This month sees not just a day, but a whole week (10-16 August) dedicated to the grand English Tradition of the Afternoon Tea. Not to be confused with a high tea (which is more of a robust early supper), a proper afternoon tea is a refined affair, consisting of three courses, usually served as tiers on a cake stand; the savoury, the scone and the sweet.
Originally a social custom embraced by the upper classes, the concept of afternoon tea was designed to sate the appetite between a light luncheon and a fashionably late formal dinner at 8pm. The seventh Duchess of Bedford is acknowledged as inventor of the meal back in the 1840s when she requested that tea, bread and butter, and cake be brought to her private chamber at 4pm each day. The menu quickly evolved to encompass finger sandwiches (thinly sliced cucumber remains the most elegant choice of filling), scones, cakes, and pastries. The practice expanded further to include family, friends and other house guests and by the 1880s, it was such a public affair it would require its own wardrobe change. It was given the royal seal of approval when Queen Victoria enthusiastically adopted the custom, enjoying a sponge cake layered with buttercream and raspberries (a Victoria sponge) as her confection of choice.
Over the course of the twentieth century, a cup of tea and a biscuit became commonplace mid-afternoon fayre across the social classes, and the tradition continues to thrive today. There’s a wealth of options in Oxford and the surrounding area. The Crazy Bear (crazybear.co.uk) in Stadhampton has just launched its very own Afternoon Tea Feast: a running buffet of sandwiches, scones, macarons and pastries – ‘no portions counted’ – which can be enjoyed in the Residents Lounge or outdoors in the gardens. In Oxford itself, any of the decent hotels in and around the city centre promise to make afternoon tea a memorable experience.
We love The Randolph for its Alice in Wonderland-inspired delights; The Old Parsonage for classic country house feels in the heart of the city; and don’t forget The Cotswold Lodge on the Banbury Road, where diners are offered a choice of sweet or savoury options to follow the finger sandwiches and scones, so instead of salted caramel chocolate, you could be feasting on a goats cheese truffle tart.
However, if you’re looking for glamour, head straight to The Ivy on Oxford’s High Street to rest awhile in its grand dining hall and allow the cheery waitstaff to proffer up a delightful choice of culinary pleasures in arguably the best-dressed of all of Oxford’s eateries.
OUR REVIEW:
We went along to sample the goods and our experience started with a glass of Champagne which nicely set the tone for the elegance and indulgence to come. The Champagne (the Ivy’s own) was crisp, chilled and joyfully effervescent, filling the flute with the tiny bubbles – a reliable indicator of good quality. We also chose a tea blend from an interesting and wide-ranging selection. I went with Earl Grey, and my companion chose the refreshingly floral Rose. There is also a good choice of coffees, a surprisingly large array of hot chocolates (pistachio, cookie dough, etc), and matcha or turmeric lattes.
Although tea is in the title, we all know that a proper afternoon tea is about the goodies on the étagère, and that soon arrived at our table accompanied by side plates on which the sandwiches were presented in a smart Ivy-branded paper parcel. If you’re wondering why they’ve deviated from the traditional three tier presentation, we suspect it’s because the three pastries or cakes that make up the final ‘course’ are so generous – and also so playfully presented – that a single layer is given to each person’s portion.
We started with the savouries: an egg mayo finger sandwich, which had a subtle hint of curry spice; a choux bun stuffed with rich salmon mousse, strewn with The Ivy’s Severn and Wye cured salmon; and a chicken and truffle cream brioche which masterfully balanced the savoury umami notes of truffle and parmesan with a sweet, plump brioche bun. As already mentioned, sizes are generous but in all honesty we could have eaten them twice over, just for the greed factor.
It’s just as well that we didn’t because the scones which came next were elite level – a perfectly crisp shell and fluffy interior. These were served with juicy, ripe fresh strawberries in addition to the requisite jam and clotted cream.
Onto the sweets, which in no way flatter to deceive as not only is the presentation exceptional but the flavours are fabulous. Served in a mini cocotte, the crème brûlée with berry compote was rich and moreish. The lemon and poppyseed muffin in its gold case is topped with light-as-air icing and decorated with edible flowers and a baby chocolate bee. The trio is completed by the dark chocolate and salted caramel plant pot. Utterly whimsical and so moreish we kept dipping in to scoop up more of the cocoa-rich mousse, topped with chocolate soil and crammed with chunks of gooey honeycomb and brownie.
This probably sounds nonsensical but the part of the success of each lies in the fact that none of the three are ‘too sweet’. Ridiculous, because we’re talking about some of the most indulgent desserts imaginable, but true, nonetheless.
