is my segway back into food. My wife has a real obsession with tea pots, from the basic to the finest China, American to Oriental, (you know the kind that have a little candle beneath them and they sit on top to keep the tea warm they usually have an oriental design on them with metal handles), anyway she has them on the top of our refrigerator and on our bureau, (that set is English and a gift from my oldest daughter, you know the kind with English scenes on them with castles and horses and fox hunts or something like that), in the dining room and on a food cart that matches our dining room table, the tea pot it is part of a silver service, you get the idea, anyway, I have always wanted to know what they mean by a spot of tea. What kind of tea they drink for these occasions along with adding cream, sugar or lemon, and what type of goodie, like a crumpets or something. I have heard some of the English says, "Chocolate biscuit", (which over here means something that is eaten for breakfast or dinner ), which is actually a cookie over there, or other delicacies like any finger food that is either, healthy like finger sandwiches, made of cucumbers or some meat product, or sweet and scrumptious. I think of little sweet pastries, (of course), something made with a lot of sugar, butter or honey, jams, jellies; you know what I am talking about. The English have a best case scenario in a play, (or movie), called The Importance of Being Earnest, (which follows Jack, a country bachelor who goes by the name Ernest when he pops into to the city; and his friend Algernon, who seeks a thrill by becoming Ernest in the country. Jack proposes to Gwendolen Fairfax while Algernon, posing as Jack's wicked brother Ernest, falls in love with Jack's ward, Cecily. Oscar Wilde was a master of social farce, and aristocratic Victorian men often provided fodder for works like The Importance of Being Earnest...(this was copied from Cliff notes, which was obvious), It had a knack of showing how afternoon teas is really almost an art form. I am getting off track, but I just wanted to give you some examples of England and the food they use for Teas, or a roundabout way...Here are some recipes I gathered for you to try.

Crumpets Recipe
1/2 cup warm water (105° - 115°)
2 teaspoons sugar or honey
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups milk

1. In a large bowl, stir the sugar or honey into the warm water. Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the top and let it sit until it bubbles, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and let it sit for about half an hour in a warm place.
3. Grease a griddle or frying pan and the crumpet rings or cookie cutters. Place the rings on the cooking surface and preheat all.
4. Pour about 3 tablespoons of batter into each 3" ring and cook over medium low heat until set, about 10 minutes. (Avoid cooking them too quickly.) The top should be full of holes when they are ready to turn.
5. Remove the crumpets from the rings, turn, and brown the other side, if desired, for a minute or so.
6. Repeat until all the batter is used.
7. Serve warm with butter and jam or clotted cream and jam. Makes 16 crumpets.

Scone Recipes

For your Tea Party or Brunch

Scone recipes are an essential part of all three traditional versions of an afternoon tea party, Full Afternoon Tea, Light Tea, and Cream Tea.

Scones are typically served with butter and jam, or clotted cream (below) and jam as are crumpets, another fine tea bread.

How to Eat a Scone Properly

Any way you want. Just try to be neat about it.

If there is one proper way to eat a scone, no one really knows. Several reputable British sources all disagree, except on one point: No one else does it right, especially Americans. So don't worry about it. Visualize a typical Victorian tea party with 78% less snobbery and go for it. _____

Devonshire Clotted Cream

True Devonshire cream, or Clotted Cream, is a very thick, rich cream actually very similar to butter. It is unsweetened, so it pairs very well on the scone with jam. You can purchase it in better supermarkets or specialty stores, or you can order it online .
Although sweetened a little, these homemade substitutions are very good with all scone recipes as well.
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
OR
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup mascarpone or 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
1 heaping tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The directions are the same for both cream recipes: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until stiff. Refrigerate until ready to use. Best when prepared and served the same day. Makes 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups.

Scone Recipes

Typical English scones are light and flaky but not sweet. They are perfectly designed to accompany cream and jam. Our only real departure from that principle is, perhaps, the Chocolate Chip Scone Recipe below.
Basic Scone Recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk (approx.)

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in the egg. (If you are using one of the variations below, this is a good point to add nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, cheese, etc.)

