One of our favourite pursuits here at Aesthetic House is sitting down with a freshly brewed pot of tea.
It’s one of life’s really simple little pleasures, but one which never fails to instantly rejuvenate us in preparation for a busy day or in the midst of a hectic afternoon. When our habitual brewing up takes a slightly more special turn, however, there is only one lady who we turn to to help us prepare for a party- Angel Adoree.
Founder of The Vintage Patisserie, Angel has published two hugely successful books: The Vintage Tea Party and The Vintage Tea Party Year– both of which offer an array of truly inspirational recipes, tips and ideas for your own tea parties and special occasions.
Focused on the art of hosting, making mouthwatering food and incorporating a touch of vintage flair, Angel’s party philosophy is one which has proved phenomenally successful and which has introduced the tea party experience to a whole new audience. With her third book, The Vintage Sweets, on release now, Features Editor Sarah was lucky enough to sit down for a catch up with Angel ahead of publication:
We’re huge fans of the heritage feel which runs through both of your books and The Vintage Patisserie as a whole. What do you think it is about the British teatime tradition which makes it so special?
Traditions by their very nature are charming. From stockings on Christmas day to ensuring you have a silver sixpence piece in your wedding shoe, there is infinity of traditions that have always just ‘been’.
Traditions are familiar and comforting. And nothing is more comforting than a cup of tea! Tea is a tradition that we share globally. For me, tea and a slice of cake whilst listening to my mum and her friends gossip is one of my earliest memories. I used to sit on the kitchen counter and watch her bake… watch her put on some lippie and watch her girlfriends arrive! Something so effortless brought so much joy to our household.
Teatime has a place in nearly everyone’s childhood, so it’s no wonder that as grown ups we want to play too!
Apparently the 7th Duchess of Bedford was the first to say ‘give me cake’, which allowed us Brits to claim this as our tradition. Thank God I say.
We love trying out all of your beautifully detailed recipes. Which sources do you turn to for inspiration when putting them together?
Thank you! It’s varied actually. The Vintage Tea Party Book was mostly recipes that I’d known for a long time. The Vintage Tea Party Year took lots of research and asking everyone I knew what they would like at their perfect tea party. My latest book is based on traditional sweets and was taken from what I remember as a kid, and it took lots of playing in the kitchen to perfect the recipes!
See the next issue of Aesthetic for the full feature and some very special recipes from Angel herself!
The Vintage Sweets Book by Angel Adoree, published by Mitchell Beazley, Hardback, £16.99 www.octopusbooks.co.uk
Sarah Farrell is a fashion and lifestyle blogger at My Sentimental Heart. A regular contributor to Aesthetic Magazine, Sarah’s main interests lie in baking and style. Sarah is also the Features Editor of Aesthetic Online. She Tweets @sarah_sentiment.
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