Time For Tea

I stumbled across a great article in the Mail Life section last sunday and thought I would share some tea trivia with you:

• Charles II's Protuguese queen, Catherine Braganza, had grown up with a taste for tea, so it became fashionable in Britain
• The East India company placed its first order for China tea to be shipped to Java in 1664.
• By the end of the 18th Century tea drinking became a common activity for the entire population
• Tea was still expensive which gave rise to smuggling until William Pitt the Younger cut taxes on tea......

and if you find that boring perhaps you will like this recipe for delicious scones..........

225g self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons caster sugar

Pinch of salt

50g diced butter

75ml milk

1 egg

To serve - Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam of course!!!!

Preheat the oven to 220c/425f/gas 7. Grease your baking sheet in preparation for the scones.  Put the dry ingredients in the mixer and blitz until they are well combined.  Add the butter and blend again, finally add the egg and milk mixture (reserving about 2 tbsp for glazing) and bring it all together until it forms soft dough.  If your mixture is a little sticky then you can add more flour as you gently knead the dough.  Then simply flatten it out and cut out your scones.  I prefer to keep them quite plump so aim for a 2cm thickness.  Put the scones onto the greased sheet and brush them with the remaining egg and milk.  Bake them for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown.  Allow to cool slightly but serve whilst still warm with your favourite blend of tea naturally...........................yuuuuuuuummmmmmmmy!