Plotting and Planning

I'm a member of a few organizations -- an  officer in some and a member in others and a committee person in still others . . . and sometimes even chairman (or is that now chairwoman or chairperson?) of one of those committees.

To be in charge often requires an extra meeting or two and I must admit that I prefer to have them at Linderhof.    The group is always smaller and . . . as my mother and grandmother always did -- no one can come to Linderhof and leave without food or drink!

The table is set, awaiting my guests

A small committee, this, just me and two others and not large decisions either but enough issues that we do need a meeting.      The big decisions get presented to the entire membership who will vote on our suggestions.

Held in the breakfast room and before we get down to the meeting itself, a little tea and a nosh is in order.

Spode Blue Italian (except for the creamer)

As always (or almost, anyway) at Linderhof, it's a blue and white tea!     This time it is Spode Blue Italian!

A perfect afternoon tea

I love how the sun streams in the breakfast room in the afternoon.  

"Fatless Tea Bread" needs a new name, don't you think?   How about Angela's Tea Bread?

The nosh is a wonderful tea cake -- a very British tea bread.    The recipe found on Tea With Friends.   It's real name is "Fatless Tea Bread" -- don't you just love that!!!   And it is a very British bread because it's made with self-rising flour -- so many of their breads and cakes are!

It goes together easily and seems to be a keeper as well.    When Angela made hers, she floured the fruit (as we usually do) but it still sank to the bottom.   I did not and mine is all through the bread.

It's a great bread with tea but you must like raisins for there's a whole pound in the cake!    And it's a true "tea" bread for it has tea in it as well!

Tea and cake before we work, of course!

We sipped and munched before we got down to the issues at hand.     As the sunlight moved in the room, we finished our work and soon my two friends (and committee members) bid goodbye.  

Tea things to the kitchen, a quick wash and it was time to take Ollie for a walk before I started dinner.

ANGELA'S TEA BREAD

1 pound mixed dried fruit (and in Britain fruit is raisins or currants -- not dried blueberries, cherries or cranberries!)

10 ounces cold tea

10 ounces self-rising flour

5 ounces brown sugar (light or dark)

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 325.   Grease and line a loaf tin.   Combine all ingredients and mix until blended well.   Pour into tin and bake for 2 hours (yes, 2 hours!) until a tester comes out clean.    Turn onto wire rack to cool.

It's Tuesday and I'm sharing tea with Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage for Tea Time Tuesday.