Meet Mildred

Song choice: "Its turned out nice again" by George Formby

Tea Brewed: Rosehip and Raspberry Tea (not so sure mmmm)

Hi Tea Fans,

I thought it would be nice to introduce you to my best friend of all, Mildred. She is a vintage  Picador Tricycle. I found her needing a new home on good old ebay and fell in love with her.
Mildred got her name from the previous owner and when i picked her up i just couldn't give her a new name, so Mildred it was.

I first saw a tricycle when on my way into windsor a few years ago. A lady had one with her two children sitting perfectly on the back in their lovely private school uniforms. They were biking over the Eton bridge and I shouted out "I have to get one"
I love biking and me and daddy Vin would often take biking holidays to new forest. Then when we got Jenny our spaniel and not long after little Vincent was born, the baggage was to immense to carry on a normal push bike.

We did get a chair for Little Vin for the back of my mountain bike but i was so wobberly with him on the back and he never sat still in it. He would often throw is weight around and i was so scared i would fall off the bike so we gave up on that idea until that day that lady biked past me!

Thank you who ever you are as now i have Mildred. 3 wheels means i wont wobble or fall off!

 These pashley tricycles are so versatile. You can get two seats for the back of them and there is a space for a small trunk underneath the children to carry shopping or your picnic.
The original baskets at the front is big enough to hold Jenny Dog when we have to travel along a road to get to parks or fields so everyone is safe and happy!

I use Mildred nearly everyday, to pop to the shops, ride up to windsor for a quick picnic by the river and jenny gets to come too and either eat my sandwiches or roll is fox poo which ever is first!
People always stop to ask where i got the bike and what make is it and Im more than happy to pass on the information as i think any mother who loves biking should have one.

Here's some pics of last week popping to feed the ducks in Datchet.

Did you spot Jenny dog in the basket above? she is almost invisible in that picture! 

So if your ever in Datchet, keep your eyes out for us on Mildred popping to windsor for a shopping trip.

Until next time.

Everything stops for tea
x

Marie
Tea Vintage

Everything stops for TEA

Song choice: Everything stops for tea by Jack Buchanan

Tea Brewed: Decafe English Breakfast (too late in the evening for caffeine)



Busy, busy, busy,  thats what most people will say when asked how they are these days including me!
Its so easy to get caught up in the bustle of everyday things and forget to take a step aside for a second to breathe or think.
Im the worst for this. Running two businesses and also a family home consisting of my gorgeous little 2 year old son, my partner Vincent and a crazy spaniel dog called Jenny, there isn't a moment to spare.
There is always someone wanted or needing something and i take pride in making my home as cosy as i can so you will often find me hoovering with the phone in one hand, little vin hanging on one leg and the dinner bubbling away (or should i say burning away) all at the same time.
This way of life keeps me on my toes but it was when i started to slurp my tea whilst doing two other things at the same time, that made me think.
I used to make my tea the reason for me to stop... just stop and sit, even if it was for 5 minutes to gather my thoughts together again.

When did a cup of tea become something else to do rather than a reason to sit and do nothing?

 I say this not to myself but to everyone on the go. And not just tea but coffee and lunch. Everywhere you go you can get things to go, coffee express, sandwiches to eat whilst perched on your lap on the tube!

I started to rethink a bit and made myself a strict promise to boil the kettle and take 5 mins out. Even if it meant turning my phone on silent, giving little vin a hugh chocolate biscuit, shoving the dog outside, this meant i got to enjoy my favorite tea... hot how it should be!

Years ago, afternoon tea would always be part of most people's daily routine, although people then seemed to have more time on their hands than we do today, they still had the right idea.

Here's a few attempts of afternoon tea with friends one afternoon when we had some time.xx

So i put it to everyone out there, when the kettle goes on, take 5 mins to take a step back and not think. not think of anything apart from brewing a tea and drinking it.

It may take years off us!


Until next time,

Everything stops for tea
x
Marie
Tea Vintage

The Victoria Sponge

Song choice to listen to: 'Dont sit under the apple tree' by Andrew Sisters
Tea Brewed: Earl Grey

Ok so living the life of Vintage and serving tea and cake a lot has meant i have had plenty of taste testing of cakes in my time. There are quite a few favorites for guests we see at events but the over all winner and most eaten is the Victoria Sponge.

