Discovering Clotted Cream

Donna Hatch
CLOTTED CREAM Have you ever read a historical novel that mentions “clotted cream” or “Devonshire cream?” I admit, I skimmed over it the first few times without making special note of it except for a vague recognition of it being a weird British thing and that no self-respecting American would eat anything with the word “clotted” it in. Still, I gleaned that the British spread it on bread and scones. Later, I discovered that clotted…

Food in Regency England — Luncheon or Nuncheon

Donna Hatch
What’s not to love about the Regency Era? The gowns, balls, soirees, horse-drawn carriages, and so much more–for those who were of the upper classes, that is–as shown in Jane Austen adaptations and other Regency-era movies and TV shows have a dreamlike beauty. Part of the glamor of Regency England is all the amazing food they ate. Because they kept different schedules and observed different customs, eating lunch at noontime is a relatively modern tradition.…

English Afternoon Tea, and recipes

Donna Hatch
Nothing is more quintessentially British like afternoon tea. While most of us may think of afternoon tea as an upper lass tradition dating back hundreds of years, I discovered something else entirely; it’s relatively new. In fact, High Tea as we know it has only been around for about a hundred and fifty years. First, we must travel back to the sixteen hundreds, when King Charles II’s Portuguese bride, Catherine, brought a cask of it…

Nine bestselling Authors Present Nine Regency Romances in a New Collection

Donna Hatch
Presenting a new boxed set of nine Historical Romances just in time for the holidays!  Nine Ladies Dancing Nine bestselling authors present nine Regency romance novellas — some traditionally sweet, some clean, some mildly sensuous — in a boxed set you won’t want to miss! Mistletoe Magic by Donna Hatch — Can the mistletoe work its magic and open Evelyn’s eyes to true love at the Christmas ball? Teach Me Under the Mistletoe by Kay…

A Little Crooked House

Donna Hatch
While visiting England this past summer, I toured Windsor castle and enjoyed the town. One cute little place in the town of Windsor that captured my attention was a little crooked house called, unsurprisingly, The Crooked House of Windsor. It brought to mind the children’s nursery rhyme from Mother Goose: “There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile. He found a crooked sixpence, against a crooked stile. He bought a crooked cat,…

Eat, Read, and Live Like Jane Austen 

Donna Hatch
by freelance writer Jane Sandwood Tea time is an important English tradition. It was a big part of life during the Regency period and is still valued today. If you love Jane Austen, you might be curious as to what her typical dining habits were – as the saying goes, “You are what you eat.” Combine your love of tea time and sweet treats with your love of Jane Austen books, and immerse yourself into…

Gunter’s Tea Shop

Donna Hatch
One of the fashionable places to visit in Regency England was Gunter’s Tea Shop in Berkley Square. Gunter’s was originally a sweet shop called The Pot and Pineapple, so named because the Pineapple was a symbol of confectioners, something only the rich could afford. The proprietor, an Italian pastry cook named Domenico Negri had a successful business making wet and dry sweetmeats. His shop also offered candied fruits, cakes, syrups, biscuits, delicate sugar spun creations,…

Bath, Time Traveling to Rome or Georgian England

Donna Hatch
by Donna Hatch When Rome occupied England, the quaint English town now known as Bath was a hub for social, religious, heath, and recreational activities. The sick–those who could afford it–flocked to the healing mineral waters of a warm natural springs. They sought cures, or at least relief, from all manner of health complaints such as palsy, arthritis, gout, skin diseases including leprosy, and many chronic and terminal illnesses.  It seems that both genders bathed…

English Afternoon Tea, Jane Austen Style

Donna Hatch
Tea is a time-honored tradition, and to me (an American), nothing says British Custom like afternoon tea. While most of us may think of High Tea as an upper class  tradition dating back hundreds of years, I discovered something else entirely. Tea in the afternoon didn’t actually become common until the 1700’s. By the Regency Era, the custom had long-since caught on and the upper class had afternoon tea about four o’clock, which was before…