Company for Lunch

The Lunch Bunch came today . . . 

a week late

But it was because of me --

I was in Minnesota with the Grands!

It's still May, it's still Spring

but temperatures are warming up and so I wanted a "cool" lunch

My "new" linens (new because I've never used them) -- From April Cornell -- a runner and napkins to match.

The wicker chargers and Spode blue and white plates, and Jim's grandmother's cutlery

The orangey zinnias in a blue and white Spode bowl.

They hold a secret -- they're in the pot they came home from the nursery in --

After lunch, they'll be planted in the garden

A centerpiece that I'll enjoy till frost

(and who knows, the blooms may be back on the table for another luncheon

this summer!)

It's a simple menu:

A shrimp and avocado salad with Sauce Gribiche

From a new cookbook, Goldy's Kitchen,  by Diane Mott Davidson --

In the book it's called "Hard Core Prawn Salad" but I didn't like

that name so I just called it Shrimp and Avocado Salad with Sauce Gribiche!

Served with a hot roll and real butter

Dessert:

Strawberry Hazelnut Pavlova Roll from Wives With Knives

It's a to die for recipe

And her instructions were very clear

And it's an easy, few ingredient recipe as well --

A roll of meringue layered with whipped cream and strawberries.

The hazelnuts dot the outside.

It is s-o-o-o-o good!

So good, in fact, that I printed the recipe off and will make again!

It's perfect served on blue and white!

And, as always, there is a menu for everyone

Although I like the anticipation of company and how fresh the table looks

And how it looks as if it waiting for company . . . 

I like the table "after" . . . when everyone has gone home.

You can tell that a good time was had by all!

We get together once a month and in June, we'll be traveling to Nevada

for The Annual Salad Luncheon of St. Paul Lutheran Church

It's an annual trek for us as well . . 

Decoration Day

"Let us then, in the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains

and garland the passionless mounds above them

with choicest flowers of springtime; 

let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor;

let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges  to

aid and assist those whom they have left among us

a sacred charge upon the Nation's gratitude

Excerpt from General Order No. 11

issued by

Headquarters, Grand Army of the Republic,

Washington D.C.

May 5, 1868

Statue at Boalsburg, Pa., commemorating the town as the first to celebrate
Decoration Day.

We are fortunate . . . for, in our family,  all of those who fought, in every war

from The Revolutionary War through Viet Nam came home.

Today, we honor those who did not!

Cookbook Book Club - May

Backyard BBQ was the theme for May

How fitting for the Thursday before Memorial Day weekend

(probably the second day in grill meals -- Father's Day is first!)

A sign welcomed us!

And a lovely table was set out in the garden!

 Complete with "ants" -- which in this case were perfectly acceptable!

We started off the evening with

A lemonade tasting --

my favorite (and the majority of the club's) was A

It was fresh squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup!

Sweet and tangy

The hostess always provides the entree --

In this case sometimes member Belynda helped Michelle

The best hamburgers (because they were made from Belynda's father's beef (and pork), filled with cheese (Provel), more cheese on top (Smoked Gouda) as well as sautéed mushrooms.

All served on brioche buns with a balsamic vinegar aioli!

We all brought traditional BBQ sides . . but with a twist.

One rule we have is that you cannot make tried and true

Liz brought the potato salad -- a Weight Watcher's German Potato Salad

that was very good.    With cucumber and a hit of Dijon, one member remarked that 

this was her favorite potato salad!

What's a bbq picnic without corn on the cob?     Rita brought this traditional side dish but with a twist -- grilled with basil which gave the corn a wonderful sweet flavor!

I brought coleslaw.     Traditional coleslaw with a twist -- a tequila/lime dressing

Everyone raved!

You can't have a picnic without a pasta salad and Rhonda brought a pasta salad with spinach, peas, cherry tomatoes, a good shower of Parmesan and a lemon cream dressing 

Donna's grilled vegetables that she had to do inside.     They were really good and a good compliment with everything else.

And woman doesn't live by food alone --

There needs to be dessert!

Michelle's Banana Split Cake

(and old time favorite but Michelle had never made it although she's eaten it --

and that's a rule -- you can never had made it before!)

And for the second dessert . . . 

Angela's lemon ice cream -- not sorbet, not sherbet but

ice cream!

She'd eaten it on vacation with gingersnaps and that's what I topped mine with --

but she brought raspberry puree, toasted coconut and lemon curd to add as well.

The weather was perfect for dining outside and as always the "pot luck" gods smiled on us

for we had no duplicates!

Looking forward to June -- it's Venezulean!

Loot

We've been away

Not vacationing but rather visiting

to Minnesota to see the Grands

(and daughter and son in law)

One thing we like to do as we travel is to visit antique malls, flea markets

and thrift shops.

Some of my "loot" from this trip!

I'm always on the lookout for books.    I love new books on herbs and this seems like a good one, I have all of Edith Holden's books except her cookery one -- now I have that one too!   The other book which is on the kitchen garden plans should be an invaluable resource as I change my herb beds this year.

I'm a sucker for silver . . . and it was something I needed!

A small silver punch ladle . . . for my small punch bowl.

I find I use that more than my big ones . . .

For I never make punch for 100 . . . but often make punch for 20 to 30!

I've been on the lookout for one

and while in Minnesota we went to an amazing estate sale . . . 

There were two for sale at the sale --

THIS

was what interested me the most in this one -- I'm also a sucker for something monogramed

but what sold me on

THIS ONE

was what was on the back!

dated 1873 -- which makes it 144 years old

and I assume the "X" stands for Christmas --

much cheaper to put an "X" rather than to spell out "Christmas" or "Xmas"

(plus it's a ladle handle -- there isn't a whole lot of room!)

And from a silver ladle to the mundane . . . 

Two smaller wooden spoons (a nice size I find)

for 25 cents total!

I like linens -- both bed and table

I'm extremely fond of lacy ones and these pillowcases are perfect!

Everyone knows my love of blue and white

A milk jug -- not a cream pitcher -- it holds about 3 cups

It's English (of course)

and is by Wood and sons -- the "potters for 100 years" date it to 

pre World War 2

You can see how much bigger it is than my cream pitcher.

It should look stunning on the breakfast room table

filled with garden flowers!

And my last "loot"

A sterling silver napkin ring . . . from the same place I bought the ladle.

I've collected them for a long time and I have lots

so I now get picky.

I've not bought one in a long time --

In fact, I think the last time was in 2013

(which is 4 years!)

But I couldn't pass this up!

(Plus it was only $28 which for a sterling one is quite a bargain!)

But I never buy plain napkin rings

They have to have a name and now I'm getting more particular about that name.

This had a Scandinavian name on it . . . and I don't have a Scandinavian one,

Grinhild

Once home, I wanted to look up the Grinhild family . . . 

Turns out that it isn't the Grinhild "family"

It's Grinhild 

as in a first name

Now the napkin ring is even more special to me

for I adore that name!

I always think I never need anything . . . 

But I came home this trip loaded with loot!

The only thing I didn't come home with is plants!

A Ladies Meeting

I remember as a child going with Mother sometimes to her ladies meetings.

Why I didn't stay at home with my brother and my father, I don't know

but I didn't . . . and I felt so grown up!

Dessert and coffee were served after the meeting

(and I must not have been bored for there was the promise of cake

and mother took me to more than one so I must have been good!)

Last night, ladies met at Linderhof . . . 

The table set up in the dining room

With teacups in Spode's blue room

(I have a lot of those)

as well as Spode Blue Italian

(the nice thing about liking blue and white china, it all works together!

so you can use it when you have a crowd!)

My common glass plates that I bought eons ago -- 50 of them for $1 each

And I have used them over and over again in place of paper goods.

I cannot tell you how much I've saved by using glass instead of paper

And it's just a bit nicer whenever you use "real" dishes!

The centerpiece is "borrowed" -- my new favorite petunia, Indian Summer, bought

for the mother's at church tomorrow but I snagged them and put them pot and all in

one of my blue and white bowls.     Their color is a good compliment to the blue and white!

Dessert was simple:

Gingerbread with a maple cream sauce to spoon over the top

(the sauce topped with some freshly grated nutmeg)

The ladies pronounced it "delicious"!

