Self-Important Musings on Cream Tea
Cream tea is a joy of mine. While sitting at my last cream tea in London I realized I had a lot of opinions on it. This post idea was born.
What is it? Cream tea is one of many tea services. It includes a scone (probably not what you're thinking), clotted cream (don't panic I'll explain), jam and a pot of tea. Afternoon or high tea is the traditional service with tiers of cakes, scones, and little sandwiches that can cost you a pretty penny at nice hotels and restuarants. Someone put it once that "you can't eat for two days" after afternoon tea at the Ritz. Cream tea is more managable.
Scone? Go to starbucks. Order a scone. Eat it. Now you know what a scone is not. An english scone is more like a southern buiscuit only denser and sweeter. In my mind, it is really just a vehicle for gobs of clotted cream and jam. Plain is best. Raisins (or sultanas) weird me out with jam - seems wrong.
Clotted Cream sounds gross. I know what you are picturing: sour cream or cottage cheese. Thankfully, that is not what it is at all. It is closer to a sweet cream cheese, but lighter like butter. I know a few people who have proclaimed they would like to take a bath in it.
Assembly instructions. There's a whole regional feud over in what order the clotted cream and jam should be lathered on a scone. You can choose the cornish way (scone jam cream) or the devonshire way (scone cream jam). Time for the self-important part of this muse - devonshire is right, cornish is wrong. Putting jam before cream is like putting jelly before peanut butter. You end up with a slippery mess. This is not what you want while eating your slightly posh afternoon snack. I also firmly believe you should cut your scone in half and then break individual pieces off to add the condiments too. No sandwiching - you will look like you are eating a hockey puck. Finally, if you have any clotted cream left at the end of the meal you've done it wrong. Having jam left over is acceptable.
And the tea part? Oh right - the tea. Take to your liking. I like something floral.
Feel like a major weight was just lifted off my chest. Thanks for letting me share. I look forward to hosting cream tea for my friends now that I'm back in the U.S.
Disclaimer. I'm not English. =P
