Reception

We had our reception at a family friend's Georgian-style home.


The lawn was set up with tables and chairs.


Guests were served tea,


along with sweets (strawberry macaroons, cream puffs, butterscotch scones, and cupcakes with rose petals)...


...and savories (cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad on mini-croissants, and open-faced roast beef tea sandwiches).



Douglas and I sat at a small table on the south-facing portico...


...but this didn't last long as we soon began greeting our guests, table by table.


And lest we forget the cake, here it is!


Complete with vintage cake topper from my grandmother's 1947 wedding.

In the good ol' summertime

Take a peek at Cheri's and April's blogs to see what I was up to on Monday! :-D It was wonderful to meet these two lovely ladies, even though our time together seemed too brief. I did make a purchase at Denver Fabrics while we were there; perhaps I can share more about that later.

Back home in Nebraska, we're in the midst of blackberry season. We have a thicket of blackberries by the side of our house, courtesy of the birds (seriously -- we didn't plant it!). They are tart and juicy and utterly yummy on waffles, hot cereals, with yogurt, plain, or in a pie (I plan to bake one today!).


The bowl was a gift from Cheri -- isn't it beautiful??
It seems like the summer is flying by so quickly, I can't believe it's mid-July already!

Birthday cake

Same recipe as last year's cake -- when I find a Good Thing, I tend to latch onto it. We are considering using this recipe for our wedding cake, as well.

(This photo was before the 25 candles were added -- gives you an idea of what the wedding cake might look like!)

Tea and crumpets

Crumpets are one of my favorite teatime treats! You'll need crumpet rings (like these) to make them, but it's worth tracking some down in order to have fresh, homemade crumpets. I recommend the following recipe, which came to me by way of my friend Susan:

• 1 pkg. yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons)
  
• 1 teaspoon sugar
  
• 1/4 cup warm water (~110 degrees F)
  
• 1/3 cup milk at room temperature
  
• 1 egg
  
• ~4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine yeast, sugar, and water and let stand until bubbly. Blend in milk, egg, and 1 tbsp. of butter. Add flour and salt and beat smooth. Cover and let stand in a warm place until almost doubled (around 45 minutes). Brush insides of rings and surface of griddle with the melted butter. Heat rings and pan over low heat. Pour about 3 tbsp. of batter into each ring.


Bake until holes appear and tops are dry (around 7 minutes). Remove rings and turn crumpets to brown the other side lightly (around 2 minutes). Repeat with remaining batter.


Serve warm, or cool and toast before serving. Makes 7 to 8 crumpets.

(LAURA'S NOTE: I usually triple or quadruple the recipe. The amount you get will vary by the size of your crumpet rings and how heavy-handed you are when pouring batter.)

Orange marmalade cake

Today I made an orange marmalade cake for my Aunt Joanna's birthday. We didn't have round cake pans so the cake is square!

Christmas table

The "things" on the plates are Christmas crackers, if you're wondering.

On the Christmas menu:

• Roast goose
  
• Roast beef
  
• Yorkshire pudding
  
• Roasted potatoes with herbs
  
• Corn and peas
  
• Carrots with coconut
  
• Marinated broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes
  
• Green salad with pomegranates, pears, and pecans
  
• Flaming Christmas pudding
  
• Cranberry cake with butter rum sauce

Fezziwig Ball: the food

On the way up to the big city to do some shopping late last week, Mom and I planned out the menu for our ball. Some of this is subject to change, but we'd like to have a variety of savories and sweets. My grandma loves to cook so she will help us out in getting all this ready.

• hot wassail
  
• cold water (for the dancers!)
  
• bacon rounds (bacon, onions, and cheese on rye rounds)
  
• sugar and spice pecans
  
• green tea-infused deviled eggs (recipe in the Dec. Tea Time magazine)
  
• cream puffs
  
• cucumber sandwiches
  
• cranberry-pistachio biscotti

Sunday dinner

(By the way, around here it's "lunch" every day but Sunday, when we usually pull out all the stops... such a feast must be called "dinner"!)

My mom and I have been doing a bit more hostessin' than usual lately. Today we had some new friends over for Sunday dinner after I visited their church this morning. On the menu:

• pistachio-encrusted chicken
  
• butternut squash puree
  
• fruit salad (bananas, pineapples, mandarin oranges, pomegranates, and shredded coconut in yogurt)
  
• green salad with broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
  
• Snickers pie

Dad and I promptly worked this off by taking a walk in the 65-degree weather -- it's so beautiful outside today!

Sticky toffee pudding

For Guy Fawkes Day (Nov. 5), my Mom made sticky toffee pudding for dessert. We first had this decadent dish in Aberdeen, Scotland, at a well-known fish 'n' chips restaurant called The Ashvale. It's been a favorite ever since!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

• 3/4 cup pitted and chopped dates
  
• 1 cup boiling water
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
  
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Toffee Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• 5 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  
• Additional heavy cream for accompaniment (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175*C). Lightly grease a 11 x 7-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. Place the dates in a bowl and cover with the boiling water; mix in the baking soda and vanilla; set aside.
3. Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl; set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Stir in the flour mixture and mix well; then add the date mixture and mix well.
5. Transfer batter to prepared baking pan, spreading out evenly. Bake for 40 minutes.
6. To make the toffee sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the sugar and cream. Simmer gently for 3 minutes.
7. Poke the top of the hot pudding with the tines of a serving fork and pour the sauce on top.
8. Place under a hot broiler until it bubbles. Take care, as it burns easily.
9. Serve warm drizzled with heavy cream or if desired whip the unsweetened cream and dollop it on top of the pudding.

