Tea the proper way
Liz Franklin grew up in North Yorkshire, where tea was tea. “At my house, she says, “it was made with loose leaves in a teapot and ‘mashed’ (brewed) until it was dark and robustly flavoured. It was served with a smidgen of milk, nothing else. It was wet and warm and sometimes so strong you could almost stand a spoon up in it, the sort of tea that builders are notoriously supposed to thrive on, but that was how it was then — back in the days when pasta meant spaghetti hoops in a tin and olive oil came from the chemist!”
Quality teas, says Franklin, can bring out the best in the food we choose to eat alongside our chosen cuppa, just as the right fine wine can enhance a plate of food.
In her new book Tea and Cake, Franklin matches a multitude of stunning teas with lovely homemade sweet treats.
ROYAL ENGLISH BREAKFAST TEA WITH TRADITIONAL FRUIT TEA BREAD
English breakfast tea is usually a blend of black teas such as Assam, Ceylon and Kenya, although some tea companies prefer to use only Assam. Breakfast tea is usually quite strong and gutsy with malty, nutty overtones. It’s one of the few teas I believe actually benefits from the addition of milk. Of course, English breakfast tea makes a great accompaniment to the classic English breakfast, but it’s also really good with this lovely fruit tea bread, which I love to serve toasted and slathered with lots of butter.
Method
Put the fruit in a large bowl and pour over the hot tea. Cover and leave to stand for several hours, preferably overnight.
When you are ready to bake the loaf, preheat the oven to 180C (350F) Gas 4. Sieve the flour and baking powder together into a large bowl. Add the soaked fruit and stir well. Beat in the egg until everything is thoroughly combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 11⁄2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
Leave to cool for 15 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
— makes 10-12 slices
FOR 1 POT OF TEA
■ 3-4 tsp English Breakfast tea or tea bags
■ Milk and sugar, to taste
Warm the pot. Add the tea bags and pour over boiling water. Leave to brew for 2-5 minutes. Sweeten to taste with sugar or honey and add milk as desired.