A Lemon Kind of Day

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade . . .

Or set a pretty table to enjoy your new Citrus Salad Plates from Williams-Sonoma . . .

And some of your other favorite lemony things.

Like the lemon embroidered napkins that a friend gave you . . .

To go with the little lemon bowls that she found, I think, at Pier1 a while back.

These plates are so fresh looking, my mouth is puckering just thinking about lemons!

But, what can you make besides lemonade with this wonderful fruit?

Well, Crab Cakes, with a Remoulade Sauce and a squirt of lemon juice might be the very thing . . .

Followed by some Lemon Vegetable Rice . . .

And ending with Lemon Mousse.  I took the Silver Palate recipe for Lime Mousse and simply replaced limes with lemons.  Here's the recipe posted a while back:  Lime Mousse.  It was sublime!

Despite all the lemons, the taste was subtle in each of the dishes and left us feeling refreshed.  And now, I wish I had seen this quote before I started:  "When life gives you lemons, it's time to do Tequila Shots."  (Or Lemon Meringue Pie, or Lemon Squares, or . . . ).

A Cinco de Mayo Taco Night

The Cinco de Mayo gods were lighting the way when my dear in-laws, Robert and Barb, came to visit.  I roasted a pork shoulder to make carnitas, and bought fixings for tacos.

Then, there was the more serious topic of how to set the table.  I don't own, unfortunately, a lot of Talavera ceramic . . .

 . . . except for a couple of candlesticks that we picked up in Cabo San Lucas ten years ago, so they became the inspiration for the table.

I relied, once again, on my Dollar Tree blue water goblets to rescue me by picking up the blue . . .

And on the Sferra sunflower-colored napkins with that gorgeous, brilliant yellow.

And the crowning glory, the multi-colored rose bouquet that looks like something Frida Kahlo might wear in her hair.

I used my trusted Wedgwood Nantucket Basket dishes, to keep it all casual.  I set out a salad dish that I thought might serve as a nice place to set tortillas, but it turned out that we only used the dinner plate.

Here I am with my brother-in-law, Robert . . .

And sister-in-law, Barb . . . I love these people!  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Easter 2021

I've only had my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to date, so, for now, we continue to take precautions.  This means another Easter at home, just the two of us.

But Spring brings promises of better days ahead, so I put my energy in preparing a nice dinner for my husband and myself.

But first, the table.  I pulled out old favorites that really never get old for me:  The willow chargers, Wedgwood Nantucket Basket dinner plates, Blue Calico salad plates, and willow napkin rings to match the chargers.

We still needed some Easter candy around, even though the boys aren't here anymore, so candy-coated chocolate egg truffles were scattered on the table. 

 

The sugar-coated gummy bunnies were placed in a little bowl to contain the sugar dust.  My husband is a little boy when it comes to candy, he devours it if it's left lying around, so I had to hide it until this morning.

We had a Honey Baked® Ham, which just needed to be heated, and it was delicious!  My motto is to keep holidays as easy as possible so we can enjoy the day.

Of course, my own rule went out the window when I made this Asparagus Cheese Tart.  I have come to the conclusion that, although I've done a little baking in the past, this is the part of cooking that I like the least.  Dough is still a mystery to me.  I bought commercial puff pastry, and cut it down so that it fit in my porcelain platter.  Then, I made the filling and baked it in the same oven-proof platter. I used Martha Stewart's Asparagus Gruyère recipe.  It was good, but way more labor intensive than I expected, and my husband didn't really care for the cheesy texture, so I don't think I'll be making this one again.  It looked pretty, though. 

I had never made Garlic Maple Roasted Carrots, but they were so delicious that I know it's something that will show up on our dinner table again and again going forward.  I liked leaving the bit of stalk on top, they looked cute.

Simple dinner rolls from our favorite bakery . . .

And a sweet butter lamb rounded out the dinner.

The lamb-shaped butter from Danish Maid has become a fixture at all our Easter meals.  They are so sweet-looking, and the butter is delicious!

