A short clarification before I get started: this is not a cupcake book. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I personally can’t be bothered faffing about making little cakes that have become far too big for their boots of late. Eating, yes, making, no. But this book has far, far more.
You may remember
Angel Adoree from
Dragon’s Den a few years back, one of the fortunate few who managed to impress two of the dragons enough to invest in her business
The Vintage Patisserie. Several years later, and the Patisserie is doing so well that Angel wanted to share some of her recipes and secrets to creating a fabulous vintage atmosphere for any party.
The Vintage Tea Party Book is split into recipes for brunch, afternoon, and evening tea parties, which are interspersed with fun ideas like flag making, china decorating and apron patterns, as well as guidelines for hairstyles and pretty invitation templates that can be photocopied for your own use. The book is illustrated throughout with gorgeous watercolour creatures (ravens, rabbits and foxes, oh my!) painted by the artist Adele Mildred.
Many of the recipes are a twist on the traditional, like lemon scones with lavender cream or orange Eccles cakes. Others are entirely imaginative, like the green tea and pear cocktail or crab choux. I was most excited by the large range of tea-based cocktails, and can’t wait to try my hand at coddled eggs.
If you want to have a go at some cocktail making, two recipes were given on The Telegraph website earlier in the year:
Earl Grey cocktail and
green jasmine tea bubbles. I tried out both last night and can confirm they are totally delicious.
It is usually £20 but right now is on special offer at Amazon for £10, which is an offensively reasonable price.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch party last night. The lighting was low and I am rubbish at using my camera properly so many of the photos are a bit blurry, but you get the idea. I tried absolutely everything that was on offer and can give a broad review that it was all bloody tasty. My outfit was a black and white striped Marks and Spencer dress that came to me via the charity shop gods, along with some vintage bling (60s gold chain belt, 80s gold necklace, 80s gold shell clip-on earrings).
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| This is a salad graveyard, with couscouse dyed with squid ink. Yummy and creepy, j’adore! |
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| Green jasmine tea bubbles |
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| I sat down at this table and didn’t move for the entire night. Hence the lack of people shots. |
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| Bethan in a ballerina print Swirl dress. Amazingly pretty, I wish I had taken a full length photo. |
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| Myself and Angel with matching grins |
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| Moi and Hazel from Rag and Bow Vintage. She is so lovely and her vintage is really well priced, if you ever get the chance to visit her store in East London you really should. Plus isn’t she a stunner! |
1970s chiffon beach pyjamas 3 piece set 
1970s pink and black evening dress by John Marks 
1950s evening bag with embroidered rose 
1960s velvet cocktail dress by Emma Domb 
1930s bias cut peach rayon nightdress 
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