During the holidays, we hurtled around parts of England, Wales, and Ireland. December in the British Isles is just a wee bit grey, windy, and wet. But it was a lovely trip–not the least because at every turn, there was a cup of tea: early morning, mid morning, afternoon, and evening. The perfect antidote to a wintery climate, the perfect reward for a long day out and about, and the perfect way to transition from activity to rest. In my admittedly biased view, nothing beats the rich, deep, reddish brown of a fine cup of black tea (“black” tea being a slight misnomer). And there is no better way to have a strong cup of tea than milky and sweet.
Ok, there is a better way– having it milky and sweet, and accompanied by scones, clotted cream, and strawberry jam. The ecstasies engendered among our family members at the sight of a proper cream tea cannot be adequately described. Suffice to say, we partook, and then partook some more (and then a bit more).
All photos taken at the delectable Lucy’s Tearoom in Stow-on-the-Wold, Cotswolds, England.