TUESDAY'S TIDBITS AND TRIVIA-REGENCY TEA

I’ve researched so much food for my novels, I really ought to put what I’ve found into some sort of a booklet. Naturally, because tea was so popular in both England and Scotland, I had to check out just what sort of sweet pasties one might want to nibble on while sipping a steaming cup.

Though high tea didn’t become popular until the Victorian Era, people of the Regency period did enjoy biscuits (cookies), Maid of Honor tarts, seed cakes, Naples biscuits (lady fingers), scones, and several other treats with their brew.

TUESDAY'S TIDBITS AND TRIVIA-REGENCY TEA 2

My hero, Yancy, in Virtue and Valor, has a sweet tooth, and I’m betting he’d enjoy these shortbread cookies! The recipe was my grandmother’s. To celebrate the release of The Earl’s Enticement May 28th, I’ve ordered a bunch of tea pot and tea cup cookie cutters just like these.

Aren’t they adorable?

I’ll be gifting them to some lucky subscribers to The Regency Rose, my newsletter (see the sign-up in the right sidebar) along with a copy of my grandmother’s recipe.

Yes, I really did have a Grandma Cameron and my grandpa was really Scottish. Or at least his family came from Scotland. We’ve discovered our heritage is mostly Scandinavian, so you can bet it was those Vikings that settled in Scotland who are my ancestors.

Grandma Cameron’s Scottish Shortbread Cookies (Biscuits)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (use high quality butter)

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350Fwith the rack in the center of the oven.

Combine flour and salt in bowl using a whisk. Set aside. Beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Beatin the vanilla extract. Stir in the flour. Formthe dough into a flattened ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for ½ hour or until firm. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface until ¼ inch thick. Using a floured cookie cutter, cut into shapes. Gently place cutouts on parchment-lined baking sheets and return to the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. This helps the cookies retain their shapes. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be very lightly browned on the edges. Cool on a wire rack. Storein an airtight container for one week or freeze. Cookies can be eaten plain, dipped in chocolate and sprinkles, or decorated with icing.