Tea Time at Fortnum's!

Yesterday, The Queen and her two Duchesses, (Cambridge and Cornwall) stepped out to go shopping! In London, to Fortnum and Mason's! A Girls-Day-Out, so to speak, all dressed in complementary hues of blue. And Duchess Catherine had a little corsage of  daffodils in honor of St. David's Day. How royal! They went for tea, of course, and to look at the new redesigned restaurant, now named the Jubilee Tea Station, in honor of her majesty's 60 year Jubilee this year!

Fortnum's, as it is refered to, is a wonderful store. I have been in it many a time, and it is always a delight. It was first started with Charles Fortnum who went into service of Queen Charlotte and the Royal Court in 1761, and with the increase in business, his store began to stock specialty items, including ready-to-eat meals and fresh poultry and game in aspic jelly. Fortrum's claims to have invented the scotch egg in 1738.

The store has been a fixture ever since, on Picadilly Street, with its great clock that graces the outside fascade. The basement carries all the savories and a substantial deli, and the main floor has all the sweets, coffees, teas, and the restaurant, of course.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the store supplied dried fruit, spices and other preserves to the British Officers and during the Victorian era, it provided food for Court functions. They also shipped concentrated beef tea to Florence Nightingale's hospitals during the Crimean War. So, they have done their civic bit over the years!

They are also famous, very famous, for their hampers, the beautiful and well-stocked picnic baskets with its F&M logo, and the charming blue ribbon. Of course, the kind of picnic they have in mind can include anything from £35 up to £25,000!

When I have been in London, I always make it a point to stop in and browse the beautifully-wrapped items, and buy some tea, (Ft. Mason's my favorite), a bit of special chocolate or glace fruit. When I was there in January, I purchased some Turkish delight for my brother who I was staying with, and two little sugar mice to take to my daughter back home for her tea time. These mice are famous, too. They are just adorable, about 2" long, with a little twine tail. You break off a bit, and put it gently into your tea, or dunk by the little tail if you want.

Little delicacies and traditions that never go away like this are why I love England!