Makes 6 to 8 servings. (Recipe from Cooks Recipes.)

Toad-in-the-Hole

Today Mom went off to a birthday luncheon, so Dad and I were by ourselves for lunch. I fixed Toad-in-the-Hole, and boy, was Dad happy! I think this recipe would also be a hit with small children, not only because of the fun name but because of the simple ingredients (basically, it's Yorkshire pudding and sausages).

Classic English Toad-in-the-Hole

• 1-1/2 cup plain flour
  
• salt and pepper
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1-1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• ~1 lb. of sausage links

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Sift flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Make a well in the center of the flour. Gradually whisk the eggs and the milk into the center of the well in the flour to smooth out lumps. Cover and let stand 30 minutes.

Brown the sausages in a little olive oil and cook through, about 10 minutes.

Put sausages in a roasting pan, pour the batter over the sausages and place in oven. Cook for about 20 minutes or until batter is risen and golden. Serves 4-6.

Surplus of basil

While we were on vacation, our herb garden grew like mad. Now we've got fresh basil coming out of our ears! Mom and I were using basil in almost every meal, until Dad said, "I hope there are lots of anti-oxidants in basil since we've been eating so much of it!" We eased up after that. :)

Anyway, here's a tasty recipe from Chips, Dips, and Salsa which uses up lots of basil:

Basil Avocado Chutney

• 2 cups packed basil leaves
  
• 1/3 cup blanched almonds
  
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
  
• salt to taste

In a food processor, combine basil, almonds, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse motor once or twice until the almonds are finely ground. Add the avocado and salt. Combine well. Refrigerate any leftovers. Colors will darken with storage, but taste is still superlative. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Great-Grandma Irene's pie crust

This is a very basic recipe that has never failed me. It makes a two-crust pie for an 8" or 9" pan, or else two single-crust pies. I've used it for pies and quiches alike!

• 2 cups flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup Crisco
  
• 1/3 cup milk

Combine flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or a fork, mash Crisco into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Combine milk with the rest of the mixture (I just use my clean hands for this part). Use plenty of flour when rolling out!

Of course, I keep this recipe in Grandma Irene's recipe box.

Birthday cake

Favorite summer salad

(I made this for dinner tonight. It's absolutely delectable!)

2 lbs. new potatoes

1/4 lb. fresh summer green beans

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes

salad greens

basil-garlic vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean new potatoes and halve or quarter as needed. Toss the potatoes with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast for approx. 30 minutes or until tender.

Remove the stem ends from the green beans and cut in half if they're large. Bring a small pot of water to boil, and cook the green beans until they are tender (around 3-4 minutes, depending on the size). Rinse under cool water. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half or leave whole if they're small. Toss potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, greens, and vinaigrette together. Serves four.

Basil-garlic vinaigrette:

2 tbsp. Champagne vinegar

6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, coursely chopped

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

--adapted from Field of Greens by Annie Sommerville

Fat rascals

My dad has periodically reminisced with fondness over the fat rascals we ate at Betty's in York during our first family trip to Great Britain 12 years ago. Spurred on by my recent cravings for British food (thanks to My Love Affair With England), I decided to try to recreate them. I found a decent-looking recipe online, in metric! So my measurements were rather hazy ("150g flour = between 1 1/3 cup and 1 1/2 cup flour, I think!"). With some experimentation I could probably get the recipe to be a little more friendly to American cooks.

I also wasn't exactly sure what glacé cherries were; I figured if our grocery store carried them, they would be labeled as such. Wrong. After I got home from the store, I looked it up online and found that they are essentially candied cherries. So, I made do and used dried cherries -- though they are not as aesthetically appealing, they're probably better for you.

I made some decadent whipped cream to eat with the fat rascals, and guess what? They're delicious! (My friend Susan suggests that they are so named because if you eat too many, you'll become a fat rascal.)

Emily graduates

Today my good friend Emily graduated with a Bachelor's of Music from the college down the street from our house. She lived with us for two and a half years while she attended classes, so I'd gotten quite used to having a "sister" around!

For the weekend festivities, her mother made her a gown using Sense & Sensibility's 1914 afternoon dress pattern.


After the ceremony, we had a delicious lunch of roast beef, herb-roasted potatoes, cooked asparagus, and cranberry and pear green salad. I made a milk chocolate cake for dessert, which I decorated with frosting polka-dots and three fresh roses.

Golubtsy

Tonight for dinner I made Russian golubtsy -- that is, cabbage rolls. I got the recipe online, though I can't remember exactly where. The recipe I used is essentially just like this one, however.

The golubtsy was a hit, especially with my dad! I'm not sure how "authentic" it was, not having any frame of reference to compare it to. I've only had Russian food a few times in my life, but I've enjoyed what I have tried.

Custard pie on the cooling rack

Despite how it may look -- no, the pie is not burnt, and yes, it will taste good. :)

St. David's Day

Inspired by the Welsh hymn concert we attended last Sunday, I decided to have a St. David's Day dinner tonight. On the menu:

• Cream of Leek and Apple Soup
• Welsh Rarebit
• Winter Vegetable Medley
• Green Salad
  
• Pwdin Efa (Eve's Pudding)
• Prince of Wales Tea

After dinner, we listened to a few Welsh songs courtesy of my Aled Jones CD.

A nice, steaming cuppa

My tea of choice -- morning, noon, and night -- is Twinings' English Breakfast.