Granny’s Victorian Tea
In the last few years, high-quality tea shops in Paris such as Dammann Frères, Mariage Frères, and Palais des Thés have been doing a brisker business.
This as more and more people have acquired a taste for tea, and I have discovered that it is much easier to get a decent cup of tea in Paris now.
Although a tradition that they borrowed from the English, the French prefer herbal/fruit and green teas, and not the black tea blends on which I was brought up.
Growing up in my family, afternoon tea was always observed around 4 pm on weekends.
It usually followed my parent’s afternoon nap and was a buffer to a lengthy cocktail hour. (Another story!)
A Victorian Tea must have some roses on the table!
The afternoon tea tradition came from my grandmother Bishop.
She considered it an important ritual of civilized society, one that she had picked up when after the First World War, she and my grandfather lived in London, England.
My Grandmother Bishop circa 1924
As a result, one of my greatest joys was visiting my grandmother where together we would have a traditional Victorian tea.
Her Crown Staffordshire Bone China with the Ellesmere Pattern
Granny had servants back then who would pour our very strong English tea from her Crown Staffordshire bone china tea set.
We had little cakes, fresh-baked scones with raspberry jam and Devonshire clotted cream, along with cucumber sandwiches on soft white bread with the crusts cut off.
It was heaven.
When my grandmother died, I inherited the turquoise patterned Ellesmere tea set.
It has a few chips here and there, but I use it often for my afternoon tea, and it always makes me think of my beloved grandmother.
I also sometimes treat my friends to a Victorian-style Tea Party.
Cucumber rounds with smoked salmon, cream cheese, and capers.
Since I and so many of my “women of a certain age” friends don’t or cannot eat a lot of sweet things anymore, I have adapted teatime to a more contemporary diet.
Ok, I still include some macarons to make it a bit more French!
Enjoy!
Diana’s Victoria Tea
Cucumber with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, and Capers
Cherry Tomatoes skewers with Bocconcini pearls
Roast Beef and Gerkin Pickle sandwiches
(on Gluten-free bread with the crusts cut off)
Curried Deviled Eggs
French Brie with Truffles (not shown)
French Macarons
Cherry Tomatoes with Bocconcini pearls and Basil
Roast Beef and Gerkin Pickle sandwiches
Curried Deviled Eggs with Paprika
Another Happy Book Giveaway Winner!
Remember a few weeks ago when author Janice Marsh, who lives in Northern France with her menagerie of farm animals, contributed her story to my blog?
I did a Giveaway for her first memoir, My Good Life France in France.
The winner of that Giveaway with Rebecca Brown. (picture above)
The book had to wing its way from the UK and so Rebecca just got it and kindly sent in this picture.
Enjoy Rebecca!
If you have not read this book, it makes great summer reading.
Just click on the title link above for more information.
My Summer Break
Ah, summer is here! And I will be taking my annual break until August 8th!
High on the list will be planning my blogs for the fall, my next trip to France,
perhaps before the end of this year, and more adventures in 2022.
How fun it is to be able to say that!
And just one more thing…
First to Paris and France Challenge!
SOME of you are lucky enough to be fully vaccinated
and may be heading to Paris or France this summer?
I am having a contest for the person or persons
who send me a photo of their trip!
Please email them to me at diana@womanofacertainageinparis.com.
There will be a prize for the winner but I want to post all of your photos.
That way we can live vicariously through you until the rest of us can travel too.
Many thanks!
Have a great summer everyone.
Thank you for being loyal supporters of my blog and website!
Brought to you by womanofacertainageinparis.com
Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
It all looks so delicious, Diana, I will have to try some of these! I’ve enjoyed high tea on some of my travels, although not in Paris, rather some old-style hotels including the Empress in Victoria BC and the Peninsula in Hong Kong. Always fun to imagine living in another age!
I just love your Grandmothers china! You were so fortunate to have been the receiver of such a beautiful gift. When i was 18 my Mother brought me to a china shop to select my china for my trousseau(hope i spelled it right). I took the task very seriously and took my time. There were so many to choose from. After awhile i happily went to the very senior saleslady and presented my selection, a very pretty floral pattern. She said to me oh no dear you are very young do you really think you will like this pattern when you are 40. Go back and choose another! Argh! So i listened to this experienced senior lady and selected the plainest pattern i could which by the way i never use. To this day i feel i made a huge mistake. When i see the vibrant china selection of your Grandmother I know i did as I LOVE it, colour and pattern and all.
I have been to a few English tea experiences along the way and they are always so much decadent fun!
Thank you Diana for your enjoyable bliog. See you in August!
I would LOVE to enjoy an Afternoon Tea with you with all the items you have shown today!!! A wonderful tradition!
This was so enjoyable to read! Love reading about family stories and Um gasping over that pretty tea set! The food also looks so dainty and delicious- I m gonna try making some of this. I’d live to also read about the cocktail hour! Wonderful post:)
Christine Camm already a visitor from the U.S. coming this Friday for her French Immersion Homestay!
My maternal grandfather Albert Wilding parents’ were English immigrants. He entered WWI and married an English girl named Elsie Drury in London England while he was there. He brought her back to Canada and they had 3 kids of which my mom was the youngest. Unfortunately she died when mom was 3 so no English teas with grandma 😢
AND I look forward to photos people submit of their “new” trip to France!
How civilized. What lovely China!!!
Lovely Tea story! And thank you for the thought of cucumber rounds avec
toutes les garnitures. That was my lunch today! Merci!
I forgot to say that a women’s networking group I went to for years always held an afternoon tea every summer at the Royal York Hotel here in Toronto. People wore beautiful hats and there was tea, scones and traditional sandwiches on those afternoon tea 3 tiered stands. I have wonderful memories of them. They stopped doing them the summer before Covid- pity!
An afternoon tea is one of my favourite things! Thanks for posting – I might have to bring out the good china and have a proper afternoon tea this weekend!
Go for it Rebecca! The china makes all the difference. Diana