Cook in preheated oven for 3035 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out relatively clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with 34 tablespoons of the rum.

Cut out 1 piece parchment paper and 1 piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around top and bottom sides of cake. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and place cake on it. Spritz cake top and sides with remaining rum. Wrap cheesecloth close to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin and age for at least 212 months. If storing longer, spritz with additional rum every 6 weeks.

Times Gone By For a period of time in Victorian England, it was the custom for single wedding guests to put a slice of the wedding fruitcake under their pillows at night and then they would dream of the person they'd marry.

Upper-Cla.s.s Fruit Salad

No Edwardian meal could end without a proper selection of sweets, especially fresh fruit. The fact that a house could serve fruit such as oranges would show great wealth, as citrus fruits were still a rarity in England during Edwardian times. It's likely that the Earl and Countess of Grantham would treat their esteemed guests to this Fruit Salad before retiring to their respective sitting rooms for coffee and conversation.

YIELDS 4 SERVINGS.

4 fresh pears, cut into bite-sized pieces 4 peaches, cut into bite-sized pieces 4 oranges, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces 12 cup raspberries 2 tablespoons lemon juice 34 cup simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water) 14 cup lightly packed mint leaves 4 tablespoons rum 1 cup slivered almonds Preheat oven to 350F.

Stir together the diced fruit, raspberries, and lemon juice.

Puree together the simple syrup and mint until fully liquefied. Pour over fruit. Add rum, then stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Spread slivered almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for 5 minutes or until almonds are lightly toasted. Sprinkle almonds over fruit mixture before serving.

Times Gone By While French etiquette would insist that no salad, regardless of its ingredients, should be cut with a knife, the British felt themselves above such nitpickiness and would use knives freely to cut their fruit.

Chapter 8.

TEA AT DOWNTON ABBEY.

Served between 3 and 5 P.M., "afternoon tea" was more of an elegant snack than an actual meal. Nonetheless, afternoon tea was not nearly as low key as it sounds - at least not for the cook! The menu usually consisted of several kinds of tea, finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, fruitcakes, and perhaps a more elaborate layer cake served as the grand finale. If you were invited to a "high tea," you'd find more of a working-cla.s.s meal, part of a homey, sit-down meal that included meat dishes and lots of bread and cheese.

Serving from a low side table with good china and silver, the Victorian and Edwardian hostess would offer tea in the drawing room, living room, or library, careful to pour the right tea for each guest. In addition, while the Dowager Countess of Grantham is known to just "show up" at the Crawley's or at Downton Abbey expecting tea, it is proper to give two weeks' notice so the host can prepare - and to show up for tea only when invited. While Henry James claims, "There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hours dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea," those scheming over the tea service might find the tea anything but agreeable. After all, it was over tea that the Countess of Grantham and the Dowager Countess schemed to return the entail to Mary, and it's over tea when many a marriage is proposed - and denied.

Mrs. Isobel Crawley's Smoked Salmon Tea Sandwiches

This is a tea sandwich that even Mrs. Isobel Crawley's cook would be able to prepare for last-minute tea visits from the nosey Dowager Countess. Whether or not their conversation would be as enjoyable as these sandwiches is another question.

YIELDS 3 DOZEN SANDWICHES.

1 pound unsalted b.u.t.ter, room temperature 112 tablespoons minced chives 112 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons sea salt 12 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 112 loaves grain bread, sliced 14-inch thick 112 pounds smoked salmon, thinly sliced In a medium-sized bowl, combine b.u.t.ter, chives, dill, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. Beat until mixed but do not whip.

Lay out bread slices, then spread with b.u.t.ter mixture. Top half of bread slices with smoked salmon. Lay remaining bread slices b.u.t.tered-side down on top of the salmon slices. Place sandwiches on a large baking sheet, then cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until b.u.t.ter is cold, about 35 minutes.

Transfer sandwiches to a cutting board. Remove crusts, then cut diagonally, twice, to make small triangle sandwiches. Serve chilled.