Finally, it’s worth mentioning that takeaway boxes are available, and so if (like us) you’re keen to try everything but doubt you’ll be able to manage the lot in one sitting, start off by sharing so you’ll have some to enjoy later. The Ivy Afternoon tea is priced at £36.25 per person, or £46.25 with a glass of Champagne (ivycollection.com).
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If, however, you’d rather stay at home, maintain the sense of occasion by prettifying your table – a simple pot of geraniums achieves instant rustic charm – and treat yourselves to a luxury hamper, readily available from any number of online retailers and, of course, the big guns like Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason, and even HRH is in on the action with a Highgrove Tea for Two hamper at £90 online.
If your taste runs more to savoury than sweet, we like Snowdonia Cheese Co – not least because their woven baskets exude quality. Their award-winning colourful wax truckles are handcrafted in North Wales but as well as selling direct from their website (snowdoniacheese.co.uk), they are sold through Waitrose, M&S – and we’ve also spotted them in Oxford’s poshest ‘supermarket’, the deli counter at Branca in Jericho.
The Afternoon Tea hamper (£47) covers all tastes. For the sweet-toothed there are Belgid’Or chocolate truffles and handmade strawberry jam – see below for a simple scone recipe to make at home. Organic English Breakfast tea bags and Fig & Apple chutney are included, as are Snowdonia Cheese Company’s own wholemeal and olive oil crackers, but the stars of the show are (unsurprisingly) the cheeses: the award-winning Extra Mature Black Bomber in all its creamy, tang-fastic, crumbly goodness, and the Bouncing Berry which is stuffed with sharp cranberries for a fruity yet savoury hit.
So, whether you go all out or simply treat yourself to something fancy with your 4pm cuppa this month, you’ll be following a fine tradition – and one which we think is definitely worth upholding.
RECIPES
Self-Raising Scones
Ingredients:
350g organic self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp caster sugar
85g butter (salted, cold, diced)
175ml milk (cold)
1 egg (for egg washing)
Serves: 9-12 (depending on the size of the cutter)
Baker: Sophie Carey, for Matthews Cotswold Flour
Method:
- Scones are best made by hand so start by adding all of the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stirring to combine. Rub the diced butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until there are no large lumps and it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the cold milk and use a table knife to ‘cut’ the milk into the other ingredients to combine them without overworking.
- As soon as the dough begins to come together, tip the mixture out onto a clean counter-top and gently knead until the dough comes together completely (it should be very soft but not sticky).
- Roll out gently using a rolling pin to about 1/8th of an inch thick, then cut rounds using a biscuit cutter. (Tip: you can use a cutter either with fluted edges or straight.)
- Place the scones upside down on a lined baking tray (Tip: doing this ensures that they rise straight upwards in the oven instead of rising on a slant) and gently brush the tops with beaten egg.
- Bake at 180oc for 12-15 minutes or until they are a pale golden brown and well risen. Cool on a wire rack before eating – ideally with lots of jam and clotted cream.
With thanks to cotswoldflour.com for allowing us to share this recipe.
Finally, if marmalade is more your ‘jam’, here’s a recipe using the orange nectar to make what – in our opinion – is the teatime equivalent to a chocolate orange…
Marmalade Brookies
Ingredients:
For the brownie:
200g dark chocolate
125g unsalted butter
2 eggs
120g caster sugar
40g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
70g plain flour
2 tbsps cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
180g marmalade – we love La Vieja Fabrica which is produced in Seville using locally grown oranges.
For the cookie:
115g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
50g brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 orange (zest only)
220g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Start making the brownie dough by melting chocolate and butter until smooth. Cool slightly.
- Beat the eggs, sugars and vanilla for about five minutes until pale, thick and creamy. Drizzle in the chocolate mixture whilst beating on low. Sift in dry ingredients and fold together. Cover and chill until firm/
For the cookie dough, melt the butter then whisk in the sugars, egg, vanilla and orange zest. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Allow to cool until firm enough to shape.
Divide each mixture into equal parts, with each having equal sized balls. Combine the two doughs by alternating the balls in contact, then squeeze and roll together into a larger cookie dough ball. - Make a well in the middle of each larger cookie dough ball with your fingers Tip: ensure you leave a thicker base, so the marmalade doesn’t leak out during baking. Fill each well with 1 tsp of marmalade, then bring the dough around the marmalade to close the gap but not fully seal it in.
- Freeze the cookie dough balls for at least an hour before baking. Then space them well apart to allow for spreading before placing them in the oven for 13-14 minutes at 180oc. Leave to cool completely on the baking trays: this is important as the cookies will be very soft and will harden up as they cool down.
Recipe created by Andrea @moversandbakers
You can find La Vieja Fabrica products in your nearest, Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado, Booths and Asda.
