Oh so English

What could be more civilized than crumpets and tea served on bone china? I am thinking Pride and Prejudice, and having Mr Darcy for high tea on Sunday afternoon.

This was what I had hoped to create at home, but alas I live with 2 men and they are not romantic enough to imagine sitting in the parlour listening to me recite poetry. Granted I did not dress up for the occasion, but I did bring out my new bone china cups and it was almost as civilized as you get in Africa in 2008!

English Crumpets
Makes about 18 - 20

500ml Cake Flour

50ml Sugar

2 eggs

25ml melted butter (please use butter)

250ml milk

20ml baking powder

2.5ml Bi-carb (optional - but it makes them really rise well)

2ml Salt

Sift the flour, baking powder, bi-carb and salt in a bowl.

Beat the eggs and sugar together in another bowl.

Add the melted butter to the eggs.

Stir the milk into the butter/egg mixture.

Stir the wet ingredients into the flour and beat until smooth.

Heat a hot non-stick pan, spray with non-stick spray (just in case).

Drop spoonfuls into the pan, when they bubble and are golden brown, flip over and cook until golden on the other side too.

Serve with your favourite berry jam and lots of cream.

Very civilised and very tasty. If you don't finish them all in one go, you can re-heat them in the microwave and repeat as before with the cream and jam.

On a lighter note of Englishness, my darling son is playing polo. Not the same polo as Prince Charles does, but Water Polo. I have to say they look so cute in their little white bonnets!