INTERNATIONAL CREAM TEA DAY

Every year on the last Friday in June, British tradition comes alive on International Cream Tea Day (formerly National Cream Tea Day). This International Day celebrates a tradition enjoyed at social occasions, lawn parties, and with guests in your home.

#CREAMTEADAY

Around the world, tea enjoys enduring traditions and legendary stories. When it comes to British cream tea, delicious sandwiches, cakes, biscuits, and scones are a part of this light meal. In fact, cream tea time is always served with jams and creams as part of tradition.

The idea of an afternoon tea came from the Seventh Duchess of Bedford in 1840. Between lunch and the late evening meal, Anna would become hungry and would have tea with bread and butter in her room late in the afternoon. Not necessarily a high society affair, cream tea would become a very small afternoon meal to tide one over to the evening meal.

Over time, the traditions changed. Today, people enjoy cream tea as part of their social occasions, lawn parties, or a simple small snack with guests in their homes.

When it comes to cream tea, it's all in the clotted cream. Creamy thick clotted cream made from heating raw, full cream cow's milk in a steam bath. However, real clotted cream isn't available in the United States due to the pasteurization and homogenization requirements which change the fat structure of the milk. Could this be why American's don't have cream tea daily?

Devonshire cream is the traditional spread over scones and biscuits, with a jam spread following. Interestingly, when jam is spread first and topped with cream, it's considered Cornish. Between the baking and the brewing, a debate concerning which should be applied first--the jam or the cream?

HOW TO OBSERVE #CreamTeaDay

If invited to a cream tea, go! Teas are a pleasure to attend. Sip your favorite Organize one and invite all your friends. Better yet, visit www.creamteasociety.co.uk to learn more about tea etiquette and to find your charity tea products. Each year the day raises funds for charities across the UK.

For those in the United States, visit Becks Posh Nosh for a faux clotted cream recipe. It'll do in a pinch.

Use #CreamTeaDay to share on social media.