A Porch Tea

It's Monday -- the bed linens get changed and washed and the house gets cleaned -- and then, if there is any time left, I do odd chores . . . but always . . . at half past three I stop for tea!

Today's "odd chores" were trimming the boxwoods in the front yard.     And since I was working in front . . . tea today was taken on the wicker table on the front porch.

the corner of the porch where the tea table resides.

Set properly, of course, with a tea cloth and garden flowers.    A tea for two for Husband Jim joined me as he often does if he's home.

A cloth with crochet edging

It's still cool enough that a pot of tea (rather than a pitcher) is the half past three refreshment of choice.  

Flowers, tea, scones

And there's always a nosh.    Sometimes a cookie or two from the larder.    Sometimes a freshly baked treat.

Today, I did some baking . . .

Goes together in a thrice and so good!

Garden Fresh Herb Scones slathered with butter!

the oak leaf hydrangeas are blooming!

Just because it's just us doesn't mean that things can't be nice.    A cloth for the table, napkins for our fingers and a china pot for tea.    Everything served on my beloved blue and white, of course!

The freshly baked treat because I ordered and received a new cookbook -- Sweet Remembrances Recipe Collection.     From Nancy of Sweet Remembrances who with her sister, has the blog, Rosemary's Sampler .     Nancy has the tea room and her sister has  Rosemary House and as it says on their blog, "it's all about herbs and tea"!  

What's not to like about that?    And when I found Rosemary's Sampler, I immediately added it as a Friend of Linderhof for I enjoy keeping up with their teas and their herbs.

And I saw on the blog about the cookbook.    But . . .

A wonderful cookbook -- Thank you Nancy!

I have way too many cookbooks.    Many of which I don't use and even though it was tempting, I resisted.   I truly didn't need another cookbook.     However, on another favorite blog, Tea With Friends, a post about the cookbook with a great orange basil cookie was posted.

I immediately ordered the cookbook!

I got it today and I was mad at myself that I had not ordered it sooner!     What was I thinking?    Taking a mid morning break, I thumbed through the book and knew that I had to try the Garden Fresh Herb Scones for tea this afternoon.

They were delicious.     Thank you, Nancy, for a great cookbook to be added to my collection.    An herbal and a tea cookbook in one!

The scones . . .a cheesy, lemony, herby scone plus they were easy and I'm also serving them for a lunch in the garden tomorrow for friends.   They were wonderful for tea and they will be great with the pasta, pesto and peas that I'm serving as the entree for lunch.  

From the Sweet Remembrances Cookbook:

GARDEN FRESH HERB SCONES

2 cups flour

2 T. baking powder

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/3 c. olive oil

1 egg

2 t. lemon juice

1/2 t.minced garlic

2 T. fresh chives

1T. fresh basil

1 t. fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 375.    Combine flour and next four ingredients in a large bowl.   In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, olive oil, egg, lemon juice, garlic and freshly minced herbs.    Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and combine just until mixed.    Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.   Knead dough about 10 times.    Divide dough into two small balls.    Flatten each ball to about 1 inch thick.    Cut each circle into 6 or 8 wedges.    Place wedges on baking sheet.    Bake 15 minutes or until done.

Serve warm.

NOTE:   I also added the zest of the lemon and I brushed the top of the scones with egg wash and sprinkled on a bit of Parmesan cheese and some of the herbs before I baked them.

It's Tuesday and I'm joining Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday and Marty at A Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday.