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The first time we had a cream tea was in Wiltshire England. The small tea shop where we were served was situated in a small town just below a long winding road that lead to Old Wardour Castle
Having never experienced such a treat, the owner of the shop, who also served us our tea, was kind enough to give us instruction on which to spread on the homemade scones first - the clotted cream or the thick strawberry preserves. As it was, we were told to plop some clotted cream down first and then add the preserves.
This site here would better describe a cream tea and it has wonderful photos...so you can drool too. It was one of the best things I have ever eaten. Seriously, the warm homemade scones....the thick glossy clotted cream and fresh preserves...it was heavenly.
Well, we try at home to indulge in the same treat. It's not the same in hot old Florida, but it's still delectably tasty. You could make homemade scones but a packaged conveience is Sticky Fingers.
Sticky Fingers is a brand name that has been making more and more appearances in our kitchen.
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Back to our first time - well, following a leisurely few cups of strong milky tea and those scones, we drove up to Old Wardour Castle and had a wonderful walk around. Doug snapped a good photo of a huge Copper Beach tree through one of the three-arched framed windows on the second floor of the castle. It sits in my office and I often look at it and pretend it's a window. A window to cooler temperatures, to a more relaxed time, to the very possibility of adventure and new foods.
If you can swing it - fly into Gatwick and head west. Stop at any small town and get yourself a cream tea and relax.
But if you can't (like most of us) buy the best tea you can, make a batch of scones, find or order genuine clotted cream and buy strawberry jam or preserves with no chemicals or additives. Really good stuff. Then enjoy!
I wish!!! Next time I'm out jetsetting... LOL. Seriously, this sounds quaint and perfect...I can just picture myself sitting down to tea :)
ReplyDeleteMy mom and grandma always made me cream tea when I was little...to me it means winter and comfort. And perhaps it's just me...if they would call clotted cream something other than "clotted" it might be more palatable.
ReplyDeleteI've wondered about the devon cream you used in your post? Does it taste good? I've seen it in markets and wanted to try it. We use to go to a little tea shop up in Cleveland that served the best scones, with cream and jam. They are one of the very best things you can put in your mouth :) Yum!
ReplyDeleteI assure you Girlichef, it's not as grand as it sounds! It's a treat though...really tasty.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you Cathy - clot should not be word allowed in any conjunction with food! Hey, I sat on Vulcan 900 today. It looks like yours!
Kim, Devonshire double cream was a disappointment but I think the plain old Devon was great. Cornish clotted cream has a yellowy hue and I have heard it's good too. Really sweet and comforting.
I've seen clotted cream at gourmet shops, but never been brave enough to try it. I have no idea what it tastes like, but the clotted just gets me!
ReplyDeleteI have had many cream teas, as I have been to the UK several times and each time have had several cream teas! I love cream teas! There is just nothing like them anywhere! And most of mine were in Devon, too, where the best clotted cream comes from! They put clotted cream on everything, there!
ReplyDeleteJanel - you just have to forget the word "clotted" and I assure you...you'll love it!
ReplyDeleteWC - I would love to be in Devon now. Bet they don't have mosquitoes and horrible heat. Plus, I'd have that lovely treat! Do you have relatives there?
Yeah, my Dad is British, as is my mom's mom. Also, my mom lived over there for 10 years.
ReplyDeleteNow (and don't ask me which way round it is) in Cornwall and Devon - where cream teas are traditionally from - the cream and jam go on the scone in a different order. I lurve a cream tea - delicious!!!!
ReplyDeleteA true cream tea is one of life's best little pleasures!
ReplyDeleteI would love to attend a proper tea in the UK! However, yours looks like fun, too :)
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