A Proper Cream Tea in the Midwest/South

I'm feeling homesick for a place that is most definitely not my home. Is that even possible? I don't even have any British ancestors, as far as I know. Maybe a few Irish, but certainly no one from Devon or Cornwall.

We had a beautiful weekend in Kentucky. On Sunday, I walked to the park, lay on a blanket watching the clouds pass by, and listened to David Mead. Then I walked back home and smiled about how awesome my life is, putting all thoughts of tax receipts and mortgages payments and sick friends out of my head.

Monday morning, the temperature had dropped more than 40 degrees and snow was in the forecast. I had to cover up my veggie seedlings with plastic and dig out my coat.

At first, I decided to pretend I was in Paris and put on some french accordion tunes. But I didn't want a baguette and camembert..... what I wanted was: a proper cream tea.

My daydreams then shifted north to the UK and a cloudy afternoon spent in a teashop in Llangollen, Wales, with Wayne the Aussie, who introduced me to the proper cream tea.

If you follow me on Facebook (I'm a public profile, so let's be friends), then you'll know I offered to tattoo on my back the name of anyone who could deliver a proper cream tea to me immediately. No takers.

Where does one find such a ceremony in Louisville?

Cream Tea isn't just tea with cream, as I originally thought. It's black tea, cream optional but definitely suggested, but the kicker is what you eat with the tea: a perfect scone, with strawberry jam, and a whopping dollop of clotted cream.

I'm told the best cream tea awaits me in Devon or Cornwall, but alas! I did not make it there during my European Tour Fall 2008™.

In the mean time, I'm seeking out the best scones in Louisville or the surrounding area. Not too big either. Everything is too big in the US. They are a proper size in England and Wales.

I've perfected my pot o' tea skillz. The trick is warming up the teapot with hot water before you steep. Then use only boiling water. I've even found a perfect Soy Half-and-half substitute. I'm afraid I'm going to have to indulge in the dairy once the clotted cream is located, however.

Can someone book me a tour of the UK so I can come to you live from a tea shop sometime? Oooh ooh, I just remembered that somewhere I have video from the little teashop in Wales. If I ever dig myself from out of the Land of Taxes, I'll edit a little video treat for you.

Off to make a pot o' tea now. Cheerio!

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