Tea Time!

time for tea?

The British do like their tea. And you can't be here for any length of time without learning to appreciate what the British do - tea time! Even though Stow-on-the-Wold only has a population of 2,500 or so, there are at least a half dozen tea rooms in town. I've tried several of them and have already discovered the best one hands down - the Old Bakery Tea Room (I mentioned this place in an earlier blog). Lest you think that tea rooms only serve tea and sweets, let me be clear that they also serve a variety of foods. You might even think of them more like a restaurant. Also, in general, food prices at tea rooms are generally much better than at pubs.

classic? celebration? Burford? Cotswold? and you thought tea was tea!

My first discovery was that "cream tea" does not simply mean tea with cream in it. No, if you order a cream tea, you get a teapot with some blend of loose tea, a tiny "pitcher" of milk, sugar (brown and white lumps), a couple of scones, some clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Lucy's Tea Room

Clotted cream is definitely an English thing, as it really can't be found (except as a specialty item) in other parts of the world. Depending on what part of England you're from, the clotted cream either goes on top of the jam (Cornwall) or beneath it (Devon). For more on how it's made:

p. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_tea

yum yum yum!!

It's hard to describe clotted cream, as it's not like any of the dairy products we're used to in the states. It's not like yogurt, not like sour cream, not like butter, not like cream cheese or any other dairy product we Americans are used to eating. It can also go by other names such as clouted cream, Cornish cream or Devonshire cream, depending on what part of the country you're in. Apparently, it is not exported due to its short shelf life. [note: I have found it in a British market in the states before, a very tiny jar costing between $6-8 US]

best scones in Stow - right here!

Sometimes we hear people refer to "tea" or "cake" which seems to be the equivalent of our mid-afternoon snack. Others refer to tea as an early, light dinner. From my reading, it depends on what time of day and what is served with the tea whether it is classified as a light tea, cream tea, "tea" (as in a meal) or high tea. Whatever, the cream tea is what I'm most interested in and as far as I can tell, it can be ordered any time a tea room is open! The ones here close around 4 p.m.

tea time is any time!

By the way, I once asked for cold tea in a restaurant. It was a "no go." However, they do offer coffees, juices and soft drinks (even Diet Coke -  yes)!

I'll have a lump...

this one serves outside in tiny courtyard

and they do like their cakes...

By the way, tea rooms here are not fancy as you might expect of an English tea room. Women don't sip their tea with hats on and pinkies in the air. As mentioned above, tea rooms are more like restaurants (both in looks and menu) so men frequent them just like women do. And usually the cups and saucers are solid white and more utilitarian, not special china.

lunch at the Old Bakery Tea Room

Cotswolds Bakery & Tea Room