Photo credit: Rebecca Penovich

Yes, Lords and Ladies, Downton Abbey returns tonight on PBS at 9 pm (ET). But you knew that, right?

Lady Mary and Branson with their respective aristocratic progeny, baby George and Sybbie.
Photo credit: Carnival Films & Television for MASTERPIECE

Photo credit: Rebecca Penovich

I’m a big fan of the show (and a bit of an Anglophile) so to get in the spirit of the thing, let’s have tea and crumpets, I mean, scones.

What is the difference between a crumpet and scone, you might ask? I did a little research (source: M. Skylar Ezell) and discovered that scones are a flaky pastry whose origin dates back to the 1500s in Scotland, while crumpets are likely to be Welsh in origin. The earliest known crumpet recipe was in British entrepreneur Elizabeth Raffald’s cookbook “The Experienced English Housekeeper” in 1769.

You may have butter, jam or other spreads with your scones or crumpets. And while scones can either have currants or other dried fruit in them, crumpets do not. For a delectable treat with your tea, serve scones warm straight from the oven, with jam, soft butter, and clotted cream.

Photo credit: Rebecca Penovich

I tested this recipe for Classic Cream Scones from Smitten Kitchen and they were fab.I didn’t add the optional currants or dried cranberries and they were delicious plain and with butter and jam.

Tune in tonight and come back to Corks & Cake for more Downton Abbey-esque food fun!

That new-fangled electric mixer should make her life easier.  Photo credit:  Carnival Films & Television for MASTERPIECE

“Those dripping crumpets, I can see them now. Tiny crisp wedges of toast, and piping-hot, flaky scones. Sandwiches of unknown nature, mysteriously flavoured and quite delectable, and that very special gingerbread. Angel cake, that melted in the mouth, and his rather stodgier companion, bursting with peel and raisins. There was enough food there to keep a starving family for a week.”

Daphne du Maurier – Rebecca