Queen Elizabeth II was known for her love of a simple sandwich – and it’s a classic British treat many will recognise
The late Queen Elizabeth may have been Britain’s longest-reigning monarch with access to the world’s most lavish and exotic cuisines, yet when it came to satisfying her sweet tooth, she favoured something remarkably ordinary and quintessentially British.
Throughout her 70-year reign, the late monarch undertook more than 200 visits to Commonwealth nations alone, which would undoubtedly have exposed her to an array of delicacies during formal dinners.
However, when it came to her preferences, Elizabeth would choose a delightful English treat that many of us have come to adore.
This particular treat was one that she reportedly enjoyed every day since childhood, reports the Express.
Darren McGrady, who served the Royal Family for 15 years as a chef preparing meals for all the senior members of the Firm, disclosed what the late monarch’s favourite afternoon indulgence was.
In a YouTube video, he discussed the annual summer garden parties, saying: “With 6,000 people at each garden party that’s a lot of food, and fortunately, the royal chefs only have to cater for the royal tea tent.”
He added: “The [late] Queen was served jam pennies in the nursery as a little girl, she’s had them for afternoon tea ever since.
“Simple, just bread and jam with a little butter – usually strawberry jam.
“We’d make the jam at Balmoral Castle with the gorgeous Scottish strawberries from the gardens.”
The ex-royal chef revealed that sandwiches were always cut into a circular shape and never triangles or squares, owing to an age-old superstition that pointy food would bring harm to the monarchy.
A circle cutter was instead used to stamp out circular holes in the middle of the bread, leading to them being dubbed pennies “after the size of the old English penny”.
Yet another of the late monarch’s beloved sandwich choices was tuna mayo, according to Owen Hodgson.
The former royal chef previously revealed to The Telegraph that Elizabeth had a fondness for a tuna and mayonnaise sandwich,.
She would often enjoy them generously buttered and served with thinly sliced cucumber and a dash of pepper.
Jam pennies recipe
Ingredients
- 12 slices of sliced bread, such as white, multi-grain or wholemeal
- Softened unsalted butter, to spread
- Six tablespoons Jam, such as home-made strawberry or raspberry jam. You can use lemon curd too if you’re a citrus lover
Method
1. Cut the crusts off the sliced bread and put to one side for breadcrumbs or bread pudding.
2. Stamp out little rounds of bread with a scone/biscuit/pastry cutter.
3. Spread the crust-less sliced bread “pennies” with the butter on one side only, just as if you were making normal sandwiches.
4. Spread the jam of your choice over one side of the buttered bread and then sandwich together with another buttered slice.
5. Arrange on a nice plate and serve with a pot of tea
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