1. Gradually add the milk until a thick dough is formed. (It may take more or less than 3/4 cup.)
2. Turn out the mixture onto a floured board and knead lightly. Roll out the dough to 3/4" thickness and cut into rounds with a 2" cookie cutter. Gather the trimmings and lightly knead, roll, and cut them as well.
3. Place the rounds about 1" apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little beaten egg or milk. Bake in a preheated 450° oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.
4. Makes 12 to 16 scones, depending on the recipe version used.

Variations of the Basic Scone Recipe:

• Spiced Scones: Add enough cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to the dry ingredients to total 1/2 teaspoon.
• Raisin Wheat Scones: Our favorite. Substitute white flour with whole wheat pastry flour or half and half white and wheat. Use brown sugar instead of white and plain yogurt instead of whole milk.
• Buttermilk Scones: Substitute buttermilk for whole milk and add 1 tablespoon sugar to the basic recipe.
• Walnut Scones: Add 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts.
• Cheddar Scones: Add 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese and 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard.
• Dried Fruit Scones: Add 1/2 cup raisins, currants, cranberries, or chopped dried apricots.
• Chocolate Chip Scones: Add 1/2 cup white or dark chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon vanilla to the basic recipe.
• Lemon Scones: Add the juice and zest of 1 lemon and 1 tablespoon sugar to the basic scone recipe.

Savory Tea Sandwich Recipes

Every tea party deserves mouthwateringly good tea sandwich recipes. As the first course in the traditional Full Afternoon Tea, it's up to the tea sandwiches to make a good impression. If you are one who assumes tea sandwiches are tasteless bits of fluff, you have several savory surprises in store!

 

Traditional Tea Sandwich Recipes
Share Five Characteristics:

• They're small. Regular-size sandwiches are cut into 4 squares or triangles, or about 3 fingers. Less often, they are cut into decorative shapes with a cookie cutter, but much of the sandwich goes to waste that way.

• They're crust less. Remove the crusts before cutting the sandwiches to size.
• They're thin-sliced. Several types of bread come thin-sliced. Another option is to purchase square-topped unsliced loaves of bread and have the bakery slice them thinly for you. Or you can do it yourself with a sharp knife or electric carving knife and a little practice. A 2-pound loaf of bread yields at least 20 slices, 10 uncut sandwiches, 40 tea sandwiches.
• They're flavorful. (Yes, even the cucumber sandwiches.) Tea sandwich recipes are savory fare, not sweet, often prepared with scallions, garlic, spicy mustard, pepper or hot sauce.
• Each tea sandwich is spread with soft butter or cream cheese, or something similar, to prevent soggy sandwiches. Peanut butter (with banana slices or jelly) is just right for a child's tea party.
  
  
  

  Tea Sandwich Recipes

  
  Wheat, white, sourdough, pumpernickel, rye…the choice of bread is yours. Or, for a creative checkerboard effect, use one white slice and one wheat per sandwich.
  It takes about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of soft butter or cream cheese spread, 1 to 1 1/2 cups of spreadable filling, (2 cups if it is a composite of spread and meat, seafood, cheese, or nuts, etc.), and 3/4 lb. of sliced meat to make 10 sandwiches, 40 quarter sandwiches.
  Deviled Egg Sandwiches
  
  3/4 cup soft butter or cream cheese
  20 slices bread of your choice
  4 or 5 hardboiled eggs
  8 ounces canned sardines in oil, oil reserved
  2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  2 teaspoons mustard
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  
  Spread 1 side of each slice of bread with butter or cream cheese. Place all the remaining ingredients except reserved oil in a food processor. Whirl until a spread is formed, adding reserved oil and/or mayonnaise to bring it to spreading consistency. Spread the mixture evenly over 10 slices of bread, top with the other 10, remove the crusts and cut into tea sandwiches. Makes 40 quarters or 30 fingers.
  Seafood Tea Sandwich Recipe
  
  Shrimp, crab, or lobster may be used in this tea sandwich recipe, or any combination thereof.
  
  3/4 cup soft butter or cream cheese
  1/4 cup finely chopped chives
  20 slices bread of your choice
  2 cups finely chopped crab, shrimp or lobster
  1/2 cup mayonnaise
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  1 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
  Salt and pepper to taste
  
  Combine the butter and chives and spread the mixture onto 1 side of each slice of bread. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl, then evenly spread the mixture over 10 of the bread slices. Top with the other 10 slices, remove the crusts, and cut. Makes 40 quarters or 30 fingers.
  Smoked Salmon Sandwiches
  
  1 cup soft cream cheese
  20 slices bread, your choice
  1/2 cup capers
  12 ounces thin-sliced smoked salmon
  Juice of 1 lemon
  Black pepper
  Spread the cream cheese on 1 side of each slice of bread. Dot with capers. Arrange the smoked salmon on 10 of the bread slices and brush with lemon juice. Pepper generously. Top with the other 10 slices, remove the crusts and cut. Makes 40 tea sandwiches or 30 fingers.
  Cucumber Tea Sandwich Recipe
  
  Cucumber sandwiches are still the quintessential tea sandwich recipe. No tea party recipe page would be complete without them.
  
  1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced very thinly
  Salt
  3/4 cup soft butter
  2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
  20 slices bread
  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  Pepper to taste
  Lightly salt the cucumber slices and place them in a colander to drain for 1 to 2 hours. Then combine the butter and garlic and apply to 1 side of each slice of bread. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice, olive oil, and pepper. Add the cucumber slices, coating them well. Arrange the cucumber on 10 of the bread slices, top with the other 10 slices, remove the crusts, and quarter. Serve immediately. Makes 40 tea sandwiches.
  Variation:
  Tomato Tea Sandwich Recipe
  
  Prepare as above, substituting about 2 pounds of seeded, thinly sliced tomatoes for the cucumber. You do not need to drain them as you would the cucumber slices. These can be messy, though, so it's best to arrange the tomato slices so that each slice touches a portion of the outer spread to keep the filling from slipping.
  Almond Chicken Salad Sandwiches
  
  Spread:
  
  Combine 3/4 cup butter, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves or 2 tablespoons dried basil.
  Filling:
  
  1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken meat
  1/2 cup mayonnaise
  1/2 cup slivered almonds
  Salt and pepper to taste
  20 slices bread, your choice
  Combine the filling ingredients. Spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of the butter mixture. Add the filling to half the bread slices and top with the other half, buttered sides in. Remove the crusts and cut the sandwiches as desired. Makes 40 tea sandwiches.
  Pepper Cheese Sandwiches
  
  Spread:
  
  Cream together 1 cup soft butter, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
  Filling:
  1 1/4 cups Stilton cheese, finely grated
  1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
  2 teaspoons lemon juice
  1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  2 tablespoons brandy
  1/4 cup, more or less, heavy cream
  20 slices bread, your choice
  Combine all filling ingredients except the cream in a small bowl. Gradually add the cream to bring the mixture to spreading consistency. Spread a thin layer of the butter mixture to the edge of one side of each piece of bread. Top half the slices with the filling. Place the remaining bread slices on top, remove the crusts and cut as desired. Makes 40 tea sandwiches.
  Pineapple-Cream Cheese Sandwiches
  3/4 cup soft butter
  1 teaspoon cinnamon or nutmeg
  20 slices bread of your choice
  11/2 cups soft cream cheese
  1/2 cup pineapple, finely chopped
  1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
  Salt and pepper
  
   
  Combine the butter with cinnamon or nutmeg and spread the mixture over 1 side of each slice of bread. In a small bowl, cream the cream cheese, if necessary, and stir in the pineapple and nuts. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over 10 slices of bread and top with the other 10 slices. Remove the crusts and cut. Makes 40 quarter tea sandwiches.
  Hummus in Pita Bread
  
  This is not a traditional tea sandwich recipe, but it exhibits the same features. Any small-portioned, savory (not sweet) sandwich or appetizer may be served with or instead of the traditional tea sandwich.
  
  1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), liquid reserved
  1/3 cup tahini paste*
  1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  1 or 2 cloves garlic
  1/2 teaspoon paprika
  1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
  Salt and pepper to taste
  12 mini pitas
  Chopped olives and tomatoes, optional
  *You can make your own tahini paste in a food processor or blender by grinding toasted sesame seeds. Toast the sesame seeds over medium heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  
  In a food processor, puree the chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, paprika, and garlic until smooth, adding a little of the reserved liquid if the mixture seems too thick. It will be slightly grainy. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the pita pockets in half and fill each with about 2 tablespoons of Hummus. Top with chopped olives and tomatoes, if desired. Makes 24 tea sandwiches.
  
