Recipe Books and Weekend Jaunts

I realized yesterday that I had yet to share the recipe book that I found at Barnes and Noble in January or the one I received from my cousin for Christmas.  So the first part of the post will focus on the books, and then a bit about my Saturday jaunt.

My cousin gave me this wonderful tea book for Christmas, which was written by the owner of a local tea Blender, Tea for All Reasons.

I have some of this tea company's tea, I just haven't reviewed them yet (I don't want to use up my tea stock as blog material too quickly!).  The ones I have bought thus far have been wonderful, and often have some theme or concept they are trying to convey...but more on that when I review one of the company's teas.  I really enjoy flipping through this book, which is divided up into different menus for different themed teas. 

I also enjoy the pretty pictures of teacups and flowers that go along with the theme of the menu it is paired with.  The recipes are also very good, and include all three afternoon tea courses, sandwiches, scones, and desserts.  They also recommend one of the company's teas that matches the theme of the menu.

The other recipe book I wanted to share is this book I got from Barnes and Noble in the reduced section (and it was still in my local store the last time I checked):

This recipe book has wonderful pictures inside and gives the recipes in both U.S. customary units and metric units.  One of the authors is a descendent of the man who opened Betty's Tearoom in York, England, which I thought was a fun fact behind the book.  It includes a few savory recipes (but not many), lots of scone and tea bread recipes, as well as dessert recipes.  It also includes some ideas for decorating desserts, especially cupcakes.

Switching to a new topic, I thought I would share a bit about my day.  I went to Warrenton, Virginia again and saw a wonderful display of spring hats in the window of one of the stores on Main Street.  Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do the hats justice, but it immediately brought to mind thoughts of Spring garden tea parties.

This is the window of Piccadilly, a cute gift store that sells silver, crystal, and a wide variety of other gifts.  On this trip they had a wonderful selection of hats inside the store, which made me seriously consider whether I should get one for myself.  How can you put on tea parties if you don't even own one cute hat of your own?  Maybe I should have picked one of these from one of the hat trees inside:

And of course, the real reason we went to Warrenton was to visit the Irish pub there, since we are getting closer to St. Paddy's day.  Anyone fancy a pear cider imported from Ireland?

Fun Tea Find and Snow Pictures

After being snowed in, I immediately wanted to go shopping.  So of course I ended up at Homegoods.  Sometimes I think it is pretty unfortunate (for my pocketbook) that I live so close to one.  And yet it is wonderful. 

During this last trip I got three different things for under $20!  Today I'm sharing a large plastic tray that I can use as a T.V. tray (now I'm up to 3) or a cute tea tray. 

 

Here is a close up of the pretty blue teapot and teacups with the pink roses.  I really liked the colors in this one.  Anyone for a cup of thé?

I also wanted to share some of the pictures I took during my lunch break.  I've been meaning to take pictures of Washington, D.C. in the winter, but I never have my camera when there is snow on the ground. 

(The Washington Monument, with scaffolding because the damage it suffered a couple of years ago when we had an earthquake is still being repaired)

 



(The World War II Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background)

Atlantic side of the memorial

 



Orange Blossoms and Summer Berries

As I mentioned earlier this week, I had a snow day on Monday, so I decided it was a perfect day to experiment in the kitchen.  During my trip last week to Global Foods, I also picked up a bottle of orange blossom water in the middle eastern row:

Now, what to make with it?  I really enjoy making scones, especially when it is snowing outside.  Scones are so homey and are extra delicious with a cup of tea after shoveling in the cold.  I took my "scone base" recipe from my recipe box and added orange blossom water and summer berries--and it was delicious!  Definitely a keeper of a recipe.

 

 

 

Orange Blossoms and Berries Scones

 

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

6 tablespoons cold butter (cut)

1 extra large egg

1 extra large egg yolk (reserve egg white)

1 cup heavy cream

2 tsp orange blossom water plus an additional 1/2 tsp, divided

1 six ounce package mixed dried berries (including cherries, strawberries, craisins, and blueberries)

 

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

1.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.

 

2.  Add entire package of berries, cutting the strawberries into smaller pieces.  Toss with the flour mixture.

 

3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, egg and egg yolk, and orange blossom water.  Add wet mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

 

4.  Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet. 

 

5.  In the same bowl used to whisk wet mixture, add the reserved egg yolk and 1/2 tsp orange blossom water, stirring to combine.

 

6.  Coat the batter with the yolk and orange blossom water.

 

7.  Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.   

 

 

 I've been trying out recipes for a Spring tea and thought the Wedgewood Charnwood plate here matched the late Spring, early summer vibe of the scones.