Etiquette Lessons Just as there is an etiquette to serving tea, there's even an etiquette for making the food served at said tea! For instance, a true tea sandwich has the crusts removed only after the sandwich has been prepared and not before.

Cla.s.sic Cuc.u.mber Sandwich

No tea party is complete without this cla.s.sic finger food. If the Countess of Grantham had tea without this delicacy, she would likely raise many an eyebrow - especially one belonging to her mother-in-law. However, if the Crawleys realized just how common the ingredients were, they might not feel so pleased with these treats.

YIELDS 1012 SANDWICHES 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 13 cup mayonnaise 1 medium cuc.u.mber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped 14 teaspoon garlic salt 12 teaspoon white pepper 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 24 slices white bread 12 sprigs dill, for garnish Blend cream cheese and mayonnaise in a blender until smooth, careful to sc.r.a.pe down sides and blend thoroughly.

Combine cream cheese mixture with garlic salt, white pepper, and chopped dill. Spread mixture on top of 12 white bread slices, and garnish with dill sprigs. Cover with other bread slices to form sandwiches. Cut and discard crusts from bread, then cut sandwiches into quarters.

Times Gone By Legend has it that one of Queen Victoria's ladies-in-waiting is the creator of afternoon tea. Knowing the Queen felt hungry around 4 P.M. and perhaps fretted before dinner, her lady-in-waiting started the trend of serving tea with a few breadstuffs. Soon, tea time had taken hold of England.

Cla.s.sic Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches

No tea at Downton Abbey would be complete without these delicious tea sandwiches. One can just imagine the Dowager Countess nibbling on these sandwiches while plotting with Lady Grantham.

YIELDS 1012 FINGER SANDWICHES 6 large hard-boiled eggs 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 tablespoon mustard 18 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon kosher salt 20 slices soft white bread For bright yellow egg yolks, place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a medium boil for an additional 10 minutes. Immediately place eggs in ice water and chill for 10 minutes.

Once chilled, remove eggsh.e.l.ls and cut eggs into cubes.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together cubed eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, cayenne pepper, and salt.

Spread egg salad over 10 slices white bread. Cover with bread. Remove crusts. Place sandwiches on a large baking sheet and cover in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for 35 minutes. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes, or use a knife to quarter sandwiches diagonally.

Etiquette Lessons A courteous hostess would never ask her guests if they wanted another cup of tea. Instead, she would refill the guests' cups until they told her they had had enough. Leaving a cup empty without being told that the guest had finished was the height of poor taste.

Sweet Cream Scones

While scones were originally oat-based, round, and flat - and about the size of a plate - the scones we have come to know and love became available with the advent of baking powder. This is exactly the type of scone the ladies of Downton Abbey would enjoy, as it is not too sweet and has the right texture for nibbling - perhaps with some Clotted Cream (see recipe in this chapter).

YIELDS 1 DOZEN SCONES.

1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 cups all-purpose flour 112 cups sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 14 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup unsalted b.u.t.ter, at room temperature and cut into pieces 1 egg, at room temperature Heavy cream for brushing Granulated sugar for sprinkling Blend sour cream, vanilla extract, and baking soda together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a large baking sheet.

In a large bowl, blend together flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in b.u.t.ter until mixture resembles coa.r.s.e bread crumbs. Stir in sour-cream mixture and egg until just barely moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, kneading briefly. Pat dough out into a 34-inch-thick round. Cut into 12 wedges and place them 23 inches apart on the greased baking sheet. Lightly brush with cream, then sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake 1215 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

Times Gone By There's a bit of debate about the origins of the word scone. Some historians say it hails from the Dutch word schoonbrot, which roughly translates to "beautiful bread," while others argue its origins can be found in the Stone of Destiny, where the Kings of Scotland were crowned. All we know for sure is that scones were invented in the early 1500s, with the first printed mention of the word being found in 1513; most sources also believe scones were invented in Scotland. Hundreds of years later, the scone is still a much-requested treat.

