Cream teas and something a little healthier

The long Easter weekend in Devon was a mix of a few overcast days and a few sunny ones, but overall it was very nice indeed. The overcast days provided good walking opportunities and the whole experience involved some good food times

For our first walk we decided to head south into Cornwall, following the coastline down to Duck Pool beach, a good five hour trek. However, this turned out to be a bit too ambitious for our first walk so we finished half way through at our intended lunch stop in Morwenstow. As you head inland to the village from the coastal path, the gorgeous old vicarage greets you, followed by the local church and the delightful Rectory Tea Rooms. The village also boasts a great pub called The Bush Inn but we decided to lunch at the Rectory this time

After plonking down in our chairs we ordered the afternoon tea, a selection of some of the Rectory’s best sweet and savoury goodies. We were treated to a sandwich of our choice (cheese and pickle), quiche, salad, a mini meringue, some little biscuits, a half scone each, a cake of our choice (chocolate) and a top tier full of fresh fruit. The scones came ready assembled, covered with yummy strawberry jam and topped with a good blob of clotted cream
- The Cornish Cream Tea

Cream teas are a quintessentially English tradition and a fundamental institution in the South West of England. Both Cornwall and Devon are proud sponsors of the tea, and its famousness has even reached the other side of the world. As reported in the Times, Britain’s first tea plantation, Tregothnan estate in Cornwall, has started to export their cream tea to Japan, India and China.

The next day we headed for a longer walk in the other direction, into Devon. We do this particular route quite often as our destination is the wonderful Docton Mill. Complete with beautiful gardens, a water mill and wildlife pond it makes a perfect location for a cream tea. Our cream tea arrived with invitingly warm scones, 2 little jars filled with clotted cream and jam and a pot of tea. If the scones had arrived ready assembled, we would have found them covered with cream first and topped with jam
- The Devon Cream Tea

 However, because we were able to assemble our own we stuck with our preferred Cornish way, smothering our warm scones with lashings of strawberry jam and finishing with a big dollop of clotted cream which we tentatively spread on top

 So here is where the debate begins and it is quite a heated one at that; which is better, Devon Cream Tea or Cornish Cream Tea? Jam or Cream first?

Both the BBC and the Guardian have reported on it, the Guardian even setting up their own opinion poll on the matter. There are Facebook pages in support of both options and Facebook groups arguing for and against. But I guess it’s just down to personal preference

I think that spreading the jam first allows you to pile the cream on top, whirling in the jam as you go creating lovely rippled pink effects. I tend to think this might be the greedier option (and therefore, possibly why it’s my choice :)). What about you? Are you of the Cornish or Devonshire persuasion?

But it wasn’t all about cream teas as on the Sunday, while lazing in the garden, we welcomed a healthier treat. Sue, John’s mum, was doing some gardening and spotted some leeks which were ready for picking. Leeks are very yummy and moorish with a light oniony taste – almost like a fatter and milder spring onion but softer in texture when cooked. They are part of the Alliaceae family, along with the garlic and onion.

Sue steamed, cooled and then dressed the leeks with a simple creamy lemon spiked dressing. Because the dish was cool, it was perfect for a hot day and we ate it with some little savoury tarts. I think the lemony oniony flavour would also work well as a veggie side dish to accompany a barbeque on a hot summer’s day, especially with fish. The dressing would also work well with asparagus.

Like John and I, Sue is a bit of a foodie too and organises some great events in Clovelly, a picturesque village where she works. These events include the Lobster and Crab Feast and the Herring Festival which has featured in Channel 4’s River Cottage. We are hoping to be a part for the Herring Festival this year so watch this space for more info on that

So another 4 day weekend approaches and the question “what good food times to come?” - Hmm... maybe an afternoon tea of my own...



Leeks with lemon dressing (serves 6 as a side)


Ingredients

• About 5/6 leeks
• 4 tablespoons of basic vinaigrette (olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper)
• An egg yolk
• 4 tablespoons of cream
• A garlic clove, crushed into a paste
• A good squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• A few sorrel leaves sliced into strips (if you can’t find sorrel you could use baby spinach or a herb of your choice such as some chopped parsley)

Method

• Steam or boil the leeks until tender (about 6 mins), and then cool
• Lightly whisk the egg yolk into the cream. With your vinaigrette in a separate bowl, slowly pour in your cream mix, whisking all the time to combine the two sauces
• Add in your garlic and sorrel and season if needed. Now add a good squeeze of lemon to taste
• Toss the sauce with the leeks and serve