We're Hoping for a Lamb-like March

March is a weather predictor

Everyone has heard the 

"in like a lamb/out like a lion 

or

in like a lion/out like a lamb"

folklore about March

But the lion and the lamb is not the only one March is famous for --

A dry March and a wet May?

Bill barns and bays with corn and hay.

As it rains in March so it rains in June

March winds and April showers?   Bring forth May flowers.

Do you believe them?

Not to tempt fate,

but hopefully, it it is "lamblike" at Linderhof

then March will come in "like a lamb"

For by the time it's March 1

we're often tired of winter.

To insure "lambness",

we often serve lamb for March 1

Some of our favorite lamb dishes --

Rack of lamb

(a splurge)

Lamb shanks

Lamb curry

(usually made from leftover leg of lamb)

Lamb chops

French lamb stew

with lemon risotto

I have a new recipe for a long slow cooked bone in leg of lamb

That I'm really wanting to try.

Perhaps that will be our March lamb!

But it will have to be a company meal

For there's too much lamb for the two of us.

At Linderhof, anyway, March will come in like a lamb!

It's Friday and I'm joining Michael at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

Three for Lunch

 Two dear friends from the little town 20 miles East

joined me for lunch last week

As has been my custom of late,

luncheon was served in the dining room

With the noon day sun filling the room with light

A hand embroidered square cloth that I bought in the Azores served as the cloth

Wedgwood Cuckoo plates

Grandmother's silver

White cloth napkins in silver rings

Hyacinths in forcing vases

And the wee iron birds were the centerpiece

For a pretty "almost spring" table

Dessert service awaited on the sideboard

(which is why you don't clutter the sideboard with too much "stuff")

A simple menu

Tomato soup from the tomatoes I canned last summer

With a few garlic cheese croutons for "crunch"

A wonderful lemon basil chicken pasta dish

Alas, the basil not from the garden or windowsill

but rather from the market

With a salad of mixed baby greens

And herbal biscuits

And the dessert?

A cherry almond tart

With the Morello cherries I bought at Trader Joe's

ringed with sliced almonds

Arranged over a filling of marscapone cheese

It's an updated version of the old classic

"cherry cheese pie"

And with a cup of coffee

A slice made a fitting end to a lovely meal.

But we lingered,

over coffee

before they bid their goodbyes\

It's Thursday and I'm sharing my table with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch and Cuisine Kathleen for Let's Dish

The Teapots of Linderhof

I don't "collect" teapots

I've never considered myself a collector

But I do like teapots

And more than one has found it's home at Linderhof

over the years

And it's years, too -- for I've had some of these for 20 years or more

The Wee Blue Ones

 Burleigh's Asiatic Pheasant

It holds two cups -- not mugs -- but cups

Perfect for tea for one

Johnson Brothers Indies

It's small and holds perhaps three cups

Bought on a trip to England

Because I loved the tea service in the bed breakfasts we stayed in

And I felt that Linderhof 

should have a tea "station" in the bedroom

I bought the pot, a wee creamer and sugar, and two cups and saucers

And hand carried them home

I did set up the station --

But not for long

For you had to take the dirty dishes downstairs, wash them and tote them back up!

It was far easier to go downstairs for my first cup of tea.

But it is my favorite "tea for one" pot and I use it a lot for tea

at half past three when it is just me.

The Spode Blue Ones

The Blue Room pattern.   

 A Christmas gift from Husband Jim because I didn't have a "big" blue teapot!

Blue Italian

Bought in Canada

Because it was so much cheaper there.

I loved the shape and even though I had a Blue Room,

I felt that I need a Blue Italian teapot as well.

The Silver

The teapot that goes with my silver tea service.    

It's the Plymouth pattern and is a rather plain Colonial pattern

My grandmother's teapot.    

It's really a coffeepot, but it works well for tea

If she had any other pieces of silver, I don't remember them.

Perhaps, it belonged to her mother or grandmother?

But whatever it's heritage, I'm glad it resides at Linderhof

and is a reminder of my dear grandmother.

And old silver one

From an Estate Sale

It turned out to be older than I thought

I love it's round almost onion shape

I traded a meal out for the pot -- I didn't go and so "saved" the money

I would have spent on dinner -- that money went to buy the pot!

The Miscellany

Old Paris

Mid 1800s

I collect gold and white china 

And didn't have a teapot

Which came with creamer and sugar

and cups and saucers

and a few "oddments"

It's special and not used all that much

Used mostly for special teas!

Aynsley Pembroke

It's bone china

So a company teapot

It goes with my "collection" of Asian bird and chrysanthemum 

china.

It was bought specifically to go with those cups and saucers.

Wedgwood Asiatic Pheasant

It's transferware -- not china

And although it's blue it's more of a turquoise blue rather than the blue one thinks of when one thinks of English transfer ware.

It's part of a "tea set" -- teapot, creamer, sugar, cups, saucers and tea plates.

Bought years and years ago

because I wanted an English tea set and it was "sort of" blue and white!

The workhorses

Not a brown betty (although I do have one -- a large one that doesn't get used much unless I have a crowd for tea)

But a clay one,

A French one

An Emile Henry one

Bought for a song at Williams-Sonoma

For a song because it was "last season's" color!

I've had it a good many years

It's my most used teapot.

I use it every morning for my morning tea.

And if I use any of the silver ones, the tea gets brewed in this first --

then decanted into the silver pots.

But the real workhorse . . .

Is the tea kettle

An electric one

Ordered on line when we lived in England

because I was enchanted by the electric ones

there.

The same brand as we had there

except it's 110v while those were 220v.

It's used every day

Sometimes more than twice a day

For there's breakfast tea

And then tea at half past three

And sometimes morning tea if it works out

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

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW . . . WAIT, IT'S ALMOST MARCH!

It's the last week of February . . .

Winter for the most part has been mild

And then we got snow!!!!

Lots of snow!!!

A really lot of snow!!!

More is predicted!

Sigh!

We'll stay inside

by the fire

put a pot of soup on to simmer

And have a cup of tea to keep us warm!

Books and needlepoint shall keep us occupied

The larder is stocked

We find that Dolly is not a snow dog -- prefering to stay INSIDE!

Winter is giving one last hurrah (we hope)

Before March and a spring to look forward to!

Spring Mantles

We're lucky at Linderhof to have three mantles

In the living room, dining room and master bedroom

Linderhof is a cottage

It was unusual in the 20s for a "cottage" to have as many fireplaces

There was always central heat, after all

So a fireplace wasn't needed to warm the room.

But Mr. Sechler, who built Linderhof had money

And with his money he added fireplaces

to his cottage

We're glad he did

We change the mantles out some

The living room especially for we add seasonal elements to it

A pair of Federick Cooper candlesticks; an English match strike; an old mantle clock which we bought at an antique shop in Topeka, Kansas years ago when we made trips to the State's capital to testify before the legislature on issues regarding our business; a pair of bronzes bought as a Christmas gift for Husband Jim shortly after we moved to Linderhof; an Asian vase that this spring is filled with forsythia branches.

I don't change the mantle much other than adding seasonal touches.    I'll keep forsythia or pussywillow in the vase as long as I can.    In the summer, the vase is always empty!

The dining room

has an old French mantle clock as it's centerpiece.    A recent find.   It only strikes the hour once -- it doesn't count the hours!     The lamps, too, are a recent find.    I've always admired lamps with crystal drops and this pair seemed special.       The ginger jars are cloisonné, bought by Husband Jim on a trip to Hong Kong in the 60s.     I've always adored them and they look good no matter where we put them.

The Master Bedroom

My parents wedding present clock takes pride in place on the Master Bedroom mantle.   It's has Westminster chimes and was in their living room.    As a child, it was always comforting to wake in the night and hear the chime -- it made it seem to me, a small child, that all was right in the world.    I still wake and hear the chimes and know that all is right in the world.    It's comforting.    My ladies dance across the mantle.    A part of my collection of Royal Doulton figurines.    These ladies acquired one at a time -- mostly as gifts for Christmas or birthdays.     

It's always fun to decorate mantles and although we don't change them a lot, there is something about the flat surface of a mantle in a room that can be decorated like no other piece of furniture in a room.

It May Have Been President's Day But To Me -- It's Still George Washington's Birthday!

It's George Washington's Birthday

February 22

A National Holiday

Well, except Lincoln's now involved as well

and they've moved George's Birthday

From February 22

to the third Monday in February

And instead of George Washington's Birthday

It's called President's Day!!!

Everyone knows President Washington

We learned about him in school

And the part in played in our Independence

as well as being the first President of these United States

We have a daily reminder of him with our dollar bill

He's there everyday!

 Mount Vernon his home has been preserved

(not by our government but rather by some strong minded ladies

who saved the estate from being torn down so something "better" could be erected ---

My hat's off to those daring women who understand the importance of preserving the property!)

When did George Washington's Birthday get moved from February 22 to the third Monday in February?     In 1968. Congress enacted the "Monday Holiday Law" -- changing many holidays to a Monday thereby insuring that Federal employees would get three day weekends for most holidays.

Interestingly, we lived in Kansas City and the first time that Washington's Birthday was changed from the true date to a Monday, we got the Monday off and then on the day itself, there was such a snowstorm that most of the city was closed.     I think George had "someone's" ear and wanted to insure that his real birthday was still a holiday!!!

When did Washington's Birthday become "President's Day"?  Contrary to popular public belief, neither Congress nor any President has ever stipulated that the name of the holiday observed as Washington's Birthday be changed to "President's Day".    It's the Merchants and the Media who've changed the name. 

After Congress passed that legislation, moving Washington's Birthday to the third Monday, it will NEVER be celebrated on his real birthday -- for the third Monday will never be past February 21 -- and as everyone knows, Washington's Birthday is February 22!

We always celebrated Washington's Birthday when I was a child

No school, first

And second, a cherry dessert

Every year we always had

Photo courtesy of Eagle Brand Milk

Cherry Cheese Pie

We had it so often on February 22, that we should have called it "Washington Pie"

For he chopped down the cherry tree as a boy

And cherries are forever after thought of when one thinks of Washington!

I've made my share of Cherry Cheese Pies.

It was tradition, after all!

But this year, I'm making this wonderful cake

Warm from the oven, it's a great breakfast cake.

Leftovers make great tea fare.

CAKE OF CHERRIES

4 eggs, separated

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. sugar

zest of 1 lemon

pinch of salt

3/4 c. ground almonds

1 T. Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)

3/4 pound Bing cherries, halved and pitted

Heat oven to 350.    Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, beat the yolks with 1/2 the sugar, the vanilla and the lemon zest.   In another bowl, beat the whites with the salt to soft peaks, then beat in the remaining sugar a tablespoon at a time until thick and glossy.

Stir the almonds into the yolks, then the cherry brandy, then loosen the mixture by adding a spoonful of the whites to the mixture.    Fold in the remaining whites and pour into the prepared pan.      Scatter the cherries over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Let cool 10 minutes before removing sides of the pan.    Serve warm or at room temperature.

It's Friday and I'm sharing the cherry cake with Michael at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday.

Tea and Biscuits

I've had a Waterford "Biscuit" Barrel "forever"

I've also had a wooden one from the 20's

And when I first got the "Biscuit" Barrel, I couldn't understand

why anyone would put "biscuits" in a crystal jar.

They're not really good leftover

They're best hot and fresh from the oven.

And then I took my first trip to England

And learned that there, "biscuits" were cookies.

The light came on!

I could see "cookies" in the Waterford barrel

I could see "cookies" in the wooden one

And I see "cookies" in this enamel one definitely marked "biscuits"

It's not English

bought instead in the city at some store that ages ago sold enamel ware

marked with "sugar", "flour", "tea", "coffee" and this one -- "biscuits"

It's in the larder

and does, indeed hold biscuits

The weekly output is put in there

So that one or two (or even three or four)

can be taken out for afternoon tea.

It's just one piece of our enamel ware collection

I have the one marked "sugar" and it's in the larder holding the icing sugar

And I have old ones

A "bread" one which holds bread and crackers.

It's old and is from England

As is the "flour" one which is also in the larder

It holds flour -- but not the regular flour but instead the almond meal and cake flour

And the biscuit tin this week

holds

lemon raisin cookies

From Anna Pumps, Loaves and Fishes Party Cookbook

They're good keepers

And make for a good tea nosh

For one

Blue and white Johnson Brothers, Indies

The wee pot bought almost 20 years ago on a trip to England along with one cup

(I had the grand idea of keeping a "tea station" in the bedroom, like the bed/breakfasts we stayed at --

it wasn't practical and that idea was soon squashed -- but the teapot and tea cup remained.

And were soon joined by more Johnson Brothers Indies -- plates and salad/tea plates and more cups and saucers!)

The cookies full of lemon zest.   A gift from a friend (lemons not the zest) who received a box full of lemons from her brother in law in California -- she shares!

I love the late afternoon winter sun in the breakfast room as I pause

every afternoon at half past three

for a cup of tea and a nosh.

We Love to Read

We do --

we love to read

But we also love to own books

To have our own library

To be able to pull from the shelf

just the right tome

And not counting the shelf of cookbooks in the kitchen,

we have three (or almost half) of the rooms at Linderhof

with walls of books

In the living room are the classics, leather bound and slowly collected over time

Not bought just to fill the bookcases but bought because we loved them

and wanted Daughter Sarah to love them as well

We enjoy the feel of a leather book in our hands,

the quality of the paper

And there isn't anything better than rereading a much loved classic.

On the table is a tortoise shell and ivory "page turner"

Brought home from England

A page turner because books were rare and human hands contained oils.

How precious books once were

In the sunroom, a wall of books

A lot of cookbooks

Many books that I loved as a child

The horse and dog ones

As well as the "teen" ones

And the books that tell stories of living in other countries,

similar to "Under the Tuscan Sun" and "On Rue Tatin"

A girl can dream

A wall of books in the guest room

It had no focal point and we thought bookshelves and a window seat

would be that focal point.

I've always dreamed of curling up on a window seat

with a good book and a cup of tea

while rain or sleet picked at the window pane

or snow fell gently outside

But, alas, I never have.

These shelves are filled with my "England" books, my garden books,

my decorating books, my needlepoint books

And to remind me that I really should take time to read and sip tea

on my beloved window seat

on the door of the Guest Room

is a gift from a dear friend

And it's true!!!!

Books have always been important to me, both to read and to own.

As a child with my birthday money, I would buy books.

Favorite books that I loved.

I still have them and love them as much now as I did then.

And I truly can't imagine a house without books on bookshelves.

As I can't imagine a house without a tick tock clock!

And a tea kettle for tea!

Valentine's Desserts

Every year I host a Valentine's Luncheon for friends

Six is the perfect number

and it's fun to think of new menus

each year

But mostly, it's fun to think of new desserts!

It's also fun to go back and see what you've done

in year's past . . . and with a blog, it makes it easier!

Valentine's Desserts through the years . . .

2012

French Silk Pie

2011

Strawberry Cake baked in a heart shaped mold

2010

Chocolate Cloud

2009

White Chocolate Cake with Orange Curd 

And the dessert for 2013? 

Chocolate, of course!

And warm chocolate at that --

the cake that is often known as

Chocolate Melting Cake

A warm, individual, oozy gooey chocolate cake

Topped with whipped cream

and a pansy!

Who doesn't love chocolate

especially on Valentine's!!!

It's Friday and I'm joining Michael at Rattlebridge Farm for Foodie Friday -- what better food than Valentine's Desserts!