Of Blustery Days, British Tea and Bread Pudding...

British artist John William Waterhouse 1902

We awoke this morning to a foggy, rainy and windy day of the blustery sort.
The pretty snow scene I posted about several days ago now looks like this:This day had the makings of a perfectly wonderful puttery sort of stay-at-home day which I have done, although I will be leaving for work shortly.
I did want to post this recipe because at my british tea on Sunday, I served cucumber sandwiches without the crust as is proper for a british tea. I shared that with the crusts of the bread I like to make bread pudding. Actually, my daughter who is in India presently, makes one of the best bread puddings....she would have gladly made one for us, but alas, she is too far away so I made one this afternoon. It really isn't complicating and the aroma is just wonderful as it fills the house with spices. You can modify this recipe if you like. I added cloves and a pinch of nutmeg to bring out the cinnamon flavour. I also added an extra dash of pure vanilla as I didn't have rum in the house, and sprinkled sliced almonds on top.
My hubby and girls will be pleased when they come home.

Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

Ingredients

* 3 cups milk
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons rum
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 7 (1/2-inch) slices bread, cubed or torn
* 4 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saucepan, add milk, butter,
vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar,
rum and raisins and heat until warm.
Simmer and stir until sugar dissolves.

Into a large bowl add the cubed bread
and pour in the hot milk mixture.
Let sit for 30 minutes so the bread absorbs the milk.

Add the beaten eggs to the bread and milk mixture and stir.
Pour bread pudding into a buttered 1 1/2-quart baking dish
and bake for 50 minutes. Serve topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Added: My hubby surprised me by coming home early today to do some office work, so he was eager to sample the bread pudding along with a cup of tea. His verdict: excellent and delicious says he:)

The Voice of Angels....Libera

After a busy day out, I am home again and eager to finish up my decorating for this coming season. I just made myself some tea of the british sort to go along with the Scottish shortbread that I purchased today.



The weather is overcast, drizzly and a wee bit foggy, with temperatures hovering around zero with a possibility of freezing rain. Snow is in the forecast for tomorrow, so winter is knocking at the door.
It will be a perfect evening to stay indoors this evening.
As I was sipping my tea, I was checking my emails. A dear fellow anglophile sent this my way knowing that I would appreciate it. Thank you M!

Introducing Libera from South London, England...Enjoy!
(be sure to pause playlist)

Afternoon British Tea

Outdoor dining is just one of the joys of summer, so when my friend Sandy invited a group of us over for afternoon tea on her front porch, I was delighted to join her in preparing a British Tea, one of my favourite hobbies. I have many fond memories of my time in England, and one of my dearest memories was taking afternoon cream tea with my friend Karen, as well as with my daughter Jennifer. Not only was the tea wonderful, the scones served with clotted cream and strawberry preserves were such a treat, all served in adorable and quaint tea rooms.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." ~Henry James
The Portrait of a Lady


This was the setting of our afternoon tea. Although the lovely porch overlooked beautiful farm fields, it could also have been in Savanah, GA, as it had a southern feel with the warm breeze, the white wicker furniture and the gorgeous flowers.


Inside Sandy and I set up the Cream Tea on two tiered plate stands for 7 guests plus the two of us. We served cucumber as well as egg salad sandwiches, scones both plain and with currants, as well as strawberry jam and devonshire clotted cream.
Sweets or dainties were set on the top serving plates.
Sandy served a lovely glass of fresh fruit following the first course which was so refreshing.



We served an assortment of teas including Earl Grey, the most common tea served in tea rooms across England.



Sandy used her Royal Albert Old Country Roses set of tea pot, cream and sugar as well as her tea cups and saucers.





Lovely garden florals were arranged using some of Sandy's milk glass containers in her collection.




Gladiolus and Rose of Sharon in a lovely white vase:





Her glads were beautiful as the flowers were just starting to open:

We enjoyed a lovely afternoon on her front porch and were so thankful for the beautiful weather as well as having made time out of our busy schedules to spend a leisurely afternoon together sharing and forging stronger friendships.
Each of the ladies went home with a little party favour along with a copy of the scone recipe found here.

On behalf of all the ladies who attended, I am sure we all agree that the afternoon was wonderful and we are grateful to our hostess! Thank you Sandy! It was my pleasure to co-host with you!

"Remember, the greatest gift is not found in a store nor under a tree, but in the hearts of true friends. "~ Cindy Lew

A great website for hosting your own Afternoon Tea can be found here.

