I think it’s safe to say that afternoon tea is generally regarded as one of the most English of afternoon past times. Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford gets credit for adding such a delightful addition to the day back in 1840 after she got rather peckish in the late afternoon before an eight o’ clock dinner. It was only a matter of time before she started inviting all of her peckish friends to join her and by the 1920’s, afternoon tea had turned into a full-blown affair, frequently with dancing in posh hotels. It makes one want to swoon at the sheer properness and elegance of it all.
Nowadays afternoon tea can be found at a variety of places, with or without the elegance of a time gone by but there’s also the option of making it at home. Granted this can be quite fussy to do, what with all those fiddly little cakes and sandwiches, especially if you’re cooking for a crowd. But tea can also be as simple as you want to make it. A plate of cucumber sandwiches or a batch of scones is all that’s needed to turn an afternoon cuppa into a luxurious pause.
But, if even the thought of that much work has you passing out and sending someone running for the smelling salts, you can sit down with a pile of books and concoct your afternoon tea completely in your imagination from the comfort of your chair, with the added benefit that the clean up is, wait for it… a piece of cake. Anyway, here is a list of the afternoon tea books which I will often find myself perusing.
~Having Tea Catherine Calvert This is an oldy but goody from 1987. Its chapters are broken down into a variety of different teas: fall tea in the country, christmas eve tea, tea on the lawn. Just perfect for all your afternoon tea fantasies.
~Tea fit for a Queen Printed in 2014 and done in association with Historic Royal Palaces it’s a diminutive book with a charming cover. It has a nice simple layout with a recipe on the left and colourful photographs of the finished product on the right. Interspersed throughout are photos of the palaces and some interesting information on such topics as Henry VIII’s Kitchens or Queen Anne and her Orangery.
~Tea and Crumpets Margaret M. Johnson A nice little book with great photographs and a chapter on the history of tea and afternoon tea. Nice savoury recipes such as poached lobster with mini molten cheese souffles for the adventurous or salmon mousse pinwheels for the less so and sweets like chocolate and banana charlottes and passion fruit posset with strawberry jelly. All the recipes are from a variety of tea houses from around Britain but there’s also a chapter on French Tea with recipes for madeleines and macarons and a traveler’s guide to European tearooms. Just in case you’re heading that way.
~The Vintage Tea Party Book Angel Adoree This book has a full on 1940’s retro look with a touch of Alice in Wonderland…and it’s a charmer. Recipes are a bit more creative than your standard fare. There are sections for brunch, afternoon and evening and recipes for things like pear dumplings with caramel glaze, sugared fruits and venison pie. What makes it extra fun are the enclosed projects interspersed throughout: how to make bunting, tying the perfect headscarf and how to make aprons. And to top it off there’s a whole chapter in the back on style. Ms Adoree explains how to get the perfect 1940’s look by showing you how to do pin curls and victory rolls and how to apply fake eyelashes. Fabulous fun!
~Tea and Cake Lisa Faulkner This is a recent favourite of mine. If you watched Murder in Suburbia you will recognize the author as the bright and bubbly Scribbs. In her cookbooks she comes across as equally personable and girl-next-door’ish. It’s like sitting down to have tea with your best friend. Lots of classic recipes for Iced Buns, Bakewell Tart and Crumpets as well as Pancetta and Ricotta Tarts, Stilton Gougères and Turkish delight. Positively overflowing with afternoon tea goodness.
~Afternoon Tea at Bramble Cafe Mat Follas This is a brand new acquisition which I stumbled across on Amazon. It just came out in February and I could not pass up that cover. It has the ubiquitous Lemon Drizzle Cake and Victoria Sponge but also Salted Caramel Tartlets and Profiteroles as well as a great recipe for Milk Bread. There’s also a section on curds, jellies and drinks. Mat found his way to England via New Zealand so there are a handful of nods to his homeland…Anzac biscuits and Lamingtons.
