Nigel Slater’s recipes for vanilla shortbread with

Unusually flavoursome treats for a truly glorious afternoon tea in the garden

I made a batch of scones this week that I was particularly happy with, introducing crumbs of feta and thyme leaves to the dough, and offering them warm from the oven with a peppery butter of watercress and cucumber. A tiny mouthful of summer.

Afternoon tea is a timeless treat that rarely fails to delight, and never more so than in a shady corner on a summer’s afternoon. Homemade scones, freshly baked biscuits and a pot of tea is a treat beyond measure, especially if the rain stops for long enough to set them up on a table outside.