Taking Tea at Tintagels

Yesterday was a mini vacation as I met with my friend K at her home to spend the day together, winding our way down scenic back roads to our favourite little Tea Room in the quaint town of Erin.
Tintagels is named after a fascinating village on the north coast of Cornwall, England, and has captured some of her british charm in its tea room decor. We both enjoyed the butternut squash soup, along with tea and scones for dessert. The scones were unlike any I have made in that they were almond flavoured, something I will definitely experiment with when I make scones next time.
After our tea room experience, we wandered down the street to visit some of the lovely shops in Erin. This shop below was truly as it states: a delight as we enjoyed talking to the shop owner and being inspired by her sharing her story.
Her pansies were stunning and showy, a sign of being well cared for:
Her window display was so lovely and inviting:

At another shop we admired the multi-coloured straw baskets and outdoor area rugs:

We also popped into the Weathervane, a lovely shop for home and garden decor: Great Beach House decor:
And Garden decor:
When we left in the morning, it was cloudy and overcast, but by the time we arrived in Erin, the sun was breaking through the clouds. This was the scene as we slowly made our way home again after enjoying a delightful day of tea, shopping and conversation. I was also given a garden tour at K's home but will save that for tomorrow. The peonies in the header are just a taste of her stunning gardens. Thank you again K for such a lovely day!

P.S. Next Friday I hope to resume FFF...will read all of yours!

Rainy Afternoon Rejoicing

I don't usually post twice in one day, but I just had to share my rejoicing over the rain. I know it was in the forecast, but to actually experience a steady and beautiful rain all afternoon is such a gift from God and I wanted to acknowledge it! I can honestly see the grass turn greener and the plants look healthier. Although I haven't been out, I am sure that the corn in the fields has grown in just one day. Yes, I am being overly enthusiastic but I don't ever want to take rain for granted...it is truly music to my ears. So, when it is cool and wet outdoors, what is a girl to do? My older daughters both had the day off, so I enlisted their help in finishing up the laundry (folding, putting away) as well as the clean up in exchange for an afternoon of tea and scones to accompany a movie I have eagerly anticipated.
Recipe for a Delightful Afternoon:
Light one fragrant and lovely lavender-scented candle, Set this DVD in the player,
and enjoy with tea and scones.... Such an exquisitely beautiful love story and musical soundtrack:
(pause sidebar music to listen)

Friendship and Front Porches

art by Catherine Simpson

Although I do not have a large front porch, there is something nostalgic and old-fashioned about taking tea on the front porch. So when I had the opportunity last week to prepare for some of my friends who were coming for an afternoon tea visit, I took advantage of the space I had to create a front porch tea room.
I set up in the hallway leading out to the front porch:

And decorated the front porch like a tea room:



I set out my favourite magazines for browsing:
And we shared in a british afternoon tea:
The five of us spent a leisurely afternoon sharing and laughing, reminiscing and story-telling. Interestingly enough I have discovered that a woman does not need to learn how to talk as it seems to come so naturally! We had a lot of fun together and forged stronger friendships over afternoon tea.
For more ideas on front porch living, check out this beautiful blog:
The Inspired Room
"Friends in your life are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you. Sometimes it's just enough to know they're standing by."
~Elizabeth Foley

British Cream Tea

There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.~C.S. Lewis
I had mentioned in an earlier post that I would be hosting a tea party and thought you might like to see some photos of our 'british event'.
(the photos were quickly taken before we sat to tea, as I almost forgot in the busyness of entertaining; click to enlarge)
When I host a 'british' tea party, I start with the guest list, followed by a menu which usually consists of scones with clotted cream, lemon curd, strawberry conserve, fresh fruit, devonshire cream, pastries, chocolates, little sandwiches with egg salad as well as cucumber/herb cream cheese, remembering to take the crusts off as that is proper british. I do use the crusts to make bread pudding the following day.
The hostess must always serve a combination of sweets and savouries at a proper tea, served on her most elegant china. Can you imagine what it must have been like in the Victorian time period? I think there may have been too much indulgence then, but for my six guests and myself, it was just lovely to spend time away from the cares of life and to enjoy conversation over tea.
A Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards. ~A.A. Milne
Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. ~Author Unknown
Tea to the English is really a picnic indoors. ~Alice Walker
If you are cold, tea will warm you. If you are too heated, it will cool you. If you are depressed, it will cheer you. If you are excited, it will calm you. ~Gladstone, 1865
I was inspired by a post on this blog, to make my own lemon curd, so I did that this morning while I was baking up the scones. It was so much easier than I thought and the taste was wonderful!
There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. ~Henry James, The Portrait of a Lady

Library Basket Lovelies

After a day of cleaning the house and doing loads of laundry, then working for several hours at the library,
I am ready to put my feet up, and enjoy these books with a lovely cup of tea!
The next few days will be busy with work, but also preparation for a british tea I will be hosting on Friday afternoon as well as a french dinner with our international cuisine/dinner club friends on Saturday evening.
I adore lavender and have it in the garden, use it as a room fragrance, and have used it in tea and shortbread cookies:

This herb book is very comprehensive and informative, as well as having beautiful photographs; a visual for the eye:
"A Quiet Place Where Souls Are Refreshed": And the recipes found in this book are all wonderful, not to mention the lovely photographs that are featured alongside them:
I have ordered another book which hasn't come in yet.
I absolutely love it and have taken it out several times in the past:
And this one is new to me, but looks equally as interesting: