Review: Another Downton Abbeysplotation or a really good tea recipe book?
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 3, 2014
So, which is it? Eh, it may be a bit of both. Yes. Of COURSE I clicked on it because I couldn't resist Downton Abbey in all its drama, costumey goodness and British miniseries excellence. So I came for the Brit costume drama and I stayed for the food. But is it all that?This book has a section on the history of the tea custom (The Duchess of Bedford, who in my opinion should be canonized, couldn't make it to the 10 o'clock formal dinner and ordered tea and little bits of things sent up to her chambers to tide her over the long fast between luncheon and dinner.) The tea section is unfortunately too abbreviated. Yes, there is a discussion of "orange pekoe" --the entire top two leaves of the tea plant, and a brief mention of China, but to be accurate, you should learn about "India or China" meaning being asked if you want Chinese tea, like Keemun or Prince of Wales, or if you want Indian tea (Assam, Darjeeling.) A short discussion of CTC tea (the coarser type of tea you serve to the staff below and frankly, enjoy yourself on a miserable wet day.) I won't knock off a star because there are plenty of tea books but I thought it was a bit skimpy of the author to omit this because it was customary to ask the preference of the guests.The real value of this book is in the recipes for the things-to-go-with-tea, such as several kinds of salmon sandwiches (I like the smoked salmon and dill) and some great chicken sandwiches, one with poached chicken and flavored butter that is like eating Liberty velvet. Surprisingly, no tomato sandwich or cucumber or watercress. These are classic. I like tomato sandwiches. You butter and slice your homemade white loaf very thinly, adding a lashing of Marmite if you are of that ilk, and then layer thin, thin slices of peeled fresh tomato, very lightly salted with a pinch of Celtic grey salt. Butter (and Marmite) the bread loaf and slice your second slice. Press it down on the tomato and cut off the crust and cut into triangles. Trust me on this one. This is frequently a default winter dinner with a cup of very strong Assam tea when I just don't feel like making a dinner but want something soothing with a hot cup of tea.The sweets include some traditional things, scones, Eccles cakes, Parkin, rock cakes, Chelsea buns. Good instructions on making pate brisee, which is useful for any sort of sweet tart--it's like a sugar cookie crust.  However, there is no seed cake (a pound cake with caraway, very commonly served), Dundee Cake (raisin and currant-filled fruit cake topped with royal icing and almond paste) nor pink sugar cakes. And no discussion of toast, though there are jam recipes.Summary: spotty and incomplete book on the art of British tea, but has some good recipes. I've read better, such as theThe Ritz London Book of Afternoon Tea: The Art and Pleasures of Taking Tea.