There’s a pretty strong British influence in my family, but afternoon tea was never really part of our lifestyle when I was growing up. My first memory of afternoon tea was when I was six years old, visiting friends of the family in England, and they prepared a lavish (and heavy on the sweets) tea for the children. Since then I’ve always considered afternoon tea as a special treat.
On occasion I would have tea at my grandmother’s, and my mother took me as a child, in all my 90s glory with mushroom cut and hammer pants, to have Victorian tea at Government House (built in 1891 to house the representative of the Queen) in my hometown of Regina, Canada. To read about my top things to do in Regina, click here.
Whenever I have the opportunity to go to the United Kingdom my guilty pleasure is going for afternoon tea. For me it’s more of an essential experience than most tourist attractions. I usually opt for the simple, more budget and waistline friendly cream tea, but sometimes you just have to splurge and go for a full afternoon tea! I anticipated that I would be getting back to England at some point in 2020, but for now I’ll just have my cream tea at home.
What is a Cream Tea?
Cream tea originated in the counties of Devon and Cornwall in southwest England. Cream tea is a simple variation of afternoon tea with a few principal components. Scones, Devonshire Cream (also known as clotted cream), strawberry jam, and tea with milk and sugar. What comes first, the cream or the jam? The Cornish way is to spread the jam on the scone first. The Devonshire way is to put the cream on the scone and then the jam. I’m partial to the Cornish method, but I won’t judge you for your preference.
So what makes me dream of cream tea? I love every part of cream tea, but there are two things that stand out for me, the first being the clotted cream. It sounds awful, but it is truly a delight. It’s essentially a very thick, heavy cream. When you’ve tried it, you’ll understand. The second is quality black tea with sugar. I usually drink my black tea with honey in an attempt to convince myself I’m being healthier by consuming less refined sugar. However, in my eyes, there’s just something about sugar in tea that honey can’t match. Also, I normally use a cheap tea bag from the supermarket, rather than high quality loose leaf. It’s undeniable that there’s a difference in taste, so for this occasion I’ve used loose leaf.
Making and Buying the Ingredients
Although you can make clotted cream at home, I’ve had a look at the recipes, and I can’t really imagine baking anything for 8 hours. If you live in the UK purchasing clotted cream should be simple enough, and you didn’t have to cross the pond for your cream tea in the first place! If you live elsewhere this could be tricky. In the past, in Canada, I have been able to find clotted cream at the supermarket. It typically had an astronomical price tag (in relation to the quantity of cream), but it could be found. Another option is to see if you have any shops that carry British goods nearby. Unfortunately, I was out of luck at the supermarket this year, perhaps because of the pandemic. So, sadly I will be substituting unsweetened whipped cream for clotted cream. A sad substitution, I am aware, but desperate times… The remaining ingredients, however, should be easy to find.
Everyone has their personal preference for tea. I like Ceylon black tea from Sri Lanka. I decided to try some loose leaf from a local shop, Cuppa T, here in Regina. A simple google search with your city and tea should give you some options when it comes to higher quality loose leaf. Shopping local is great, when you can afford it, but honestly a simple black tea bag always works, too!
I’ve decided to make scones because they aren’t tricky and I’ve gotten it into my head that I’d like to try my hand at an Earl Grey scone instead of a plain one. Here is a link for the recipe for Vanilla Earl Grey Scones if you are inclined to make your own. If not, you may be able to find scones at local bakeries or the supermarket.
Since I was already deviating from the standard, and I didn’t have strawberry jam on hand, I used partridgeberry jam from Newfoundland and fig jam. A new variation on the traditional cream tea?
Make your Cream Tea Special
If you’re going to the trouble of preparing a cream tea at home, why not spruce it up a little? Do you have a china tea set given to you by your grandmother that sits in the cupboard and you never use it? Get it out! This is the perfect occasion to dust it off. I used the Royal Crown Derby china set given to my grandparents as a wedding gift in 1947. The pattern, retired in 1997, is Blue Mikado. I also brought out a lace table cloth purchased in Nottingham for that extra-British touch. Invite friends or family (if and when it’s safe to do so). Get dressed up if that’s what you’re into. You can be as refined or as rustic as you want to, you’re in your own home after all. Who is there to judge?
A Little History
Tea is so important in many cultures that there are specific rituals surrounding the preparation and serving of tea. However, there is a long, dark history when it comes to tea, which I won’t delve into here, as I am no expert on the subject. If you are interested in learning more here’s a link to just one article, of many, about this past. Even today, tea doesn’t enjoy a good reputation in terms of labour practices and environmental concerns. In the 21st century tea is considered to be an inexpensive drink that is widely available, but it wasn’t always the case.
A few years ago, I visited the Jane Austen Museum in Bath (I am an unashamed fan of the author) and saw another side to tea during the Georgian era. Tea was so valuable (sugar at one time was also highly prized, and the poor had to use honey to sweeten beverages – ironic reversal because today honey is prized and sugar is cheap) that it was kept under lock and key. The housekeeper may have kept the tea key hanging from her belt. Things have certainly changed, as most people have a ready supply of tea available in their homes.
I don’t believe that consumers should take full responsibility for the actions of the industries from which they purchase goods. However, we can’t turn a blind eye to the history and present of the industries that sustain our habits (tea being just one of many). If something comes cheap for us, it almost certainly comes at a high price for someone else. So enjoy your tea, but consider looking to companies that are fair trade and sustainable. If you are in Canada, this website may help find brands that engage in fair trade (though I’m not sure how comprehensive it is).
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I adore Cream Tea. I even make a mean Lemon Curd, although it’s not strawberry jam, I do slather it on! An excellent read on tea is “For all the tea in China,” by Sarah Rose, the story of how England usurped tea and sent it to India! Love your blog. You are inspiring me.
Ooh lemon curd sounds even better than strawberry jam! Yes, tea certainly has an interesting history behind it!
Hi Danee….I just finished reading your blog. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next one. I’m anxious to try the Earl Grey Scones. They sound wonderful. Think I’ll try your Mom’s shape as I usual do.
I also enjoyed your pictures! The tea presentation looked inviting!
Thanks for reading this post, Carol! The Earl Grey flavour really worked well. Lots of my kitchen experiments don’t work out, but this one did!
Mmmm. Sounds yum and I want your Grandma’s china! How beautiful!
Thanks Rachel!