A virtual tea party

65 Comments
Cup and Saucer Vintage Tearoom

The lovely Su at Zimmerbitch is inviting us to a virtual tea party every month. I make no apologies for taking you back to my favourite Glasgow tearoom, The Cup and Saucer, which featured recently as part of Becky’s January Squares. You might recall that I arrived three hours early to meet my friend Esther, and had to go home and come back again! On that occasion, I was the first person in the tearoom when it opened at 11am, and I restricted myself to a simple black coffee.

Cup and Saucer Vintage Tearoom
Cup and Saucer Vintage Tearoom

However, here’s what Esther and I usually have when we meet – a full blown cream tea. Yum! I’ve even got a selfie in the teapot.

I do usually try to eat more healthily than that, honest. In Su’s post, Care to join me for a cuppa?, she reflected on her eating habits in a way which really resonated with me.

 … my food preferences are really a food philosophy. I want to “do good”; for my physical and mental health, for my bank balance, for small businesses, and for the environment. That means I eat home-grown where I can, buy as much as possible from local, preferably organic growers, avoid foods and manufacturers I believe to be harmful or unethical … and a bunch more considerations I won’t bore you with but which make trips to the supermarket time-consuming, frustrating and really difficult without my strong glasses to read the small print.

Funnily enough, when I met the aforementioned Becky, Queen of the Squares in Glasgow recently, we had a conversation on the very same topic. I’m a vegetarian, there are some countries I just won’t buy from on political grounds, and in the light of climate change I’ve also been trying to restrict the food-miles in my diet, because it seemed that every vegetable I bought was flown in from Spain, or even further afield. My trips to the supermarket can therefore be just as time-consuming as Su’s.

Becky has travelled much further down this road than I have, cooking with only vegetables grown in the UK. She recommended buying one of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s vegetable cook books, which I duly did, and I’m now trying to do the same thing.

How’s it working out? Well, I so miss my Mediterranean diet of peppers, courgettes and aubergines, and I’ve had to rethink my approach to cooking which was previously what I called the bucket method. Fling some combination of the above vegetables into one pot and, depending on what else I added, it could turn into sauce for pasta or couscous, curry, chilli – you get the picture. Seasonal in the UK right now are root vegetables and brassicas and I’m finding that really hard – literally in the case of the root vegetables. I’d never prepared celeriac before, and I can tell you I never will again! However, I now have half a dozen suitable recipes in my repertoire and I shall persevere. It doesn’t do to get lazy in one’s choices, so thank you to Becky and Su for making me think.

Have you been thinking of food recently? (Silly question. If you’re like me you’re always thinking of food.) All contributions to the virtual tea-table welcome!

Scotland, UK , ,

65 Comments »

  2. I just found your blog and the photo of the cream tea is just too yummy. The idea of afternoon tea appeals to me, but in the midwest US it’s not the done thing. Pity that, but I shall enjoy your virtual one.

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  3. I love that retro-look teapot! I have to say I’ve been doing a bit of the opposite, I’m afraid, and thinking about what European ingredients I’ll have to stock up on in case the shit hits the fan when Brexit goes through. So many of my pantry staples come from there: passata, olive oil, chocolate, pasta, cheese, etc, that I’m panicking slightly at the thought of running out or having to pay significantly more. Guess we might all be stuck eating locally if the alternative disappears!

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  4. Mr ET uses the bucket method too. Whatever’s in the fridge and the pantry goes in, with total disregard to whether it’s all meant to go together. The results are mixed – sometimes very tasty and sometimes not so great. Your cream tea looks fabulous – the scones are huge.

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  6. Hi Anabel, Nice on the selfie in the teapot! The vegetable cookbook you mentioned looks intriguing. We are lucky to live in an area where we have access to locally grown healthy food. We also enjoy fresh seafood. Likely 80/20.

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  7. I recognized that top photo. So inviting! Good for you, Anabel, to change your eating (and buying) habits. Yes! I think about food all the time. And, even though we are on a tight budget, we manage to eat a healthy plant-based diet. Attempting to travel in warmer climates helps to stick to more locally grown food. Our newest goal is to buy more produce at farm stands when we pass them instead of at grocery stores (the easy way out). Here in Florida, at least the prices are more affordable than in New England.

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    • The tea shop is definitely inviting, the owners are lovely (they dress as if it is the 1950s). I’m sure buying locally must be easier in a sunnier climate, but I’m learning to love what we’ve got! I made a big pot of soup with carrot, potato and leek last night – definitely good comfort food for this cold weather.

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  8. We’re so lucky to live here in Perth as we get an array of seasonally grown local fruit and vegetables. We have the same philosophy to only eat, if at all possible, locally grown and sustainable food but it is much easier when you live in a Mediterranean style climate than in a colder climate. I love my rich earthy stews in winter with all the root vegetables but I know there will be an abundance of choice for many other months of the year. I do love cream teas though – I think it’s good to have treats!

