Looking back at the history of tea-growing

Isn’t it amazing . . . every day the British drink 165 million cups of tea, which until recently was produced in India and China. Now tea plantations are being established in both Scotland and Cornwall.

The tea grown on the Tregothnan estate, Cornwall has already made its way to the supermarket shelves and the Wee Tea Company, who have planted 2,000 plants on mountain slopes in Perthshire, promise that their first crop will be ready next year.

Although we associate tea plantations with warmer climes, it seems that once the bush has become established and matured, it can withstand our cool climate and flourish.

Like grape vines, the final flavours are influenced by the soil, water and elevation. This suggests there are some exciting times ahead for tea lovers who enjoy tasting the many flavours tea can produce and a few which will be new to the palate.

It is thought that tea dates back to 2,737 BC, a time when Emperor Shen Nung, a Chinese scholar and herbalist, first recognised tea’s health-giving properties when leaves from overhanging branches of a tea bush fell into his cauldron of boiling water.

Whilst they don’t yet sell British tea, Cardews of Oxford’s Covered Market offer the most exciting array of teas, including 22 different flavoured teas such as almond tea which tastes like liquid marzipan, winter tea heavily laden with spice, and summer tea that offers the light taste of the sun. Others flavoured with ginger, wild cherry, coconut and mango are also available, along with tea from China, Sri Lanka, Japan. Like fine wine, tea offers opportunities to stage tea tastings, pair tea with food or organise a vintage tea party such as those of Jackie Williams from Eynsham.

Whenever Jackie stages a vintage tea party she attracts a full house as it’s well known that she is a superb cook who spends as much time and care choosing the ingredients as she does preparing the food.

Last weekend, she organised the first of this year’s vintage tea parties, which proved a great success as afternoon tea is a popular way to socialise. Jackie explained that her parties attract a great cross-section of the community. She gets families who bring along young children, teenagers, grandparents and parties of people in their thirties and forties, right up to people in their seventies and eighties.

She said: “Most people love home-made cakes and scones but don’t tend to bake at home any more as everyone is too busy. This means that going out for tea is a bit of a treat. It feels ever so slightly decadent to have a full traditional tea,” Jackie added.

It all began when Jackie took part in the fundraising Macmillan Cancer Care Tea Party. Jackie got involved and raised quite a bit of money from the first one. Indeed, it proved such a popular village event that she decided to hold more on a regular basis. She still donates to the charity, which provides practical, medical and financial support to those with cancer.

The pretty vintage and hand-embroidered linen table cloths add that special touch, along with the bunting, whilst background music recorded by Fats Waller, Billie Holiday and Glenn Miller help ensure the afternoon goes with a real swing.

Jackie said that her menu includes dainty little finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off, homemade scones served with homemade jam and the delicious local clotted cream from the Upper Norton Jersey Cream Company in nearby Church Hanborough. If you have not tasted this superb cream, be assured it’s worth seeking out. The homemade cakes served on three-tiered cake stands take pride and place.

For the first party of this year, Jackie served chocolate cake with lashings of chocolate icing, as everyone loves chocolate cake, also lemon drizzle cake, which offers that glorious mix of soft sweet sponge flavoured with freshly squeezed lemon juice to tantalise the palate. Pistachio and rose water cake, banana and apricot cake were also served. Tea served in vintage tea pots, fresh coffee or a glass or two of Prosecco help turn the party into a special occasion.

One of the great things about the tea pots, milk jugs, cups and saucers and tea plates is that they need not be a matching set. It is now fashionable to use china that doesn’t match. The only thing that should match, however, is the material from which all the pieces are made. Bone china, which is strong but delicate, is a must. These can be purchased from companies specialising in vintage china. Whilst some is very expensive, especially when finished with a gold gilt trim, much is far cheaper than modern china.

Jackie’s next vintage tea party will be at the White Hart, Eynsham, at 3pm on May 24. Visit www.facebook.com/vintageteapartyinthecotswolds for more details.