Mixed Berry Scones

Another take on the Sweet Cream Scones (see recipe in this chapter), this dish would be a favorite of Countess Cora's to offer to her younger guests with their tea. While visitors such as the Dowager Countess might prefer less flavorful options, these scones would give a needed variety - not to mention flavor - to a meal that most of Cora's guests would have experienced on a daily basis.

MAKES 1012 SCONES 3 cups all-purpose flour 12 cup white sugar 14 cup turbinado sugar 12 teaspoon baking soda 212 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt 34 cup (112 sticks) unsalted b.u.t.ter, cut into 14- to 12-inch pieces 12 cup fresh blueberries 12 cup fresh blackberries 12 cup fresh raspberries 12 cup hulled and quartered fresh strawberries 114 cups b.u.t.termilk 112 teaspoons vanilla extract 12 cup heavy cream (for brushing) 12 cup sugar (for sprinkling) Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

In a large bowl and using a wooden spoon, mix together the flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Using your bare hands, work the b.u.t.ter into the flour mixture until it has the consistency of bread crumbs. Add berries, mixing well, so that the berries are evenly distributed.

In a small bowl, mix together the b.u.t.termilk and vanilla extract with a fork.

Once again using your hands, dig a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the b.u.t.termilk mixture into the well. Still using your hands, combine the ingredients until the entire mixture appears wet. Do not overknead.

Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat down the dough to make a disc about 1122 inches thick. Using a biscuit cutter (or a knife if you don't have a biscuit cutter), cut out as many scones as possible and lay them on the baking sheet. Gather together the remaining dough to cut out more scones... but once again, don't knead the dough too much.

Liberally brush heavy cream over the top of each scone, then sprinkle them with sugar. Bake the scones for 1012 minutes or until they are lightly browned.

Etiquette Lessons Contrary to popular belief, a lady should never hold her tea cup with her pinkie finger extended. Instead, a woman should place her index finger into the handle of the cup up to the knuckle while placing her thumb on the top of the handle to secure the cup. The bottom of the handle should then rest on her middle finger. The third and fourth fingers should curve back toward the wrist.

Clotted Cream

All British chefs worth their salt know how to make this cla.s.sic accompaniment for scones, crepes, and even toast. Clotted cream is an integral part to cream tea, where tea is served with clotted cream, jam, and scones. Most teas offered by the ladies of Downton Abbey are cream teas, and thus Mrs. Patmore would be quite skilled at making - and storing - clotted cream.

YIELDS 4 CUPS.

4 cups heavy whipping cream Preheat oven to 180F.

Pour the cream into an oven-safe pot or dutch oven. The cream should come up to about 3 inches. Cover the pot, then place in the oven for at least 6 hours. The cream will be done when there is a thick yellowish skin on top.

Let the cream cool at room temperature, then put the pot in the refrigerator for 812 hours. Remove clotted cream from the top of the pot and serve cold.

Times Gone By Even though menus were extravagant at Downton Abbey, Mrs. Patmore still wouldn't want to waste a thing. She'd likely save the cream that remained in the pot once the clotted cream was scooped out and use it in another recipe for either the aristocrats or the staff.

Mrs. Patmore's Madeira Pound Cake

This British sponge cake would be served with great aplomb by Mrs. Patmore, on an elegant platter perhaps with sliced strawberries and powdered sugar. Moist yet firm, this Madeira pound cake would be quickly gobbled up by even the most delicate of ladies.

YIELDS 1012 SERVINGS 3 cups sifted cake flour, plus additional for dusting 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon cardamom 1 cup unsalted b.u.t.ter, softened 234 cups sugar 7 large eggs, at room temperature 3 teaspoons vanilla paste (bourbon vanilla extract acceptable) 112 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1 cup heavy cream Thoroughly grease a 10-inch bundt pan and lightly dust with flour.

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, salt, and cardamom.