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      • Yes it is hard to break habits – we switched to getting quite a lot of produce from a local organic supplier a few years ago and I order their seasonal box most weeks of mixed fruit and veg so I know it is currently is season. Having said that I still go down to the shops and buy some things that are definitely not in season when I feel like them. I’m sure everything in moderation is fine – that’s what I tell myself!

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        • I have thought of ordering a box from a local supplier but our times at home are so unpredictable that I’m not sure it would work. Most seem to want you to place a regular order. I should shop more in smaller, local shops rather than the supermarket but a) it’s time consuming and b) the attraction of the supermarket’s covered car park is hard to get beyond in this weather!

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  10. Hi Anabel – love a proper tea with scones, cream and jam … very rarely do I indulge. I eat for my health … but do have salad every day – and generally eat and buy as well as I can … so seasonal. Yes I can understand you re celearic … I love it and will struggle to peel it … or quite often roast veg with the peel on – eg turnip, swede, parsnip and butternut … cheers – we’re all getting there. All the best – Hilary

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  12. We have just returned from Vietnam and Cambodia … blog posts to come soon. We did have some tea there, particularly some lovely ginger tea. But our new favourite things are egg coffee (yes, sounds revolting but is sort of like a creme brulee) and, even better, coconut coffee. We are going to have to learn how to make them.
    Here in rural Australia we try to grow as much of our own fruit and vegetables as possible and belong to a very active produce swap group. But it’s difficult to buy local produce and we’re mostly stuck with the supermarket duopoly.
    One day I hope to meet up with you for a cuppa in person. I haven’t forgotten the cemetery walks and hope to do one when we’re there.

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  13. I wouldn’t say no to having a cuppa with both you and Su.

    We watched “River Cottage” religiously when it first came on Tv many moons ago. Due to having a small orchard and a huge vegetable patch. Now, we live in an apartment, have access to a good Farmers Market [not cheap!] and a few supermarkets. Fewer worries and hard work now about the weather and trying to sell produce.

    Just came back from a 25km bike ride and nearly demolished all the food in the fridge, slight exaggeration, though we get the picture. My motto usually is energy in energy out. That plan didn’t quite go to plan today.

    Even though we are now dairy-free and eat mostly vegetarian, a good cafe treat is never turned down. Life is far too short to deprive ourselves 🙂

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    • Maybe someday we will sit down to a cuppa together! You never know. There is a farmer’s market near us twice a month – we used to go regularly, but haven’t been for a while. With this new regime, I’ll need to get back into the habit. You deserve a lot of calories after a bib bike ride! And the odd treat is always ok.

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  14. I do think about my food choices and probably would eat much less meat, but my hubby’s health and dietary needs requires a ton of protein and calories. Sometimes I do fix him something different, but I do like meat, I’ll admit.

    I try to buy local produce and imported is usually from California or Mexico. I also minimize processed stuff, but certainly not to the extent others do.

    Do my best to buy ethical seafood. Not always successful. Swore off mahi-mahi, though it’s so tasty.

    Black coffee is an everyday fixture in this house!

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    • Of course, health always trumps everything else. I’ve been vegetarian so long I’m not sure how I’d cope eating meat now. I attempted veganism at an early stage, but found giving up cheese a step too far. Since I’ve been trying to eat more local produce over the last few months it’s amazing how instantly guilty I feel when I sneak those Spanish tomatoes into my shopping trolley. We all have our own lines, and if we don’t overstep them MOST of the time then we’re doing ok.

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  15. That cream tea looks lovely. I’m attempting to cut down on eating altogether as I worked out I could save a fortune as well as getting healthy by missing out meals or just replacing them with cornflakes or porridge. Hard work though.

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  16. In Australia it is not as simple as you may think to buy “Australian Made or Grown” Small example is Seafood. Australia – as you may notice – is an island, yet the bulk of our seafood – including fish – is imported. In the supermarket there are several displays of prawns – one (the most expensive) is Australian Prawns, the remainder are generally from China or Vietnam- mangoes from Indonesia, the list goes on, but you get the picture, one really has to look to find Australian made or grown. By the way, I don’t drink milk – don’t know why – just don’t like it..Trade deals are really a win Win situation – the bulk of the catches from our fishing fleets, are exported and we, in turn, import the second best from elsewhere.