   
  For fun, serve a variety of tea sandwich recipes or a combination of sandwiches and appetizers. Figure that your guests will consume about 4 tea sandwiches apiece, or the equivalent, depending on the party menu.

Tea Cake Recipes

 

Most pastry recipes qualify as tea cake recipes. In keeping with the character of tea party fare, though, it is better to serve mini-portions of two or three tea cakes than full-sized servings of one variety.

Cookies are a natural choice, and so are sheet cakes, brownies, and baklava, because they can be cut to any size you want. But lots of other dessert recipes, like éclairs and cream puffs can be adapted.

Tea Cake Recipes

Tea cakes, like any dessert, are served last, after scones during Light Afternoon Tea or after tea sandwiches and scones during Full Afternoon Tea. (See Tea Party Recipes Homepage, below.) This small variety of sweets gives balance to the more savory dishes and provides a memorable end to your tea party.

 

Fruitovers
...Small, fruit-filled turnovers. Choose the apricot filling or any one of a variety of readymade filling choices.

Cream Puffs and Chocolate Éclairs
...These homemade cream puffs and éclairs are excellent tea party recipes; they're small!

Pumpkin Pinwheels
...A pumpkin roll recipe as pleasing to the eye as to the palate.

Brownies
...Easy Fudge Brownie Recipe and Cream Cheese Brownie Recipe.

Cherry Nuggets
...A delicious shortbread-type cookie, rolled in nuts and topped with a cherry.

Baklava
...This rich, flaky Greek pastry is everyone's favorite.

Easy Fruit Tarts
...This eye-catching fruit cup recipe is great for anyone who needs a break from cooking from scratch.

Cheesecake Cookies
...All the delights of cheesecake and cookies in one recipe!

Petite Almond Cookies
...These are small and delicate, but rich and flavorful, the very essence of a great tea cake recipe.

 
A Brief History of Afternoon Tea Parties
Although the practice of tea-drinking has been around for many centuries, it has been mostly for medicinal purposes.
Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford is credited with the creation of Afternoon Tea, the social event, in the 1840's. It began simply enough, as a 4:00 o'clock snack for her, to tide her over until the customary late supper. Friends joined her, and over the next few decades the practice became steeped in tradition, etiquette, accoutrements, and, no doubt, tea party recipes.
As it became the "national habit", tea houses and tea rooms sprang up over Britain like Starbucks in Seattle. Sadly, few are left, but tea parties are gaining momentum once again.

 
The Three Courses of Afternoon Tea Party Recipes
Traditionally,
Full Afternoon Tea is served in three courses:

• Tea Sandwiches, very small savory sandwiches ranging in flavor from cucumber to sardine. Appetizers are also appropriate.

• Scones, or other tea breads such as (English) muffins or crumpets.
• Tea Cakes, which may include most any pastry.

Light Afternoon Tea requires only scones and tea cakes to be served. Another version of Afternoon Tea is called Cream Tea. Serve only scones with clotted cream and jam.
Divide your tea party recipes, as we have. Serve something savory, then something sweet, and you can't go wrong. Serve a beverage, like punch or champagne, in addition to tea if the gathering is very large. Fruit and cheese are welcome additions to the basic tea party recipes.

