Who’d have thought it? Way back in the day when afternoon tea and scones was the norm, and we all sat down to enjoy a cuppa with a nice but nasty dairy delight, that it would come to a not-so-abrupt end but rather die down with the aging population.
Once upon a teatime, tea and cakes was something everyone did and as such, the tradition seems to have continued with the older generation. Enjoying a cup of Earl Grey and a slice of Battenberg is something I’ll always remember doing as a child and teenager with my Nanna. She’s always been the sort who doesn’t scrimp when it comes to cakes and though she never baked her own to offer visiting guests, Mr Kipling’s finest were always a very worthy substitute.
This tradition has continued and now I can pop round to a friends house and sip some English breakfast tea with a hobnob – you cannot beat a hobnob, no matter how hard you try. But for many my age the idea is alien to them and the thought of downing an ‘old woman’s drink’ fills them with utter disgust ‘Err, no thanks I’ll have a coke if you have one’ It's enough to make you wonder what the world is coming to.
Now suddenly, as if from nowhere the resurgence of tea and cakes has been astounding. With massive thanks to the overwhelming popularity of boutique bakeries such as Kensington’s Hummingbird, it seems that being typically British is back in Vogue. Cupcakes, fridge bars and brownies have found their way back into teatime and are enjoying riding the crest of the popularity wave with everything from luscious lemon and delectable chocolate offerings becoming a lunchtime staple.
However, we’ve got it slightly wrong.
Whatever happened to Battenberg? A good old Bakewell Tart and a scone? Are they too afraid to come out of cupboard for fear of being upstaged by a fancy, frilly cupcake? Perhaps it’s the idea of knowing that sometimes its second best you have to settle for. Nothing excites me more than knowing I’m going to put away at least ten clotted cream scones this summer when I venture down to Cornwall but somehow, the idea of nipping out to Tesco for a finest all-butter scone a tub of clotted cream just doesn’t cut it. It’s not the same and it never will be.
It would appear that while teatime has returned, many of the traditions have stayed in the past or in Nanna’s cupboards. Tastes have changed and brought with them the new and exciting world of Cupcakes. We even have flavoured infusion teas from around the globe! What would the Lord and Lady have thought of that?
And so I came to today, a Wednesday and thought that it was time to explore the world through a cup and saucer, and maybe a plate or two along the way. I’ve given up tea for lent. But why? Simply because I drink too much of the stuff. Like a robot the answer is always ‘yes’ to the question ‘fancy a cuppa?’ And while initially the idea was to avoid it at all costs with the eventuality that I wouldn’t consume so much of it, it’s left me seeking an alternative and the desire to discover different flavours.
So when lent is over will it be back to Tetley or itchy feet for a bit of flavour… lets see shall we?
Sammy xxx
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