Tea, Jane Austen Style
The ritual of tea has changed a bit since Jane Austen (1775-1817) enjoyed it. For one thing, she wouldn’t recognize a tea bag. Tea was sold in loose leaves, and she preferred to buy it from the Twining’s warehouse in London, though it was also available from local shops. Sometimes the sources were questionable, however: it was not unheard of for servants to sell their employers’ used tealeaves. Smuggled tea made its way revenue-free into many homes, but it apparently gave off an unpleasant smell, having been protected from seawater in oilskin pouches. No wonder Jane liked to go right to the source.
Once purchased, she locked it in the dining parlor cupboard at Chawton, the home where she wrote Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion, and revised Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.
Jane enjoyed numerous opportunities to take tea during any given day. Every morning, she brewed the family’s breakfast pot. She might enjoy another cup while calling on neighbors or visiting higher-end establishments. If her errands were more mundane, she could stop in at a pastry cook’s for an invigorating cup. On evenings out, tea was offered at formal parties, but as she spent most evenings at home, Jane would have enjoyed her after-dinner cup with bread and butter. If her family invited friends to join them for tea, like a modern-day dessert and coffee, the company might enjoy an evening of cards, music or parlor games.
Afternoon tea as we know it today came about after Jane Austen’s time. The story goes that around 1840, Anna, Duchess of Bedford invited friends to join her for tea and snacks (and one imagines a bit of gossip) as a pick-me-up between breakfast and dinner. Though afternoon tea is therefore not in the style of Jane Austen, I believe that she might have enjoyed it, especially if it included clotted cream.
Clotted, or Devonshire cream has been enjoyed in England since the 1600s. It’s essential to a “cream tea,” spread on warm scones with strawberry jam, but in America, it’s only available in specialty stores.
However, many good “mock” recipes exist and my favorite comes from my friend Arlena. In the spirit of Jane Austen, I’d like to share the recipe with you. This cream is indulgent, both in price and calories. But it’s a scrumptious treat, the perfect accompaniment to scones. Or a plain old spoon.
Mock Devonshire Cream
4 ounces mascarpone cheese (famous for its starring role in Tiramisu)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 or 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
Beat the ingredients in an electric mixer until the mixture looks like softly whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Once purchased, she locked it in the dining parlor cupboard at Chawton, the home where she wrote Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion, and revised Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.
Jane enjoyed numerous opportunities to take tea during any given day. Every morning, she brewed the family’s breakfast pot. She might enjoy another cup while calling on neighbors or visiting higher-end establishments. If her errands were more mundane, she could stop in at a pastry cook’s for an invigorating cup. On evenings out, tea was offered at formal parties, but as she spent most evenings at home, Jane would have enjoyed her after-dinner cup with bread and butter. If her family invited friends to join them for tea, like a modern-day dessert and coffee, the company might enjoy an evening of cards, music or parlor games.
Afternoon tea as we know it today came about after Jane Austen’s time. The story goes that around 1840, Anna, Duchess of Bedford invited friends to join her for tea and snacks (and one imagines a bit of gossip) as a pick-me-up between breakfast and dinner. Though afternoon tea is therefore not in the style of Jane Austen, I believe that she might have enjoyed it, especially if it included clotted cream.
Clotted, or Devonshire cream has been enjoyed in England since the 1600s. It’s essential to a “cream tea,” spread on warm scones with strawberry jam, but in America, it’s only available in specialty stores.
However, many good “mock” recipes exist and my favorite comes from my friend Arlena. In the spirit of Jane Austen, I’d like to share the recipe with you. This cream is indulgent, both in price and calories. But it’s a scrumptious treat, the perfect accompaniment to scones. Or a plain old spoon.
Mock Devonshire Cream
4 ounces mascarpone cheese (famous for its starring role in Tiramisu)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 or 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
Beat the ingredients in an electric mixer until the mixture looks like softly whipped cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.