Warning: Plenty of photos ahead
I love tea, classic and modern literature, theatre, and cold weather. If you've assumed that I'm an Anglophile then you are absolutely correct! I fell in love with Britain when I took AP English Literature in high school and learned about the romantic evolution of writing and storytelling through British Authors. The other hobbies were all there just waiting to manifest to what it is today.
When the weather gets cold I get the hankering to walk into a Pub and get some good British food. Unfortunately I'm never around one to get some as of late, so I've been pretty bummed. While writing I've been making up for it by drinking straight Black Tea. I alternate between PG Tips and Tetley for this task, it's my working tea.
When I went to take a break for a bit and go do my shopping I was surprised with an amazing discovery: My Grocer carries British Products! I kid you not, I was jumping up and down the aisle and added these products to my cart. Tonight I was going to forget the Pub and cook it myself! My original plan was to cook my Cornbread Casserole that is perfect with tea on cold nights like this. So I simply cooked everything in one go. Nothing like left overs to avoid the hassle of taking cooking breaks.
Shepherds Pie:
I have been wanting Shepherds Pie for the longest time! Something about the creamy texture and the way it warms your stomach. The Coleman's Pack was delicious! In fact, before I even finished cooking all the food my family was already half way through the dish!
I used canned Carrots and Peas, but diced the Onions fresh. I added about 2 tbsp of Red Wine to the meat with Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt.
I made the mash out of Potato Flakes, nothing special. Just Sea Salt, Pepper, and a touch of Butter.
That little pack made a crazy amount food! That was one huge casserole dish!
I added a little bit of Sharp Cheddar on the top and put in the Broiler for about a minute. It was so heavenly!
Cornbread Casserole:
This is my little spin on a Pot Pie. I just love the taste of the Mushroom, Sausage, and Herbs. The Corbread seems to tie all of the flavors in perfectly.
I start with some cooked Beer Brats. Make them a little extra cooked for coloring and flavor.
Then I chop the up and add them with sliced mushrooms to diced onions and fresh cut herbs (I use lots of Sage w/ Rosemary, Chives, and little Oregano). My extra spices are Onion Powder, Red Wine, and Curry Powder.
I add about half a can of Cream of Mushroom with a little milk and let it simmer till it gets a darker color. Then I add it to the bottom of the a casserole dish and add the Cornbread Batter on top.
Here's a slice with a dollop of butter. Never fails on a cold night! Perfect to have with Tea. It's even better as a left over dish as it gets better the more it sits.
Scones and Clotted Cream:
I hate cooking scones at home because they end up tasting like muffins when I do unless I spend hours doing the right recipe. I figured I had nothing to lose. I also found a jar of Clotted Cream; something I haven't gotten myself for a few years now.
The directions were crazy easy, and I only needed to add milk and eggs. I didn't use a cookie cutter as suggested and just separated the dough into hand shaped parts.
What really made the difference was the egg/milk mixture brushed on top. I usually crack a separate egg to create this, but thankfully the recipe just asked to put some of the mixture aside for this task. It made thing super easy!
Doesn't that look amazing? I added the Clotted Cream with a bit of Orange Marmalade and it was the best part of the meal today. I loved how it wasn't super sugary and had a firm flaky texture to it. I don't think I'll be making scones from scratch much anymore with this mixture now so convenient for me.
TEA!
Last but not least, I decided to add cream and sugar to my cup in light of the festivities.
I love how convenient the little sacks are for British Tea, so you get that right cup every time.
First time trying it with Brown Sugar, it was quite yummy. Two lumps, just right in my extra large mug.
I think Creamed Tea was a perfect way to end the evening. Now I have amazing left overs I look forward to having with a side of Kale Salad for lunch. I will be doing this again, it came out wonderful!
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