Saturday, January 5, 2013

Tea Room Recipe #1 - The Crumpet Tea Room (Rogers, Ark.)

Each year I like to have a "tea project" to work on and share here on Saturdays. In 2009, I made a point of sipping every tea in "The Harney & Sons Guide to Tea." In 2010, I read and reviewed a book about tea each week. In 2011, I experimented with new tea sandwiches for a year, and in 2012 I hosted a giveaway each week. For 2013, I am turning to my collection of tea room cookbooks and plan to highlight one each week along with a recipe I have tried. This week, I begin with what I believe to be the first tea room cookbook I ever acquired, this one from The Crumpet Tea Room in Rogers, Ark., which I'm pleased to report is still in business! Many years ago now, I had a girlfriend whose parents lived in Arkansas, and once or twice a year I would join her for a trip there.

My friend's mother and I were great fans of this tea room, and the cookbook I got there remains a favorite. The Crumpet Tea Room was quite charming. I fell in love with the mismatched china cups and saucers, the pretty floral placemats and napkins, and I believe that my visits to this tea room kicked off my own love of vintage teawares and linens. The tea room had quite a few signature dishes, including Hot Orange Rolls, the Crumpet Baked Potato, and their Open Face Crab Sandwich, which I made for this week's post because it just seemed fitting to make crumpets from the Crumpet Tea Room!


Open Face Crab Sandwich

16 ounces softened cream cheese
4 tablespoons Miracle Whip
2 tablespoons onion powder (I grated fresh onion instead)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce
2 cans white crab meat, drained well
Slices of American cheese
Slices of fresh tomato

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until creamy. Add Miracle Whip, onion powder, lemon juice, Worcestershire and Tabasco. Add crab meat and mix well. Spoon crab mixture on top of crumpet, then add slices of cheese and tomato before serving. If desired, warm in microwave for a few seconds until cheese begins to melt. Refrigerate remaining crab mixture. (Note: I made half this recipe, and it yielded enough spread for about 8 open face sandwiches.)


Crumpets

3-1/2 cups plain flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons fast active yeast
1 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1 cup melted margarine
3 eggs, beaten well

In large bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix well. Slowly add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Cover and let double in size. Using medium heat, fry batter in metal rings in iron skillet, browning on each side for about 2-3 minutes. (Note: This recipe is said to yield 12 crumpets, but I halved it and still got 12 crumpets, 4 inches in size. I definitely recommend halving the recipe, the only challenge being how to get 1-1/2 eggs, but I whisked mine in a measuring cup and adjusted the amount accordingly.) I'm pretty sure this recipe is one I actually ate at this tea room 20 years ago, and oh my, is it good! The Official Tea With Friends Taster (i.e., hubby) declared it "another triumph," which made me really happy. That creamy crab mixture atop a fresh, hot crumpet, with gooey cheese and tomato on top—my only improvement would be to make this again when our garden's yummy tomatoes are in season!

20 comments:

  1. Quite an unusual way to eat a crumpet. I am just so sold on store bought that look and taste different but suppose I should try your recipe. They look similar to a pancake in consistency, do they taste similar?
    Judith

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  2. Looks like another fun series for the new year! I have never made crumpets... might have to give that a try!

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  3. I've got that same cookbook! And I'm glad to hear that it is still in business. Next time I go to Rogers . . . perhaps as a stop before or after Crystal Bridges.

    The recipe looks yummy!

    And I've never made crumpets either!

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  4. That does look good, although I would leave off the tomato. I think this is a fun project for 2013 and I look forward to reading more in the series.

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  5. Oh what a fun year of Saturdays this will be! I adore tea room cookbooks and will look forward to each new offering. I've never made my own crumpets -- but I should try; they're awfully hard to find in the Huntsville area, and they're *so* good! Thanks, Angela! :)

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  6. What a great series for 2013. I have never made a crumpet and only eaten one once [in Victoria, British Columbia]. How fun that you have 52 tea room cookbooks. I'm off to count mine. ;-)

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  7. Ok, now I had to start a word file of Recipes from Tea with Friends. I am definitely making the salad this week, the crumpets will have to wait until next week end.
    Thanks for the cool series.

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  8. Ok, now I had to start a word file of Recipes from Tea with Friends. I am definitely making the salad this week, the crumpets will have to wait until next week end.
    Thanks for the cool series.

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  9. Oh this looks delicious. I've made crumpets and it's definitely worth it. But I think for my Downton Abbey party tomorrow night, I'll get store-bought and make this!

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  10. When I read the title of your post I thought - 'What a coincidence, we have a Crumpet tea room in our neighborhood - Rogers, AR!' How fun.

    The next time you're out this way though, you need to go west a few miles to Siloam Springs, AR & try Cafe on Broadway. Siloam Springs has the best small downtown in northwest AR & this one is a favorite of mine. I'd love to meet you there & show you around!

    Cafe on Broadway is a coffee/tea shop where you can get lunch or dessert. It's combined with a small bookshop & has outdoor eating in front & a little courtyard in back.

    Rogers is about 25 miles from where I live so I rarely go that way. I need to look for the their cookbook. I really look forward to this series.

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  11. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM boy does that look and read delicious!!

    Angela, you won't believe this but the best historic hotel downtown here is hosting a formal Edwardian Afternoon Tea and then showing a special engagement showing of Downton Abbey Episode One of Season Three..........and I didn't know about it and it is sold out!

    I am so upset, oh my gosh I cannot even believe that I can't go to this. I have been pouting all day.

    Seriously. How can they not let a Dowager of Finch Rest attend this, with her beautiful tea dresses and gloves and hats???????????

    More pouting. I know you understand.

    Frowning hugs,

    Michele

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  12. I was waiting for the "they are no longer in business part" and was so GLAD TO SEE they are still!

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  13. I always have fun reading your blog and look forward to seeing your favorite cookbooks and foods and reading your stories. Thanks for the entertainment and inspiration.

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  14. What a fun new yearly series. I know I enjoy new recipes. These look great. I've made crumpets before, but it's been a while.

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  15. I'm looking forward to your weekly recipes and tea-rooms. Deb

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  16. I look forward to your Saturday recipes! You've made me want the hot orange roll recipe!

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  17. Oh does that sound good. Crab meat is in season right now in the northwest and I was going to buy some on special at the market. Yummmm!

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  18. Hello Angela, what a neat cookbook and the tea room sounds wonderful! Glad to hear they are still in business.

    The mention of a crumpet brings me back to my eighth grade Home Ec teacher - she taught us how to make crumpets and we ended up having an end of year 'feast,' featuring all the dishes that we had learned to make, including crumpets. They were delicious and I think that's the last time I had them. Looking forward to a great year of fun with Tea and Friends, Joanie

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  19. So glad to hear you like our cookbook! My name is Daneen Parish and I own and operate both The Crumpets in Northwest Arkansas. One of your followers just ordered our new cookbook! She said she heard about it here. After 10 years of thought, I decided it was time to produce another cookbook. All the original recipes from the restaurants are in the new cookbook along with some new favorites. It is truly amazing to me that our little tea rooms have followers all over the U.S. and world! Thanks so much and happy cooking!

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