Heather Tea at the "bonnie, bonnie banks o' loch lomond"

Yesterday was a snow day, which was a perfect day for tea and baking (which will turn up later this week).  So much for spring almost being here because it is March!

Today I'm reviewing a tea I found on sale at Homegoods, the Edinburgh Tea & Coffee Company's Heather tea.  Their website says that "our range of Scottish teas bring a Scottish twist to teatime with teas such as whisky, heather and thistle." Too bad Homegoods didn't have the whisky tea! 

 

The tea is a blend of black teas from Africa and Assam with heather flowers.  As the tin says, "flowering across the slopes of the Highland mountains of Scotland."  You can see the little purple heather flowers in the tea.

 

I couldn't really detect anything floral in the taste of the tea or even in its scent, but it was a really nice strong black tea.  It was perfect with a touch of cream and sugar.

 

Now what better thing to serve with Heather tea from Edinburgh than Royal Edinburgh shortbread (also acquired in that same trip to Homegoods)?

 

 

And since my tea time had already gone a wee bit Scottish, I had to serve the tea in my Shelley Loch Lomond tea cup and saucer.  Here is the cup in the recently fallen snow right outside my back door:

 



 

I was playing with trying to take pictures with the snow in the background and it didn't work, so finally I just put the cup and saucer on the snow, and voilà!  With the shadows and sun falling across the snow, this picture actually turned out better then any of the different backgrounds I tried to put the set on in the house.

 

This Loch Lomond set is my favorite of my Shelley tea trios.  It was also a HUGE bargain at a flea market--I got the trio for $15.00!  My set has the green handle (as you can see), with a gold border and is in the dainty shape.  I enjoy collecting teacups in different styles and I love how the cup also feels dainty.  The detail in the set also caught my attention; on the inside of the cup is the rock with flowers (maybe heather to match the tea?) that is also in the bottom left of the plate and missing from the saucer.

And I'll leave you with the song I'm sure inspired the set's soft purple hills viewed from across Loch Lomond:

By yon bonnie banks an' by yon bonnie braes

Whaur the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond

Whaur me an' my true love will ne'er meet again

On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

Chorus:

O ye'll tak' the high road, and Ah'll tak' the low

And Ah'll be in Scotlan' afore ye

Fir me an' my true love will ne'er meet again

On the bonnie, bonnie banks o' Loch Lomon'.

'Twas there that we perted in yon shady glen

On the steep, steep sides o' Ben Lomon'

Whaur in (soft) purple hue, the hielan hills we view

An' the moon comin' oot in the gloamin'.

Chorus

The wee birdies sing an' the wild flouers spring

An' in sunshine the waters are sleeping

But the broken heart it kens, nae second spring again

Tho' the waeful may cease frae their grieving.

Chorus

I shared this post at Rose Chintz Cottages' Tea Time Tuesday  http://sandimyyellowdoor.blogspot.com/ and
Tuesday Cuppa Tea http://www.antiquesandteacups.info/

Tea in Winchester--Aunt Becky's Tearoom

My aunt also loves tea, in fact, I've learned a lot about afternoon tea from her.  After I told her about my blog yesterday, she asked if I had taken pictures of her tearoom to share.  Her tearoom is lovely and I immediately jumped at the chance. 

My aunt and uncle live in Winchester, VA and we visited with them at their home before and after going to the Coach and Horses tea room (after we went to one of my favorite antique stores, that also happens to be in Winchester).  When you walk into their foyer, off to the right is the dining room that my aunt has made into a lovely tearoom.  She  decorates her tearoom for the seasons, and she was all ready for St. Patrick's Day.

 She found the 1920s china cabinet at an antique store in Winchester and it, and the large round table, serve as the focal points of the room.  Here is a close up of the little table in the corner that my aunt refinished:

I thought that the leprechaun teapot was adorable!  Do you see the little stand of cups and saucers off to the side?  There are touches of tea everywhere in this room.  Here is a better view of the lower shelf of the corner table:

The pretty little tea set in the back with gold and roses was a gift to my aunt from another aunt, my mother's sister, who has since passed away.  Isn't it darling here with the Irish doll?  

One of my favorite parts of the tea room is the tea cart that my aunt also found in Winchester.  Here it is ready for St. Patrick's Day:

She made the tea cozy on the cart reversible--St. Valentine's Day is in the inside.  Isn't that a terrific idea?  I also thought that the clear teapot with green beads on the bottom shelf was very clever.
 There is a lot in the tearoom that I didn't capture in the pictures, including a second china cabinet that has her collection of  teapots.  She definitely inspired me to change my decorations once I got home so that I was ready for March too!

