With The Crown returning to Netflix on December 8th and Prince Harry’s engagement to Meghan Markle, I’m dreaming of Afternoon Tea, beautiful dresses, and corgis as far as the eye can see.
Sadly I don’t see any fancy dresses or corgis in my near future, but this doesn’t mean I can’t cobble together an inexpensive Afternoon Tea experience in my dorm to get just a taste of what it would be like to be a Windsor.
According to a British website called AfternoonTea.co.uk, “Afternoon Tea is a meal composed of sandwiches (usually cut delicately into ‘fingers’), scones with clotted cream and jam, sweet pastries and cakes,” and was eaten by the upper class as a means to tie over their hunger in between lunch and their dinners that could be as late as 8PM.
So while Afternoon may seem like a fancy meal few are privy to, it can easily be made thanks to it’s relatively simple parts.
Thankfully I have a kitchen in my dorm so I can make these things, but you can easily buy these affordable treats at Trader Joe’s or your local grocery store for pretty cheap.
Tea
It wouldn’t be High Tea without its namesake. Thankfully most teas are cheap to begin with, with boxes usually ranging from 3 to 4 dollars, which means that this is a great chance to go out of your comfort zone and try some new flavors like Darjeeling or Irish Breakfast.
If you want to be a purist and stick with English Breakfast, Queen Elizabeth’s favorite brand is Twinings, which is served with milk and no sugar (bone china optional).
Sandwiches
I studied abroad in London over the summer and I was lucky enough to actually go to tea with my friend from home when she came to visit. One highlight of our tea was all of the sandwiches that we munched on while our tea steeped.
Most of these sandwiches were way too fancy for a college budget, but with some bread and fillings like cheddar cheese and tomato or cucumber with herbs and butter, you’ll be on your way to perfect finger sandwiches. Just make sure you cut your sandwiches into long rectangles to get the full effect.
Sweets
While homemade scones with fresh jam and clotted cream would be ideal, you can easily get a Windsor-approved dessert for your High Tea without breaking the bank or slaving away in your dorm kitchen.
If you want to stay healthy cut up some fresh fruit, which is a favorite of Prince Charles (who’s reportedly somewhat of a health nut). To be more traditional, spring for some store bought scones or a lemon cookie. If you get scones make sure to buy jam and try make some clotted cream if you have the time to get the full effect.
Although this won’t be exactly like hanging out in Buckingham Palace, it’s a great way to celebrate the return of The Crown and mourn the fact that the slim chance of marrying Prince Harry is no longer possible. Enjoy!