A Message from Ruth at Antiques And Teacups

Welcome to the blog of Antiques And Teacups! Let's share a cup of tea and talk about the things we love...like teacups, antiques, collectibles, visiting England, antiquing and learning about victoriana and quirky gadgets. Fun!

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, Autumn Tea, Scones and Clotted Cream, Fall Decorating

Hello and welcome to another fall edition of my tea things meme Tuesday Cuppa Tea...



Today I spent my afternoon tea time...more about that later...looking at the new October Victoria magazine. Beautiful. 



Their inside thematic photo page which always sets the stage for the issue was a gorgeous basket of autumn gourds...



And the quote:


"Thy beauty shines in autumn unconfined
And spreads a common feast
for all who live."
by James Thomson

I am joining Sandi's tea party today....


My teacup today is one I recently found and fell in love with. The colors were just a rich fall palette to me, so that's why I am sharing it today...


The pattern is difficult to photograph because of the paneled shape and gold foliage overlay over the forest green and white panels....



The teacup and saucer are by an English maker called Elizabethan which is a trade name of Taylor and Kent, England. The mark dates it to the 1960-1978. Taylor and Kent were taken over by the Churchill group in 1991, but was later closed and demolished in 1996. Very sad!  Another good pottery gone.


I am pretty passionate about teacups...I consider them as works of art. And as many of the manufacturers are now gone, I am afraid they will disappear unless we love them!

But on a brighter note, my afternoon tea today has a great new tea....


An organic Paisley Brand English Breakfast from Two Leaves...or Two Leaves And A Bud as they are also known. I got in Victoria, BC recently and it is a good strong black tea with a lovely complex flavor. I can taste some Darjeeling in there, and love it!

And of course...scones and clotted cream!

I used to make both from scratch often, but nowadays, that doesn't happen much. I always have some Green's Scone Mix from England on hand, and mix that up for a teatime goody if I am pressed for time...


I make them in the wedge shape usually...they seem simpler to me...but just as tasty as round...here is the dough are just being cut and just about to be glazed and sugared...


and cooling on the rack cooling...


And the Taa-Daa moment with cream and peach preserves...


The ingredient I also no longer make...because it doesn't keep more than a few days from the home made recipe I grew up with...is the clotted cream...but, this is a fairly good substitute...


We used to stock this in the bricks-and-mortar antiques and tea items shop we had. It doesn't quite taste the same as the stuff you make yourself, but it is a lot easier.  If you want to try to make it at hope:

1 pint double cream...full fat whipping cream...at least 40% butterfat which is very hard to find.

Have a rectangular glass baking dish handy. Pour in the cream, making sure you have at least 1-2 inch clearance to top. Also, the more surface area the better.

Put it in a 180 degree oven overnight...at LEAST 8 hours up to 10-12 hours, just check it doesn't dry out. A yellow crust will form on the top...that's the clotted cream. 

Remove from oven and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for an hour or 2 until firm. With a spoon, take the cream with yellow crust layer out and put in covered jars in the fridge. If any liquid remains below the cream layer, it can be used like buttermilk, but the thick stuff with the yellow crust is the clotted cream.


So thanks for joining me today. Remember to join Sandi for her Autumn Tea. I'll be visiting these blogs and others which is such a treat!  The linky is below for your tea related blog posts...as usual, remember it is SSSLLLOOOOOOOWW but it does appear and work. I love to hear from you! Have a wonderful week.





26 comments:

  1. Beautiful post. I loved the tea cup and thanks for the tips on scones and clotted cream. Hopefully I've be back to join your party.
    Joyously,
    Betty @ My Cozy Corner

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  2. Your teacup is splendid, Ruth! Very rich looking with the green and gold. What a neat way to make clotted cream! I have made yogurt that way but not clotted cream. Everything looks lovely; the scones and cream with peach preserves. Thank you for sharing and joining me for Tea Time. Enjoy your day.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  3. Lovely tea cup, and OHHHHH those scones! Must make some soon. Probably Blueberry!

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  4. Hi Ruth! Your Elizabethan green, gold, and white teacup is beautiful, and your scones with clotted cream and preserves look delicious. Have a wonderful week, and enjoy the first day of fall that officially begins tomorrow [9/23]. ~ Phyllis

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  5. The Elizabethan tea cup is gorgeous ... but I love green! A great teacup to share for the fall with the gold embellishments. I've been having a great time looking at all the magazines that have arrived in the post with their lovely Autumn pictures. I'm going to your house for scones and peach preserves! :) Happy Tea Day and Thanks for hosting!

