Fancy a Cornish Cream Tea? In Cornwall, in Tokyo or at home?

I have to say I never thought I’d hear such an offer made – but Tregothnan, the house and estate, the traditional home of the Boscawen family, the seat of Lord Falmouth, is making such an offer this weekend to celebrate being able to have a delicious Cornish Cream Tea at its estate, while launching its new product: Cornish Cream Tea in a Box.

Tregothnan, shown in the late 19th century, is now famous for its large private botanical garden and arboretum, tea estates, and kea plum orchards, offering private guided visits to the estate: this weekend however is its annual opening to the public for a charity garden weekend on behalf of the Children’s Hospice South West.

The Box (shown left), which one can buy from their on-line shop, or in person, contains home grown Cornish tea, a scone, Kea Plum Jam and Rodda’s Cornish Cream, which has to be frozen – but then has a 3 day shelf life – doesn’t it look delicious?




Perfect for a Spring tea - perhaps sitting in a sheltered sunny corner or indoors with the doors open enjoying the freshness of new growth, cup in hand.




The estate has been exporting English tea to China and Japan for some years now – surprisingly – and Churchill even considered planting government tea estates for the war effort, until he realised it took six years for the bushes to mature: that ruled that bright idea out!


Tregothnan on a recent promotional visit to Japan, with boxes of Cornish Cream Tea abounding, found the Japanese went ‘mad’ for it – and think it is the ‘ultimate tea ceremony from the UK’.


So the British Embassy in Tokyo has decided to celebrate the Queen’s actual birthday on 21st April with a quintessential Cornish Cream Tea garden party... thousands of cream teas will be sent over for this unusual event.


The idea of Cornish Cream Tea in a box seems to have taken off ... so much so that an invitation has been extended to participate at the International Tea Exposition in Las Vegas in the summer (11 June) where you will be able to sample the actual thing.


Did you know that the Phoenicians 2,500 years ago, on their forays to Cornwall for tin, also took back to the Lebanon, as it is today, the recipe for cream making? ...


... so Cornish cream can only be made in Cornwall, Devon and the Lebanon. Cornish clotted cream with its cool, silky texture, and unique unmistakeable thick crust, is perfect for complementing the scone with its jam or golden syrup topping.


This post gives more background and historical details on the Falmouths, their orchards with the Kea Plum trees, the Fal estuary (with its container ships floating out the economic recession) .. but the actual Tregothnan site has some wonderfully evocative Cornish and English photos .. well worth a visit – this site page has a montage.


The camellias must be fantastic at this time of year and my mother would have loved to have been able to visit (she was a brilliant gardener) – one year I must make sure I do – what a picture these will be .. the Camellia ‘Rosemary Williams’ – such a glorious pink – really lifting our hearts towards the coming of summer.


I know little of Japan and its history or of tea ceremonies, bur reading the Wikipedia entry for The Book of Tea published in 1906, by Okakura Kakuzo, a Japanese scholar ... 


... who contributed to the development of arts in Japan, provides some interesting insights leading me on to ideas that I know extremely little of. Surprisingly he wrote all of his main works in English, but it is The Book of Tea for which he is chiefly remembered in the West.


The Japanese tea ceremony as right, also called the Way of Tea, is a Japanese cultural activity involving the ceremonial preparation and presentation of matcha, powdered green tea. 


Zen Buddhism was a primary influence in the development of the tea ceremony. Okakura Kakuzo coined the term “Teaism” – a synthesis of Taoism, Zen and the Chinese use of tea – to remind us that we can have a sense of focus and concentration while under the influence of a great tasting tea.


So we can sit absolutely silently enjoying a special cup or glass of tea .. to be in mind and body united in one to enjoy the taste of the tea, smell the tea and the jam, taste the home-baked scone with its rich topping of cream and kea plums ... 


... silently, reverently and slowly in a moment of peace in this frenzied world .. savouring every moment and every morsel of this Cornish Cream Tea which might have come out of a box, if you are far away from the Cornish peninsula – enjoy!


Dear Mr Postman .. yesterday my mother was quiet and peaceful, which is reassuring to see. Spring really does seem to have arrived .. cool air with lots of bright sunshine – so invigorating and uplifting.


Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories