This carefully curated selection of recipes spans the world of Downton , from intimate afternoon tea taken in the drawing-room to glamorous tea parties in the garden. The vinegar gives them a slightly stronger taste, and the salt reduces the water in cucumber so the bread is less likely to become soggy. With an abundance of historic facts and an informative how to guide, teaching the reader the basics everyone must know when having their very own quintessential afternoon tea. Also known as a Victoria sandwich, the Queen’s actual tea-time sponge cake would have been sandwiched with only a thick layer of raspberry jam and topped with a sprinkle of sugar. Gorgeous food photographs, lifestyle stills from the television series and recent movie, and character quotes bring the characters of Downton Abbey—and this rich tradition—to life in contemporary times.

The house itself was beautiful and whilst there was a lot of people inside, people were walking through it in a systematic manner. Your tea service does not have to match and in fact it works out better when each person has their own personal cup to keep track of.

Every week I host Tea Tuesday, a virtual tea party which was inspired by Christine, a follower who lives in France, who was curious about English tea traditions. Crowberry Wood is a Yorkshire business run by a group of women who are passionate about fashion and the countryside where they live.

Thus the Victoria sponge or Victoria sandwich cake was named and makes for a delicious addition to afternoon tea. Arrived in the morning to visit the gardens and enjoyed a lovely walk through the stunning grounds followed by a tour of the house where we spent time in the rooms so recognisable from Downton Abbey. The couple next to us were making the most of it and the husband had four sandwich refills – one of the good things about it is that you can have as many lovely sandwiches as you can eat.

The downstairs tea was a welcome afternoon break as servants took tea with a slice of bread or cake. Therefore, at this time, we cannot alter the set menus to cater for any additional dietary requirements.

It was very nice, the decoration very sumptuous but I couldn’t help but feel they had crammed a few too many tables into the area, but the tea and different plates were of course wonderful.This delicious recipe for Small Batch Refrigerator Strawberry Jam is the perfect recipe if you’re craving homemade strawberry jam but you don’t have time to make a full batch of canned jam.