For VE 75 day on the 8th of May 2020 ( last Friday) it was suggested by my mum that i do a 1940s style Afternoon Tea. This seemed to be a widespread idea by many in self isolation and stuck at home. With Morrisons offering a Afternoon Tea package you could buy and have sent out to you.

I however had the idea of time traveling back to the era with wartime dishes and decor, rather than just a modern Tea for the day.

At first i wasn`t overly keen on the idea as was not sure where to start !

However with some research i soon found out plenty of wartime dishes and recipes in the Uk. I decided to see if i could do it all on weekly rations for 4 persons. I did manage to do it and had rations leftover and plenty of food leftover for other days also. It was interesting to find out more on Rationing the quantities and allowances and how it all worked with points etc. I had never tried the recipes so no idea how much they would make or come out.

A lot of recipes make the most of what you had and also to try to make other things taste like each other. Example in the Mock Tarts below

I wanted to to also get a 1940s Teaset if i could and turn to trusty Ebay as usual. I wanted something simple but also reminiscent of the era. The Cream set i found was borderline 30s/40s slightly Art Deco in style. It seemed plain and simple enough for it to have been a family’s service everyday. No Teapot or larger plates sadly and no makers name for me to track down more pieces. It went down well and was very light to hold. I loved the Shell like Scalloped Pattern on the base of the Cups and Plates, with the thin Blue and Silver Lines.

WATCH IT LIVE AS IT HAPPENED
https://www.facebook.com/adamthepastryguy/videos/3945202642189058/

My dad curated the sound effects with the announcement of War 1939 and 1940s music playing throughout the Tea, and played the part of Not Winston Churchill with the announcement of the end of the war in 1945.

The Menu

  • Rock Cakes
  • Potato Scones
  • Carrot Cookies ( Like Rock Cakes)
  • Bread Pudding
  • Chocolate Biscuits ( like Bourbon )
  • Sandwiches homemade Bread Wholemeal and White ( Corned Beef, Ham, Cheese)
  • Mock Apricot Tarts ( Carrot & Plum )
  • Mock Banana tarts (Parsnip & Banana flavour)
  • Scones with Jam and Mock Cream
  • Lord Woolton Vegetable Pie
Lord Woolton Pie with Carrots, Swede, Potato Parsley and Marmite! was simple but hearty
Chocolate Biscuits with a Chocolate filling like Custard, very Chocolatey but went soft quickly.
Rock Cakes different to my usual recipe as has no Eggs but 3tsp baking powder! were okay
Carrot Cookies, much like a Rock cake but softer.
Potato Scones very soft and light would be nice warm and buttered. will deffo make these again.
Mock Tarts Apricot ( made of Carrot and Plum Jam and Almond flavour i used Dissarano!)
Mock Banana Tarts ( Parsnip, sugar and Banana Flavour)
Both the tarts were interesting the Parsnip one was my fave tasted like Banana for sure went well with the Oat Pastry and Mock Cream on top.
Scones were great and with no Egg and a few alterations these could be Vegan easily.
Mock Cream – This was more like Custard tbh similar to the Cooked flour Buttercream around these days.

Goodie Box for Grandad as he could not be with us. Dad took it round to him and left outside his door. Grandad was 3 years old when the war broke out in 1939

I did also make some Blancmange type desserts, they did not make it to the table, as they did not set and i knocked one over in the Fridge. The Breads i made also from a Pack of Bread mix for the White Loaf and the Wholemeal from scratch.

BREAD DISASTER

The White Bread mix i used was expired and it rose but did not seem to have cooked completely properly, after leaving it longer, slicing it and baking it again it seemed very doughy inside. Perhaps the Yeast was not as active. After baking again it was then super crusty on the outside ughhh. Anyway those ended up cut up in a Bread Pudding. The other White Loaf i made was okay. The wholemeal loaf i made came out well. I should have split it into 2 smaller loaf tins. I will try remaking it again as it tasted nice and seemed to have the right consistency.

All the recipes worked okay except the Blancmange one which did not set. Some i had to double as they did not make many. I would use some again and would be interested to try other recipes out. The Biscuits i rolled too thick and the filling made them soft, they ended up tasting like Brownies.

The mock Banana was originally meant to be a Sandwich filling but i made it into a Tart with the Oat Pastry which i was surprised by. I plan to use the Mock Banana for some modern recipes in place of Banana like a Banoffee Pie, as i do not like the consistency of Bananas.

Overall i was Happy with the whole Tea with minor tweaks to make. The treats went down well and enjoyed still a few days on or froze for later. The spirit of make do and mend comes to mind. When provisions are little do what you can with them to make the most of what you have. I have this ethos very much in my modern day life and hate waste, i think i would have been able to come up with something from little supplies.

Thanks for reading and if you like Afternoon Teas follow the Blog for all my themed Teas so far and upcoming ones.

Adam x