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  17. I hadn’t realised you were a vegetarian, Anabel. Your old style of cooking sounds not unlike my own (aside from the meat, of course 🙂 ) but I find I get bored with peppers and courgettes. No shortage of locally grown produce here and I refuse to buy strawberries from Spain, no matter how close it is. Portuguese ones are much sweeter and worth waiting for. Which brings me to the subject of cream teas… 🙂 🙂

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    • I have been a vegetarian since 1983 so it’s long been second nature. I expect you have far more choice than we do. I don’t think I’ve ever come across Portuguese strawberries, but since I’ve started looking so closely at origins I’ve realised that if Spain stopped exporting to us post-Brexit we’d not have much left!

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  18. Can’t beat the occasional cream tea. The best one we ever had was at a farmhouse in Cornwall. It was unforgettable. I also drink my coffee black and try to eat as healthily as possible………most of the time. 😀

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  19. The supermarkets have made it difficult to eat sustainably. They insist on having stuff available all year round rather than stocking more local seasonal stuff. Half of the stuff flown in, like tomatoes, are just tasteless.

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  20. Pingback: Care to join me for a cuppa? I | Zimmerbitch

  21. I’m so glad you joined the party Anabel, not only for sharing a gorgeous-looking tea in that beautiful cafe, but for sharing your eating philosophy too.

    I am with you on trying to restrict food miles. I used to assume that most of our food was actually grown here (clean, green, agricultural NZ right), and was horrified to find out how wrong that assumption is.

    My sympathies with the celeriac. I love it, especially raw with apple, but it is a bugger to peel. I also love parsnips, and Brussel sprouts, which seem to have a very short season here, so turn up in every guise I can think of while they’re available.

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    • It’s quite hard in our climate, as I’m discovering ( though global warming might change all that 😱). I like parsnips but John doesn’t, but we both like sprouts. There’s the traditional chestnut combination and one of the recipes in the book Becky recommended paired them with prunes! Sounded revolting, but was surprisingly good.

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      • Yes, I guess once tomatoes and peppers are out of the equation for most of the year, you’re left with a lot of brassicas and root vegetables. Actually, that’s my idea of heaven.

        I can imagine the sprout/prune combo would be really good.

        I’m lazy with sprouts. Once I’ve faffed about getting outer leaves off, I tend to just halve or quarter tham and shove them in a frying pan with a bit of oil, then add a splash of water or stock when they have browned, and throw a lit on for a couple of minutes.

        They’re also really good raw(ish). I shred them finely, work through a little lemon juice to soften them, then add salt and pepper, olive oil and slivered almonds or croutons or whatever to give a bit of crunch.

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  22. It can be so difficult to eat sustainably, especially in certain climates. We are fortunate that here in California, we have bountiful resources, but not year-round. I just found out that Mexican avocados (what we eat when local are out of season) can be a source of funding for drug cartels and illegal deforestation. Although we aren’t vegetarians, we try to limit meat in our diets.

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  24. Now that looks like a proper Cream Tea! I wonder whether the cream went on top?
    We eat loads of veggies we went Vegetarian for a year in 2018 but last year reduced the amount of carbs in our diet so needed protein from meat and fish. It’s surprising how many carbs there are in pulses and beans. I couldn’t be without aubergines, courgettes and peppers. They are a staple in my diet. And I know what you mean about celeriac, it’s a b**ger to prepare but celeriac dauphinoise is one of my favourite dishes. Kale, cabbage and cauliflowers are all locally grown and I actually love sprouts! I have considered stopping buying overseas fruit and veg, but it would be hard.

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    • Of course the cream went on top, I am not a monster 😉! Pulses are a staple for me, though I’m probably eating fewer carbs in other ways eg the old regime went well with pasta, this doesn’t so much. On the other hand, we are getting through more potatoes, so swings and roundabouts. I love sprouts too, and don’t know why they get such a bad rap.

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  25. OMG! Cream tea! How I love it. I still vividly remember my very first one, in the 1980s, in Yorkshire, at the Devonshire Arms Hotel. My mouth is watering!

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  26. This is a lot to digest!

    This also is a real good essay. I’ve changed my diet recently, cutting back on certain carb-heavy foods. I’ve cut back a lot on pizza, for instance. Last night I had pizza for the first time in a month. It was delicious.

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    • Thank you, I’m glad you enjoyed it and didn’t get indigestion! Pizza is a tricky one for only British grown vegetables, although John makes a very good mushroom pizza without tomatoes. In general, tomatoes are my weak spot and I probably eat them every day. Roll on the day when the British harvest is ready!

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  27. Trick with celeriac is don’t peel, just use a knife and slice off the skin. Much easier and less frustrating . . . .

    I am so very impressed you are doing this . . . we found after a while we just loved the root veg, and of course the occasional flight of a veg is allowed!!

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  28. Great tea party image, Anabel! As for food, I do eat relatively healthily, and am known by a (male) friend as Veggie Monster Bird because, though I love meat and fish, I eat a ton of veg along with them!!

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