The dessert was a cheesecake from Costco, which was truly delicious:  Creamy, smooth, and not overly sweet.  To make it even more wonderful, I paired it with some homemade strawberry coulis, and fresh blueberries.  It was divine!  I don't think I'll ever make a cheesecake again as long as I live near a Costco.

And, when dinner was done, we were left with the crowning glory of Spring, this wonderful daffodil bouquet.  Happy Easter to all!

Tea for One with a Zeppola di San Giuseppe

Zeppole (pl.) are Italian pastries that are sold on the days leading up to St. Joseph's Day — today, March 19th.  It's basically a light-as-air fritter, filled with custard or cream, and topped with a variety of fruit compotes, or a maraschino cherry.  

Before we moved to the 'burbs we lived in a predominantly Italian area of Chicago, and we had so many marvelous bakeries surrounding us that their loss was acutely felt when we moved to our new home.

My husband took the day off today, and drove to the old neighborhood to pick some up for us.  So this special treat deserved a proper pause in my morning to truly savor it, because after today, the zeppole will disappear until next year.

St. Patrick's Lunch with the Sheep

When I think of Ireland, I think of green fields and beautiful women, like Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man.  I think of quaint accents, pastoral settings, and . . . sheep.

For the last couple of years I've begun collecting them, and now I seem to have acquired a small flock.

These are called Irish Galway Sheep from Colin's Creatures.  Colin goes all over the world studying sheep.  Besides the Galway, he reproduces other kinds as well, like the Cotswold, Dorper, Shetland, and many others.  They are made of porcelain, castable stone, and imported woven fur, chosen to best imitate the sheep.

Baby lamb is sticking close to mama.

There were only five of us this year, composed of those in our “pandemic pod.”  There's a light at the end of the tunnel, but we still need to keep safe a little bit longer.

Plaid napkins in the Irish National Tartan pattern, an Etsy find.

I gave these mini books with Irish blessings away as favors in a previous St. Pat's luncheon, but I had a new guest, my friend Fran, and she had never received one, so I set one out for her.

Irish Mules!  Who knew?  Simply substitute some Irish Whiskey for Vodka for an Irish twist.  I used Tullamore D.E.W Irish Whiskey and Rachel's Handcrafted Ginger Beer, along with freshly-squeezed lime juice.  They were delicious!

Here's the basic recipe:

• 4 oz. ginger beer
• 1½ oz. Irish whiskey
• ½ oz. freshly-squeezed lime juice
• 1 T. sugar (optional) - I didn't use any because Rachel's Ginger Beer is already sweetened
• Ice, for serving
• Fresh mint, for garnish
• Lime rounds, for garnish

In a chilled copper mug measure out the ginger beer, vodka and lime juice.  Add ice and stir with a cocktail spoon.  Garnish with lime rounds and mint and serve immediately.

We served Shepperd's Pie, and, unfortunately, as it frequently happens, I got so busy that I forgot to take pictures of the food.  Friends sent me their pictures afterwards.

I'd never made Shepherd's Pie before, so I spent a few days researching it beforehand.  Alton Brown's recipe was wonderful.  Everyone loved it and I highly recommend it.

And for dessert . . . Apple Pie!  It just so happens that March 14th is Pie Day (π Day - 3.14).  Served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.  The pie came from Jarosch bakery, my favorite crack dealer.

Walkers Shortbread Cookies in the shape of sheep.

A pot of gold at the end of a rainbow hung from the chandelier.

The Irish Whiskey Mules were so good that we hardly touched the wine.  They were so refreshing!

Friends Angela and Leo, and my own husband, also a Leo, wore funny hats, and they insisted that we needed to as well, so I photoshopped a bow on my head, and a beret on my friend, Fran.  You'd have to have been there.  

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  May the road rise to meet you and all the rest!

Joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  Please stop by to see the amazing work of some very talented table stylists.  Enjoy!

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.