 
Basic Fine Tea Guide

The one essential thing to serve with tea party recipes is tea.
Amazingly, all tea comes from the same basic plant, Camellia Sinensis. Depending upon the extent the leaves are fermented, all teas are either black (fully fermented), green (unfermented), or oolong (partially fermented). Some refer to this process as oxidation, rather than fermentation. It takes several hours at most.
Of course, there are many variations of these three teas based on growing area, climate, use of young leaves or older ones, blending, and so on. One such class uses only very young leaves that are processed so little they come practically in their natural state. They have their own classification now, White Teas.
Among Black Teas you will find Pekoe Teas, Assam, Darjeeling (considered the connoisseur's choice), Nilgiri, Ceylon, and Keemun. These are typically dark, rich and hearty teas, good hot or iced.
Green Teas include Gunpowder (actually very mild), Hyson, Imperial, Chun Mees, Sow Mees, and Matcha. They make a distinctive pale grey-green color tea which can be a little bitter, if allowed to steep too long. For brewing, the tea leaves are sometimes rolled into tiny balls resembling lead shot.
The pride of Oolong Teas is Formosa Oolong. It is outstanding, and expensive, as teas go. Pouchong Teas and Pu Erh also belong to this category. Oolong teas are often used in blending because they tend to enhance the flavors of the other teas, even cheaper ones.
White Teas like Silver Needles and White Peony are very fine and rare. They are a light color in the cup with a very delicate flavor.
Any variety of tea can be blended with another or with oils, herbs, spices, and other tastes to form a brand new tea flavor. But it takes finesse and practice to get it right, so most of us opt for tried-and-true commercially blended teas. Blended black and oolong teas are by far the most popular in the West, but green tea is gaining in popularity because of its healthful properties.
Blended Teas include old favorites like Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Irish Breakfast, Black Currant, Lady Londonberry, Lapsang Souchong, Russian Caravan, Jasmine, and Chai.
Beyond that, the history, naming, and curing of tea leaves can be tea-dious reading, forgive the pun. In the end, your choice of tea is a simple matter of taste, anyway. Serve what you like.

But if you're interested, the most concise, yet informative piece we've found on the subject of tea is here .
Herbal teas are not considered real teas by themselves, if that matters to a nation born of rebellion. Many would have them stricken from the roster of possibilities, as with all teas in tea bags. Tea bags are the hot dogs of the tea world; you never really know what all's in them. But to avoid either one altogether is overreacting, and would deprive us of some wonderful tastes. Again, serve what you like.

 
How to Brew a Perfect Pot of Tea

Learn. Learn. Learn. Practice. Practice. Practice.

Taste is subjective, so even with detailed instructions for brewing fine tea, it takes practice to get it right for you. But in the end you have a great cup of tea and a new hobby.
The Basics: 6 Easy Steps to a Great Pot of Tea

Bring fresh, cold water almost to a boil in a tea kettle on the stove.

In the meantime, measure out the tea: 1 teaspoon tea leaves (or 1 teabag) per cup of water. Every tea is different, calling for some experimentation.

Preheat the teapot by rinsing it with very hot water before adding the leaves. This is more important than you may think; it maintains the temperature in the pot, preparing the tea leaves so that the tea releases its full flavor when the water is poured over the leaves.

Add the measured tea to the pre-warmed teapot. Smell the aroma already? That's good.

Pour the hot water over the tea. For black and oolong teas, let the water come to a full boil before pouring it into the teapot. Recommended brewing times:

• Black Tea, 3 to 5 minutes.

• Green Tea, 1 to 3 minutes.

• White and Oolong Teas, 2 to 5 minutes.
• Teabags, follow manufacturer's directions or to taste, usually a short infusion time.

Remove the leaves and serve. Some tea leaves can be used again, just let them steep a little longer each time.
What To Serve in Tea:

Are you familiar with the old song lyrics, "If her daddy's rich take her out for a meal. If her daddy's poor just do what you feel"? Oddly, it's the same with tea. If the tea is fine, your options are limited. If the tea is poor, just do what you feel.
Though hotly debated, all the arguments for and against putting milk, cream, sugar, and lemon in your tea are laid to rest by this one point: Fine tea should be served without any additions (disguises), or why bother with fine tea? Naturally strong black teas are the exception, however. A small amount of milk may actually enhance the flavor of these.

 

The important thing is that you enjoy the tea. So with a nod to tradition, to the Victorian ladies, to other cultures, to connoisseurs, and to Great Party Recipes, serve what you and your guests will enjoy most.
Thankfully, the tea party recipes that go with tea are much less controversial than what goes in tea.

I could go on forever…, but I won't. You get my drift. I hope this makes you an expert in tea and the goodies we talked about. I hope that you weren't bored. I know that I wasn't. Thanks for your patients with me…but I had to get this out of my system. It is so great.