Black Friday Tea

I'd rather have tea than go shopping on Black Friday.  This year, of course, with COVID-19 raging through our cities, it was even less appealing.  Besides, I'd been experimenting with a recipe or two...

I already had a head start with the pretty bouquet of flowers I had purchased and used for Thanksgiving dinner the day before.

Preparing a simple afternoon tea kept me busy most of the morning.  Oh, but I had fun!  My husband relaxed in front of the TV while I puttered in the kitchen.

The Clotted Cream:  Oh, my Lord!  There's no going back!  They say that converts are always the most rabid, well, please find me a church because I'm ready to go preach!  I made it in the Instant Pot the day before, and it took all day, as the cream has to be cooked on very low heat for a long period of time.  The whole project was interesting because I had never even tasted clotted cream.  I knew, however, that it was an essential part of a proper English tea and, since it's very difficult finding it in American markets, I had to learn how to make it myself.  Here's the link to the recipe:  Clotted Cream.

Once I made it, it was a true epiphany.  Now I understand what all the fuss is about!  It was creamy, slightly nutty, moist, but not wet, smooth, but thick.  I could have licked the entire bowl along with the pot, and the spoon, and my fingers . . . I tried to keep the moaning to a minimum as I cast weary glances to see if my husband was watching me.

The Scones:  A dear FB friend, who shall remain nameless so that she doesn't have to hire the Secret Service to keep herself safe, sent me a package with various scone mixes.  I followed the directions, but here's proof that there's no such thing as a foolproof baking recipe when entrusted to me.  The scones tasted delicious, but they turned out rather flat.  I always have a hard time working with such a sticky, wet dough.  Must try again.

The Curds:  This lovely not-so-secret-Santa also included two delicious curds, Cranberry Orange, and Lemon — and I know exactly how to use these.

Thanksgiving Sandwiches By Way of Havana.  There's a famous Cuban sandwich called the Elena Ruz, which consists of cream cheese, sliced turkey, and strawberry jam, made on medianoche bread, sort of a sweet brioche, then buttered and toasted on a press.  Elena Ruz was a Havana socialite who asked for this very sandwich so often, that it was finally added to the menu of her favorite café, El Carmelo, in the Vedado neighborhood of Havana (isn't interesting how many details we know about Elena and her sandwich?).  

Instead of strawberry jam, I used the Cranberry Orange Curd, and I didn't toast the bread.  I dare not call it my version of the Elena Ruz on pain of being cast out of my tribe, so for now, the sandwich remains nameless . . . perhaps you can suggest a good name for it?

Finally, scone, clotted cream and the lemon curd came together, and it was heavenly!

I pulled out my pedal pink placemats to match the carnations on the flower bouquet.  Is pink ever really wrong?  Asking for a friend.

Hopefully these pumpkin spice sugar cookies, which I picked up at Whole Foods, brought me back to the reality of the Fall season. 

The traditional three courses of an English Tea:  Sandwich, Scones and Dessert — check!  Plus a pretty table in which to enjoy it with my husband.

A much more delightful way to spend Black Friday.

Practicing Hospitality

Welcome to the Bee Room!  Won't you come and stay with us for a while?  The room has been ready for a couple of years now, and it's already received guests, but just recently, it's been very empty, what with this awful Covid-19 that is still causing havoc in the world.

This used to be my son, John's, bedroom before he had the audacity to grow up and move away.  Alas!  I haven't seen him since last Christmas season, and I miss him terribly.  Here he is showing me the flan he made using my recipe.  The baton has been passed!

I miss his brother, too.  David, is currently in Abu Dhabi, UAE, serving with his Army unit.  He was pretty bold, too, growing up, and learning how to drive and everything.  I won't see him this year at all.  Maybe next year (Covid and Army permitting).

But I've digressed.  It happens to me every time I think of the boys.  I did not want to buy new furniture, as my husband and I are just a few short years away from retirement, and we will not be staying in the Midwest.  So we polished the old IKEA furniture in the room, added a comfortable mattress, and I indulged in my own touches, which we can pack and take with us, and make the room a cozy guest retreat.  Our guests now stay in a room full of bees — friendly bees, that is, not the annoying ones that hover over our picnics.  Won't you come in and stay a while?

But first thing's first.  Function over form.  Gone are the board games, the Pokémon card collection, the art supplies, the grade school and high school memorabilia.  Instead, you will find extra pillows (encased in dry cleaner bags to keep the dust off), and a big, cozy comforter.

On the other side you will find a luggage rack to hold your suitcase.  I put a lot of thought into this rack, believe it or not.  It is not the prettiest rack I saw, but it was the only one that didn't have protruding ends that could dig into luggage.  Can you tell that this has happened to me?

You will also find towels, a basket full of travel-size goodies, like shampoo, hand lotion, etc., and several empty shelves to store your shoes, or anything else you'd like.  There are also two bars to hang up clothes, and cedar hangers that make the closet smell wonderful.

Next, I tackled the most difficult, and not fun, part of the project — selecting paint color.  My name is Maria, and I am a color-commitment-phobe.  Is there a 12-step program out there for this?  It took me months to decide.  And this was the final choice:

I selected the middle shade, called Risotto; nothing bad has ever happened to me while eating risotto, so I figured I'd be safe.

The windows were next, and I fell in love with the embroidered bees in these sheer panels from Country Curtains — which, unfortunately has gone out of business.  That was what set the theme for the room.  

The check outer panels also came from Country Curtains.  

So, you may ask, how else do you add bees to a bedroom to stay on theme, but don't have the guests feeling like they are being attacked by a swarm?  Well, to that I say . . . hold my honey . . .

I first saw these linens with embroidered bees on my first trip to Venice.  I didn't buy them there because my husband was already looking harassed, wondering how we were going to get home with all the stuff I had already bought.  However, they were meant to be mine because I found them again on eBay while casually looking for something else.  The sheets are so soft!  And I like that the bees are embroidered very subtly tone-on-tone.

The "Sweet Dreams" pillow also has some bees embroidered.  

I thought that was enough for the bed, but a dear friend had different ideas, and sent me this as a hostess gift, after she stayed in the room.

The beading is exquisite.

It didn't take very long to scatter the room with honey bees.

The old IKEA desk stayed in the room and is great to place a laptop, and it can double as a vanity in a pinch.

All the outlets in the room were updated with USB ports to charge the many electronic devices that everyone seems to travel with nowadays.

And a few more bees can be seen buzzing about . . .

The bee pens seem to be a popular item, and we love when our guests take them as a parting souvenir.

And there's a guestbook with the sweetest notes from our visitors!

Some of our visitors have gotten in on the action and have sent us bee additions to the room.

The room is ready for our guests.  I'll have a cozy lavender candle waiting for them . . .

And, if they like, I'll fix them a nice breakfast in bed . . .

With Egg Bites (recipe coming soon!), a croissant, tea, and honey sticks to sweeten their tea.

And I'll be as happy as a bee that I have blooms fluttering about bringing joy and life into our home.

A Mother's Day Tea with Roses

Happy Mother’s Day, to all my dear blogging friends! Today, I’m missing my boys terribly, and in Illinois, we are still sheltering in place. The weather is also dreadful, still in the low 50s, and it's been raining all day, so I decided to cheer myself up and dedicate this little tea party to me, myself, and moi.

Yes, indeed, I've given myself the kind of tea party I would love to attend, and, since it's all about me, I've chosen my favorite dishes, my favorite colors, and my favorite foods without having to think of anyone else's tastes or wants.  It seems a little selfish, I grant you, but just once, I wanted to indulge in a harmless fantasy.  I'm also married to the most agreeable man in the world, and, fortunately, our tastes coincide in most things, so he was more than willing to humor me, and ate with gusto everything I put in front of him, especially the sweets!

The first thing I did was to surround myself with roses.  The universe was aligned with my wishes, because I was able to get them at my local grocery store for $9.99 a dozen, and, since my peonies, hydrangeas and even the day lilies are still sleeping, and, after all, it's Mother's Day, I decided to indulge.  I may have to invoke Mother's Day privilege now and then throughout this post.

If you truly want to understand Maria (notice the 3rd person), you only have to look at these colors.  I play with all kinds of colors throughout the year, but this is where home is. This is what says peace and happiness and love to me. I also think of Audrey Hepburn, Coco Chanel and all the women who define chic and they’ve never shied away from this oh-so-female shade.  It can take a bit of work to find the right pinks, but when you do, it's pure delight.

Remembering Mae West’s quote that “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful” I added the flowers that my children sent me today. This bouquet came from David, my youngest, his wife, Erica, and my granddaughter, Piper.  Another lovely shade of pink on that rose.  Isn't it lovely?

This one, made of paper roses, was sent by my son, John. John is always looking for a new way to send me flowers that's creative and amusing.  I loved them!  However, it's not as wonderful as those handmade cards of long ago with childish handwriting and funny looking flowers. I get sentimental thinking about them.

I pulled out my trusted white quilt from Restoration Hardware, that I almost threw out once. I was very frustrated at the time because after the first wash, it had shrunk and no longer covered the Queen Size bed for which it was intended. But throwing out a white quilt that didn't even have a single stain seemed criminal, so I kept it. Now, of course, I’m very happy I did. The placemats and napkins are Sferra, the color is Petal.  I want a job naming colors!

Do you like the fringed napkins?  I liked them because they added a casual touch to the table, but now I'm being told that once you wash them, the fringes get matted.  Hmm . . . 

I love bees. Our poor honeybees are endangered, and now we have Killer Hornets threatening them! So, there’s plenty of room at my tea table to honor those hardworking bees that pollinate our crops, and also provide us with delicious honey. 

A big crystal honeypot, given to me for Christmas by John, was placed in the center of the table. Next to it, is its cousin, a hand-painted snuff box by Limoges in the shape of a bee skep (from my hubby).

 And look at the cute little fella that lives inside!

I brought out the Wedgwood Nantucket Basket dinner plates. Nantucket Basket is my latest love. I adore the basket weave texture that makes them so appropriate for spring and summer, or any time I want a pastoral or garden setting. They are paired with Johnson Bros Rose Chintz salad plates, which I've used before here and here.

These bee napkin rings by Joanna Buchanan are making their debut today. They were a birthday gift from a dear friend that probably knows a bit too much about me. Aren't they gorgeous?

More bees can be found in the Bee goblets by La Rochère.  They are holding Pink Lemonade.

I found these flower-shaped sugar cubes at a local baking supply store that has now closed, but they are also available at Fancy Flours.

Egg Salad with Pimiento Sandwiches . . . And, by the way, these were made at my husband's request.  It made me feel a little bit more generous, and not quite so self-absorbed.

Tomato Twiddle with white onion and Cheddar cheese. Meh! I was intrigued by the name (I also buy wine if the bottle is pretty). What can I say, I'm easily amused. However I don't think I'll make these again.

All I need is love . . . and Lemon Herb Cucumber Sandwiches . . .

Open-faced Radish with Garlic Goat Cheese, sprinkled with Chives . . . These were very good!

Would you care for a sweet treat?  How about a honeycomb of Lemon Cake, dusted with powder sugar. But be careful with those little sugar bees!

I used only egg whites in the batter so the detail from the pan would show better. It was so light and moist!

Or perhaps a petit four? We pre-ordered them from my favorite bakery and traveled 35 miles to do a curbside pick up.

We also picked up some Strawberry Tarts and Chocolate Eclairs. Never waste a trip to the bakery, that's my motto. 

However, the Strawberry Mousse (from the Silver Palate Cookbook) was made with my little ol’ hands . . .

What will you choose?

How about one of everything?

The tea was completely delightful and everything I'd hoped for.  I wish all my blogging mothers a happy Mother's Day.  May you be healthy.  May your children be healthy.  May your parents be healthy.  May they all be safe from this virus that is currently traveling throughout the world.  May your Spring be filled with flowers . . . and with love.

Linking to:  Between Naps on the Porch