The ultimate Jubilee street party tea…naughty but nice!
Our models seem to be shivering a bit. They’re octogenarians (sprightly ones, mind) and we’ve had them sitting in the middle of a field for two hours now.
That’ll be why their lips are turning blue.
Not to worry, they have gallons of tea to keep them warm, a majestic Jubilee spread laid out in front of them and they’re wearing their winter coats. Indeed, Mrs Audrey Harwood and Mrs Doris Henshaw seem quite happy (despite the blue lips), and are most impressed with the tea. “Definitely fit for a queen,” says Mrs Harwood. “And her king,” says Mrs Henshaw, eyeing the mille feuille.
Our ladies are parked at a table in a field at Vallum Farm, where the combined talents of baker Gill Kemp, manager Amy Clarke and Vallum owner Vicky Moffitt have produced the following (deep breath): Victoria sponge, fruit scones and cream, chocolate éclairs, mille feuille with confectioner’s custard, pink meringues with cream, meringues with pistachios, violet meringues with blueberries and lime, chocolate meringues with chocolate cream, yellow meringues with lemon curd and cream (are you keeping up?), lemon and raspberry roulade, cucumber sandwiches, Coronation chicken and – the piece de resistance – sugar baked ham, one of several recipes here courtesy of Vicky’s mother Judith Coates, who cooked for various places, including Corbridge’s Larder and Watling St Café, when Vicky was growing up.
“We used to have this ham for Boxing Day tea on hot buttered toast; a tradition that came out of mum being too busy to cook when she was probably providing half of Corbridge with Christmas food,” explains Vicky as she whizzes past in the direction of the Mrs Hs, armed
with electric heater and extension lead.
Vicky’s tea room at Vallum Farm on Hadrian’s Wall, eight miles west of Newcastle, is renowned for its food, Vicky’s amazing ready meals and ice cream, and its produce. Thus the milk that makes the ice cream is from Vicky’s husband Peter’s Brown Swiss cows, the baby vegetables served in the tea room and in Vicky’s ready meals are grown by Ken and Tracy Holland of North Country Growers on their Vallum plot, and the smoked fish and meats on the lunchtime platters are produced on site by Bernard Lynch of Bywell Smokery.
The builders converting a big old cow barn to create a new restaurant, shop, bakery, dairy, workshop, wedding and function room keep stopping to gawp (it’s okay, they get what’s left).
“I’m a firm believer in a big spread,” says Vicky. “Tiny cakes are all very well at The Savoy, but our Jubilee afternoon tea here is big, indulgent and raises a big smile. If you’re going to celebrate, you might as well do it properly.”
And with that, she’s off to replenish the teetering mountain of chocolate éclairs. Seconds, anyone?
Vallum Farm’s special Jubilee afternoon tea is on the menu from May 28-June 8, £8.95 per head (glass of pink fizz £2 extra). Party hosts can order a Jubilee Tea Box containing
a choice of treats including cakes, scones, ham, Coronation chicken, sandwiches, etc from Vallum (to order, contact Vicky or Amy,
tel 01434 672 652)
Vallum Farm, East Wallhouses, Military Road, Newcastle, NE18 0LL, www.vallumfarm.co.uk on facebook and twitter