Tea in Winchester--The Coach and Horses tea room

My aunt and uncle treated me to tea today at The Coach and Horses as a belated birthday present.  The Coach and Horses is a tea room with a colonial theme in Winchester, Virginia, a city located in the Shenandoah Valley.   

 

The tea room is in a house made of log, frame, stone and brick dating back to the late 18th and the early 19th centuries. It is listed on the national register of historic places under its original name, Homespun.  According to the tea room's website, the first owner was a weaver (among other interests); maybe that has something to due with its original name?  

We entered in the foyer of the house and I could see two rooms set and ready to serve tea.  One of them is below:

 

 

They were expecting a large party and seated us upstairs so we would not be disturbed.  The second floor was much more interesting than the first as the logs making up the walls were visible and it was very apparent you were in a very old log cabin.  The owner was very friendly and explained after seating us that the walls on the first floor had been covered so they could be decorated, but the second floor was left open, in part because earlier covering jobs had not been done well and were removed.

 

The table was set with blues with red accents that really popped.  To go along with the house's age, the tea room had a colonial theme.  For example, we all ordered the "Benjamin Franklin,," a traditional three course (savories, scones, dessert) tea, but they also offered the "George Washington" that included a salad or soup, or the Boston Cream Tea Party, a cream tea (how clever!).  The plates were blue transferware also with a colonial theme:

Unfortunately my glass is turned partially away from the camera, but even the blue water glasses had a colonial lady on them!

 

The tea room had a wonderful selection of tea.  I had the Maple Sugar, a black tea with maple syrup.  The tea was delicious with just a hint of maple taste.  My aunt got the French Vanilla Bean black tea, which was also good, and my uncle choose the Strawberry Ginger Peppercorn, that, although it sounds a little strange, was delicious.  My mother got the Mango Rose, which was my least favorite of the flavors we tried.  We each got our own small pot of brewed tea.

 

Tea began with a plate of large scones along with homemade preserves and Devonshire cream.  Isn't the plate they were served on beautiful?

After we finished our scones, the tiered tray arrived.

 

 

On the bottom is a selection of savories and fresh fruit, including: chicken salad on croissants, apple leek and chicken tartlets, egg salad on wheat, spinach mini-quiches, and cucumber sandwiches.  The cucumber sandwiches were really cute with a cheese flower as a garnish.  The cream cheese had ranch seasoning in it--what a great idea I'll have to try at my next tea!

The next tier held desserts:  fresh fruit tarts, mini-apple turnovers, mini spice cupcakes and lemon cookies.  And on the very top, banana puddings in chocolate cups with daisy garnishes.

  It was a really wonderful tea and I greatly enjoyed the atmosphere.  I'm definitely going to have to go again!  Did I mention that they also serve lunch, including Cornish pastries, pot pies, and shepherd's pie?  I can't see myself branching out because I enjoyed the tea so much, but you never know.  I highly recommend this tea room and am very grateful my aunt and uncle brought me here!

 





Welcoming March with Jasmine Madeleines

As I mentioned during my last blog post, I recently went to an international grocery store, and that trip has inspired me to try some different spins on classic recipes.  For example, I was in the Thai section of the store and I saw this bottle:

I had never even heard about jasmine essence before this trip, but I enjoy jasmine teas and was  intrigued by how I could use jasmine in baking desserts.  That night I searched the internet and found a post on a blog called Brooklyn Farmhouse about jasmine madeleines.  My newest baking toy tool is a madeleine pan, so I immediately knew what I was going to try and make!

I did not use the recipe on Brooklyn Farmhouse; instead, I used the recipe that first inspired me to buy the madeleine pan--Julia Child's Madeleines de Commercy, the madeleines with the hump on the back (found here).  I've made this recipe a couple of times now and it has always been wonderful--crispy on the outside with a soft inside.  I increased the vanilla in Julia's recipe to 1 tsp, added 1/2 tsp jasmine extract, and omitted the lemon juice, but otherwise made the recipe exactly as described. 

They were delicious and smelled terrific!  Julia's wonderful recipe is accentuated with a note of jasmine on your tongue after you swallow.  These madeleines are a touch of East meets a traditional French dessert.  

By the way, happy March!  Hopefully winter will be over soon.  I went for a walk around my neighborhood yesterday and saw daffodils were beginning to sprout even though it is still really cold.  I even saw one in bloom.  What better way to celebrate March then by being inspired in the kitchen by flowers!