Everybody – simply everybody – loves a traditional Afternoon Tea – and it has certainly proved popular onboard Excalibur on the Thames.
Imagine sailing along the non-tidal Thames, in the wake of Kings and Queens, enjoying a mid-afternoon experience made popular by Queen Victoria herself.
We would pick you up (usually at Walton upon Thames) at 1pm and then, as part of a 5-hour river cruise, you and your guests would sit down to an elegantly-laid table (using Denby Imperial Blue china) to enjoy classic treats which have long been part of our English Heritage.
There would only be your party onboard – no sharing with strangers, as on other boats!
So what is on the menu?
Most afternoon teas have three courses – but on Excalibur we always add more, and so ours have four! – You would begin with dainty finger sandwiches (along the lines of roast Chicken with Tarragon-infused Butter, Free range Egg Mayonnaise and Cress, Torchon Ham with Dijon Mustard, Cucumber with Minted Crème Fraiche, Roast Turkey with Cranberry Sauce, or Smoked Salmon with Caper butter), served with Pol Roger Brut Champagne
THEN cleanse your palette with an entremet of Mango, Lychee and Passion Fruit Salad
THEN sip freshly Brewed Loose Leaf Assam Tea or Filter Coffee, with Warm Fruit and Plain Scones, always served with Tiptree Jams & Preserves, and Rodda’s Clotted Cream
AND THEN finishing with Artisan Patisserie, along with more Pol Roger Champagne!
The whole experience for 4 people is £600, and only another £75 per person (upto a maximum of 10 guests in total), which includes the 5 hour cruise.
Go on – treat yourselves!
“Tea, my Lady?” - The History of Afternoon Tea
One of the experiences which our guests on Excalibur on the Thames have treasured is that of afternoon tea. There is something truly wonderful about sharing tea, with sandwiches, scones and fancy cakes on board a boat as the sunlight glints off the water – commented on only by ducks swimming by – even better when accompanied by a glass of chilled champagne.
An afternoon tea seems as old as time itself (well, at least since tea was discovered and brought to the UK) – but what is the history of the event, the tradition, the experience?
It was in the 17th century that tea was introduced to Britain, but not until another 200 years did “Afternoon Tea” come about.
According to English tradition Anna, Duchess of Bedford (1783 – 1857), found herself needing a snack around 4pm – she asked for tea, bread & butter and cake – a light snack to which she invited her friends in Society.
In time Her Majesty Queen Victoria joined Her Grace, the Duchess, and the provenance of Afternoon Tea was set – if Her Majesty enjoyed afternoon tea, then everyone should!
Tea from Ceylon and India was served, with a range of delicate sandwiches, scones, and an assortment of fine cakes - all presented in the best bone china – a truly elegant event.
Things have moved on, of course – on Excalibur on the Thames we use Assam tea (in a proper tea pot), dainty sandwiches to match modern tastes, fresh scones with Rodda’s clotted cream and Tiptree jams, and a range of stunning yet elegant cakes – all on Denby Imperial Blue china (which matches the blue livery of the boat).
Even the swans nod their approval as they swim gracefully by.
3. What constitutes an “Afternoon Tea”?
Afternoon Teas began when Anna, Duchess of Bedfordshire, fancied a “snack” in the mid-afternoon – but not enough to spoil her appetite for dinner. Her request, by all accounts, was fairly simple – bread and butter, cake, and tea.
Since then, of course, things have somewhat spiralled!
Now, on Excalibur on the Thames, we have added our own little twist – an entremet!
So the first course is still based on “Bread and Butter”, which now takes the form of dainty finger sandwiches (so called because they can be picked up by hand, rather than them being made out of fingers, obviously!), with a selection of meats, cheeses, smoked salmon, cucumber – and all enhanced by just the right herbs, in just the right amounts.
The third course (we’ll come back to the second in a moment!) is scones – possibly an element added by Queen Victoria herself – although presumably she had her jams and cream made by Palace chefs, rather than the fabulous Tiptree and Roddas (as we do!).
Then the fourth course is some wonderfully elegant, and sometimes even playful, handmade patisserie – often French, but never less than fabulous!
And the second course? Well, given that Afternoon Tea is quite “carb” based, we have slipped in a wonderfully refreshing Mango, Lychee and Passion Fruit salad – perfect on a warm summer day on the River.
Oh, and not forgetting the bottomless tea (Assam, naturally!) or coffee, and the accompanying Champagne (Pol Roger – the brand favoured by Winston Churchill, no less!).
All in all, a sumptuous feast – although, to be fair, our version may well dent your appetite for dinner …. Sorry Your Ladyship!
4. The History of a Cream Tea
Now don’t be fooled! – a “Cream Tea” is NOT the same as an “Afternoon Tea”!
Afternoon Tea is a layered masterpiece of finger sandwiches, warming scones with jam and cream, and fancy cakes (oh, and on Excalibur we add a gorgeously refreshing fruit-cup in between).
However, a “Cream Tea” is an indulgence of another kind altogether! It may not be as fancy, but it is just as tempting!
The history of cream teas may well reach back almost a thousand years – with evidence that they were taken at Tavistock Abbey in Devon in the 11th Century (that piece of information may well annoy people from Cornwall, for reasons which we will come back to in future posts!).
However, these days the elements of a cream tea are fairly standard …. Tea, served with Scones (again, whether they are pronounced “Scones” or “Scons” is a matter of much debate – which even the two owners of Excalibur disagree on vehemently!), clotted cream and Jam.
You’d think that the combination of these simple elements would lead to a harmonious life – but not in England!
The main areas of contention are ….
The Tea – milk in the cup first, or tea before milk?
The Scones (“scones” or “scons” debate aside) – with or without dried fruit?
The Cream – Does it have to be clotted, or would “whipped” do?
The Jam – Does it have to be strawberry jam, or would raspberry, or apricot suffice?
And don’t even get an Englishman started on whether the cream should be underneath the jam, or vice versa – Counties have fallen out for lesser debates – as you will see in the “Devon versus Cornwall” dispute in a future post!
You will be, I hope, comforted to learn the “Cream Tea Rule” on Excalibur on the Thames – you have it YOUR WAY! You can even pronounce “scone” your way – just sit back and enjoy the delicious tastes of an English Summer.
The Tea – milk in the cup first, or tea before milk?
The Scones (“scones” or “scons” debate aside) – with or without dried fruit?
The Cream – Does it have to be clotted, or would “whipped” do?
The Jam – Does it have to be strawberry jam, or would raspberry, or apricot suffice?
And don’t even get an Englishman started on whether the cream should be underneath the jam, or vice versa – Counties have fallen out for lesser debates – as you will see in the “Devon versus Cornwall” dispute in a future post!
You will be, I hope, comforted to learn the “Cream Tea Rule” on Excalibur on the Thames – you have it YOUR WAY! You can even pronounce “scone” your way – just sit back and enjoy the delicious tastes of an English Summer.