And in the middle of my meeting, I had an "aha" moment . . . 

Too many ladies, not enough tables and each lady would have a cup and saucer and a plate of cake and a fork to eat it with!

My original plan of clear glass plates for cake and a cup and sauce for tea

would not work!

In mother's day, everyone had those little "hostess sets"

The big glass plate and the little matching cup

which could hold either punch or coffee

For meetings (both social and church), for showers

Each woman had at least a dozen and if you expected more,

a friend would lend you theirs.

You can find them at flea markets and such, although not totally all there.

They're often cheap enough.

And they do make a lot of sense . . . a big plate, a cup that fits on it so that you can hold it in one hand and eat your cake with the other and then sip your beverage . . . 

Halfway through the meeting, I had an idea . . . 

I brought out my Spode Blue Room dinner plates,

took the glass plates back to the cupboard

and stacked the saucers in the kitchen . . . 

I made my own hostess set . . .

A Spode Blue Room or Blue Italian dinner plate

The cup filled with tea, dessert and a fork

Worked just as well as the hostess set

And actually there was one less dish to wash

(no saucer!)

If you're ever faced with a similar situation, look no further than your cupboard

A dinner plate and matching cup

makes a great "hostess" set when you have the ladies over for a meeting!

What I Did To Celebrate Harry Truman's Birthday!

Do you celebrate Truman's Birthday?

I always do and have since the 70s

Harry S Truman

"The Man From Independence"

Growing up in Kansas City, he was "our" President

and you often saw he and his wife out and about

So how do I celebrate?

By moving the houseplants outside to the Baker's rack on the Patio

Where they will stretch their stems toward the sun 

And bask in the warm of the summer and the light of outside

And be happy plants

But inside . . . 

The breakfast room looks barren!

No greenery, only remnants of plant care on the floor

However, fresh garden flowers are on the table

which is a trade off of sorts

Why do I celebrate Harry's birthday this way?

Because in my other life when I worked, it was a State holiday

And I had the day off

In our zone 6, Mother's Day is a safe date to plant or move plants outside

No more chance of frost

Harry Truman was born on May 8, and Mother's Day is always falls somewhat close

Thus, it's a great day to move the plants out

And really clean the breakfast room!

But I usually also celebrate food wise

If you want the recipe, it will be in Saturday's issue of The Nevada Daily Mail or The Fort Scott Tribune

This year I made Bess's frozen lemon pie for dessert

Monday night

The plants are happy although I have the chore of more constant watering once they're outside

But come fall, I enjoy seeing how much they've grown over the summer.

And it's a rite of Spring

Moving the plants outside on Harry's Birthday

Ferns and Wicker and Geraniums, Oh, My!

As you know, Linderhof has a "new" porch . . . 

New in the fact that the screens are finally down and it's a real front porch!

There are three things that every porch needs in the summer --

ferns

white wicker

red geraniums

We've almost always had wicker -- sometimes white and sometimes brown . . . 

And I sometimes think about painting it that Savannah green . . but with the porch screens,

it was dark and the green wouldn't look good!

We've never had hanging ferns -- they hung from the portico -- there was no place to hang them on the porch, really, 

but the last couple of years I had a big pot with "Big Fern" in it on the small column by the front porch door

And I've tried geraniums and the pretty blooming geraniums I put not he porch turned to non-blooming green plants -- not enough sun!

But now . . . screens removed . . . 

We have ferns and we have white wicker and we have red geraniums!

Methinks of it as an old fashioned porch . . .

the wicker, the geraniums, the ferns!

The wicker plant stand Jim gifted me with last year --

just because

he knew I liked wicker and I didn't have one -- it's perfect for that big geranium

We removed the holiday greenery from the upstairs window box in February

and it looked barren

(for we don't plant pansies there in the spring)

Today, with a geranium on the porch, we got red geraniums for the window box

 Bright and cheery red geraniums against the white trim of the sunroom windows

And we rehung our flag as well

For every house needs to fly a flag

We're ready for summer on the porch

ferns hanging, red geraniums blooming, wicker to sit in

and a flag a flying!

I see it as a great place for lemonade and cookies!