Tea Blog

In the past 70 years we’ve learned so much about our favorite monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. We know her favorite breed of dog is the corgi and spends her summers at Balmoral Castle each summer. But what are her favorite foods?

It is said Her Majesty is a very healthy eater and is described as someone who eats to live. She and her husband of 73 years Prince Philip were total opposites when it came to food. One could talk about food with Prince Philip for hours!

Her Majesty enjoys a good tea sandwich. It is said tuna is one of her favorites, with cracked pepper and thinly sliced cucumber. She is also very particular with how her sandwiches are made. Her Majesty enjoys her sandwiches with the bread buttered on both sides with tuna mixed with mayonnaise and thinly sliced cucumber. Then the sandwiches cut into perfect triangles and served to the Queen, crustless.

Surprisingly, the Queen fancies scrambled eggs, especially with smoked salmon and shaved truffle. If you want to make this, take note of the scarcity of finding fresh truffles. If you do manage to find some, be prepared to pay a pretty penny for it. In fact, it is said the Queen will only enjoy truffles when they are gifted to her! Some good truffle substitutes are black trumpet mushrooms or dried porcini mushrooms. Dried mushrooms are usually found in grocery stores in the produce department. Simply grate the dried mushroom onto the egg for a similarly earthy and smoky flavor.

The Queen also enjoys fruit when it’s in season, especially when it comes from the gardens of her palace. She savors a fresh strawberry, white peach, or mango during the summer months when their sweetness are at peak. Make a mango, strawberry, and peach fruit salad for your tea party or lunch. Simply cut up a ripe mango, white peach (or yellow, if you prefer), and a few strawberries to toss into a bowl and you’ll have a sweet but vibrant summer fruit salad.

Although the Queen’s diet does not have a lot of sweets, she will savor a good slice of chocolate cake once in a while. She also enjoys chocolate biscuit cake which is made with a chocolate ganache and rich tea biscuits. You can make the same cake from her former chef yourself! If you don’t have rich tea biscuits then McVitie’s Digestives are an excellent substitute!

And like many of her compatriots, Her Majesty is very keen on tea. The Queen generally enjoys a cup of Twinings Earl Grey Tea, unsweetened with a good splash of milk.

-CD