History of the victoria sponge:

This Cake was created for the Queen Victoria in the 1800's. This cake was introduced by the Duchess of Bedford for Queen Victoria's afternoon tea (which was a new concept during this time) 

The Duchess invented tea-time initially as just a time of the day when her servants would sneak her a few edible treats, to last her until the evening meal. Around 4pm they would provide the Duchess with a pot of tea and some bread snacks. In due course the Duchess expanded her tea parties so that they included guests, small cakesand petite sandwiches.

By 1885 Queen Victoria was holding such parties herself and her guests were expected to wear formal dress. The Queen's sweet tooth soon guaranteed that the small cakes that were served became her favourites.

Fittingly these small cakes were called Victoria sponge cakes, and still are to this day.

My mum is the queen of the victoria sponge and it was the first cake i ever baked with her. She really knew how to get the most incredible light sponge. So here for you today i am sharing a few tips to get that perfect victoria sponge.

Sandra Finch's 5 top tips for Victoria Sponge

Dont over mix your mixture!
If eggs start to curdle, pop a sprinkle of flour into mixture
Too much baking powder can make the cake sink!
Use Eggs at room temperature not straight from the fridge
Spoon mix your mixture once when adding in your flour to keep the air in the mixture


So there we go but ssssssh dont tell everyone!  Im a firm believer that if you can master the victoria sponge you can get a basic understanding to all types of cake baking.


Now at Tea Vintage we have our very own Vintage baker Ewa Sparshott from 'Sugar and Chic' (i will be blogging about very soon) 
I met Ewa at our local children's toddler group with our little ones. Im so glad we met as she is the most amazing cook and so passionate about food and cake baking. Her attention to detail is perfect! 
When we were deciding on what cakes to bake for Tea Vintage we knew that the Victoria Sponge would be top of the list. We wanted to create something amazing to showcase this classic cake and after many taste testing and evening of research we ended up with Tea Vintage's 5 Tier Victoria Sponge!

This cake serves around 45 people and is perfect showcased in Tea Vintage's Travelling tea room. Its perfect for weddings as a great dessert for guests and also has been booked for lots of wedding cakes!

Covered in tons of fresh fruit and flowers is really is truely stunning. Ewa made use of my mum's brilliant tips for baking this cake and i have to say Ewa bakes the most lightest victoria sponger ever! 

We get such nice comments from our clients on not only the look of this cake but the lightness and taste  of it and Tea Vintage is very proud of it! Thanks ewa!

So when thinking of a cake to bake for afternoon tea or a cake to take over to visit a friend, consider the victoria sponge. You cant go wrong!

Until next time..

Everything stops for tea

Marie
Tea Vintage

Let women be women and men be men

Hi vintage fans,

Things have gone crazy with the Tea Vintage launch and have lots of exciting bookings this summer. We are hosting our Tea Room at Chris Evan's Car Fest on august bank holiday weekend and also the week after that Jamie Olivers the Big Feastival. Amoungst that we have some lovely weddings to do so its going to be an exciting summer.

Now the big thing on my tea ringed things to do list is my blog. i have so many things to chat about and show to you, i really want to get going so as from now i here by devote sunday evenings and thursday evenings to my blog and to you.  Even though its Friday evening, im going to start now as ive just brewed a pot and have doris day on spotify.




Song choice to listen to: They cant take that away from me by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
Tea Brewed:  English Breakfast


Ok so i have always been brought up to be lady like (as my gran would say) She was always pulling me and my two younger sisters up on this, especially when hanging from a tree or burping after drinking too fast.

 "stand up straight, Stick your boosums out and bottom in urggh together!" she would say.

For years this was embedded into our minds and although it was so irritating to us when 8 years old, its always stuck.
Women in my generation are being brought up to be strong, independent and ambitious. This is brilliant as we are given so many opportunities now that our grandmothers wouldn't have had. The only thing i would say is we should try and remember to get a happy medium with this. Being Strong and independent shouldn't mean we loose the art of being female and lady like.

Ladies, you can have a career, be a working mother, drive trucks, become builders and plumbers, but every now and then, pop a bit of lipstick on, get your man to open the door for you, put on a pinny and stick your boosums out when walking! i promise you its brings you home to your natural instincts and also gives the men a chance to be men now and then.


So feel like this..........
    

But with a bit of this sometimes............

Until next time...

Everything stops for tea

Marie

x

Tea Vintage