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  6. Hi Ruth,
    Oh my I love the rich colours in your Elizabethan teacup. Your scones look amazing with the cream and peach preserves. I am saddened that the manufacturers are not making more beautiful teacups. I also see such beauty in them. Happy Autumn! Karen

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  7. I had not thought about forest green teawares being used for fall decorating, but you are so right, and it's a perfect (and elegant) blend with the usual fall palette. Great idea!

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  8. Thanks for the recipe for clotted cream. I'd like to try it someday. The cup and saucer are perfect for the autumn tea.

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  9. Hi Ruth, I like your brilliant fall garland. Love your new teacup. So beautiful! Hope you are doing well.
    Hugs, Beth

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  10. Hi Ruth! So happy to be posting teatime again! How I've missed all my sweet tea ladies and the mental retreat reading teatime posts! The clotted cream recipe is genuine - and quite beyond me, I think. I did a faux one in about 5 minutes that fit the bill - but probably won't past muster with an expert clotted cream tea lady. Now, the scone, cream and peach preserves Ta-Da moment was a brilliant reveal! I shall have to remember that for one of my teatimes at home with guests. You know I've got big happenings - sharing some Mother Chicken for tea today with more news!
    Joy!
    Kathy

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  11. Hi Ruth, thanks for hosting the tea party :). I really like your new green teacup--so pretty! The scones look really yummy. Thanks for sharing your recipe for clotted cream. I make a faux cream usually, or I use the same store bought brand that you do. It is definitely way easier, and I haven't even tried to real way to do it that you shared! Have a great week :)

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  12. I'm loving all the ingredients of your Autumn tea ... I had never seen clotted cream in a jar... so I must find some for my scones. Thanks for sharing...Hugs

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  13. How can one top clotted cream and peach preserves on homemade scones. I have never made scones. Your post is tempting me to try them. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. What a stylish tea cup Ruth. Even the gentlemen would like it. Thanks for the predone clotted cream recommendation. Now I know which to try, and still understand homemade is better. We never tried it, because experimenting with bad one could ruin it all for us. Thanks a bunch!

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  15. The green and gold teacup is striking Ruth. Having afternoon tea with our 10 year old granddaughter on the weekend, I wished I had some clotted cream as we were practicing tea etiquette.
    Thank you for hosting. Hopefully by putting up my tea post after my own link party is coming to a close will work better for me.

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  16. Beautiful teacup Ruth! Thanks for hosting!

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  17. Lovely and informative post. I can see that cup with Spode Christmas tree, or Old Country Roses... very nice addition for any collection.

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  18. Lovely ❤ My first time here...Nice to meet you Ruth...Helena from Petal & Lace Collage

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  19. Exquisite teacup dear Ruth! Another beauty for your collection. Thank you so much for the lovely tea party.
    Hugs,
    FABBY

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  20. Well ... guess I lost my comment. I should remember to sign in first. But wanted to thank you for hosting and for your nice comment on my post. I leave for work so early that I only had time to link up, so please forgive my tardiness in commenting. Your cup is very pretty and the scones look really delicious. I enjoyed reading about clotted cream, too. Hope you are having a good week. Blessings, Bess

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  21. I love this time of year Ruth, and that magazine looks perfect for the season. Loving that Elizabethan duo, beautiful rich colours. Enjoy!
    Di
    X

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  22. Hi Ruth
    I linked up rather late 'cause, after a long absence from these tea parties, I hadn't noticed you were hosting. I was already your follower but your posts don't appear on my list so I joined in as follower again.
    I loved this Elizabethan tea cup. I find the decoration very beautiful and unusual.
    Thanks for sharing this beauty.
    Hugs from Portugal.

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  23. Such wonderful tea cups...
    I, too, use the mix for my scones...I favor Cranberry and Orange but like them all...

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  24. Your cup is perfect for Fall Ruth! It is so very elegant! I love the Victoria magazine, but my subscription ran out and I haven't renewed it yet. The basket of gourds is a beautiful photo. I have never seen clotted cream to buy here. Have never made it before, but I sure do like scones. Yours look delicious! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  25. Thank you so much for your directions to make clotted cream! I'll be on the lookout for the full fat cream.

    HaPpY pInK sAtUrDaY!
    Blessings,
    Sarah

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  26. Thanks for sharing your clotted cream recipe. I'll have to try that! I make a substitute cream which works - but will have to try the real deal. I serve the imported clotted cream at our Queen's Tea, but it isn't quite the same.

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