A Valentine's tea with Margery Sharp

Image from A Subtle Revelry.

Last month, through the power of BookBub, I discovered Margery Sharp.

Or perhaps I should say rediscovered, for I was a fan of The Rescuers as a child. I had no idea she'd written so many novels for adults until BookBub featured Cluny Brown*.

This charming story features an eccentric and headstrong girl from London who is sent by her uncle into service at an elegant country house. Knowing little of domestic labor in a stately home, she struggles to understand household tasks, class barriers, and unexpected romantic overtures. Passages like this in which Cluny is chatting with potential suitor Mr. Wilson (the local chemist who lives with his nearly catatonic mother) made me giggle:

“Thank you for letting me stay,” said Cluny, blinking.
“Mother’s taken a liking to you,” said Mr. Wilson. “I can see that.”
Cluny wondered how he could tell. Several years before she had made quite a friend of an old man who took a tortoise into Kensington Gardens; and he told her he was never sure whether the tortoise enjoyed these outings or not, whether it didn’t after all think, “Damn this grass.” However, Cluny supposed that from long experience Mr. Wilson could detect in his mother shades of expression, intimations of pleasure, unapparent to any one else.

Cluny Brown was adapted to film in 1946 by Ernst Lubitsch, whose lengthy directing resume also includes my personal favorites The Shop Around the Corner (inspiration for You've Got Mail) and the delicious pre-code romp Design for Living (based on the Noel Coward play and featuring an extra-swoony Gary Cooper). I was able to locate the DVD for Cluny Brown, but you can watch it in its entirety on YouTube! Lubitsch took many liberties with the original story, but it all serves to bring the romance into sharper focus AND to feature Charles Boyer, who basically runs away with the film.

*I was struck by the name "Cluny" because I love the Musée de Cluny in Paris, but according to the novel Cluny is short for Clover.



Following Cluny Brown I read The Flowering Thorn (1934), about a Bright Young Thing who impetuously adopts an orphaned boy. She can't afford to keep him in London, so with the help of an uncle they move to the country. Hijinks ensue, but not in the silly way you might expect. This is a quieter novel than Cluny Brown, and it's more about our heroine falling in love with a community than a mere man. Currently I am reading Something Light (1960), featuring a plucky dog photographer who is tired of her "Girl Friday" status with the men in her life. She's ready to marry for money! This book is much more along the quirky lines of Cluny Brown, and I am avoiding all spoilers because I know this novel will surprise me in delightful ways.

**********

And now for our Valentine's tea, I offer you gluten-free glazed sugar cookies with "Thé des Amants" from Palais des Thés.


I cheated a little and used this mix from King Arthur Flour, purchased at Whole Foods. (Click here if you'd like to make the cookies from scratch.) I don't ordinarily keep gluten-free or almond flour around the house, so my trick for rolling out the dough was to put it between two sheets of parchment while still soft, roll it, chill it, and then cut the cookies out. No flour needed at all! And the recipe for the glaze is right on the box. Easy peasy.


Tea description (from the purveyor): Rich and sensual, Thé des Amants is a heady, fragrant blend of black tea, apple, almond, cinnamon and vanilla, spiced up with a hint of ginger. In French, Thé des Amants means 'Tea of the Lovers.' Délicieux!


And here is the tea tray!

How about you -- any romantic reads or Valentine snacks to recommend?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Tea with Jane Eyre

Jane flees Thornfield (Haddon Hall) in 2011 film.

Charlotte Bronte's 200th birthday last year inspired me to re-read Jane Eyre, and I decided to make this part of my Read Harder Challenge by watching two film adaptations for comparison to the original text. I'd been meaning to re-watch the 2006 BBC version with Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson, and I'm always eager to watch the 2011 theatrical version with Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska. What a pleasure to read the book*, watch both adaptations and compare! It also was great fun to pair the book with tea and a sweet treat, as you'll see below.

(*Actually, I alternated between reading the e-book and listening to Thandie Newton's spectacular audio performance.)


I'd forgotten that both the 2006 and 2011 adaptations were filmed at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire (as was the 1996 Franco Zeffirelli version with William Hurt and Charlotte Gainsbourg!). I've visited Haddon Hall in both the summer and at Christmas time, and it's one of my favorite old piles in all of England. It seems perfect for Thornfield Hall--castellated and gloomy in a Gothically romantic way, also boasting a rushing stream and lovely terraced gardens. The 2006 version makes a little more use of the Haddon Hall interiors, whereas the 2011 version uses Broughton Castle (another lovely place to visit!) for many of the interior shots.


So, which adaptation did I like better? The 2011 adaptation will always be my favorite, but the 2006 TV movie is quite good in its own right. Excellent performances from Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson, and a teleplay by Sandy Welch that is mostly true to the original. Welch departs from the book by presenting Rochester as a naturalist, and by introducing house party discussions of the scientific study of twins (???), as well as musings on the paranormal. There's even a scene with a table transformed into a talking board. (Why add a talking board when you already have gypsy readings?)

The 2011 theatrical version is stripped-down, but effectively so. I like the Rivers family as a frame, and I do prefer Fassbender's darker Rochester--he has a bit more menace to him and doesn't babble so much as the original. Mia Wasikowska truly does seem little and plain(ish) in this adaptation, but also strong-willed. I think the scene that really seals the 2011 version as my favorite is when Rochester begs Jane to stay after the revelation of his dark secret. "I cannot get at you, and it is your soul that I want!" (Watch the scene--you know you want to!) I also love the ending--very compressed from the original, but somehow more satisfying to me.


I've probably mentioned my Haddon Hall china from Minton before. I first saw the pattern at the Haddon Hall gift shop, but it just wasn't feasible to ship a set back to the U.S. Fortunately, I later found pieces from various sets at Replacements.com. They don't match perfectly, but I think that makes the collection all the more charming. And, of course, the Haddon Hall china seemed perfect for a Jane Eyre tea!

For my tea treat, I made parkin, a spicy oat cake from the north of England, particularly popular in Yorkshire (home to the Brontës).

[Parkin] is eaten in an area where oats rather than wheat was the staple grain for the poor. It is closely related to tharf cakes - an unsweeted cake cooked on a griddle rather than baked.[7] The traditional time of the year for tharf cakes to be made was directly after the oat harvest in the first week in November. For festive occasions, the cake would be sweetened with honey. In the seventeenth century (about 1650) sugar started to be imported from Barbados[b]- and molasses was a by-product of the refining process. Molasses was first used by apothecaries to make a medicine theriaca, from which name the word treacle is derived.[8] As molasses became plentiful, or treacle as it became called at that time, it was substituted for honey in the preparation of tharf cakes. (From wikipedia)

After a disastrous attempt with a different recipe, I had success with this: Parkin--a Guy Fawkes Night Tradition. The recipe is accompanied by a helpful explanation of Parkin's connection to the 5th of November, and it uses U.S. measurements and ordinary ingredients. (I happened to have golden syrup on hand, but according to the recipe corn syrup will suffice.)


It looked a bit like a pan of brownies when it came out of the oven, but oh, the glorious spicy smell!


This parkin was very moist and filling. If Jane Eyre had tucked some of this in her pocket, she might not have suffered so much on the moors before the Rivers family took her in! For tea I needed something strong to match the spice of the bread, so I chose the Irish Breakfast from David's Tea in honor of Charlotte Brontë's Irish heritage through her father, Patrick Brontë (originally Brunty or Prunty from County Down, Ireland).

Some related links for your edification and amusement:

--The Best Yorkshire Recipes (some nice options for sweet treats here)
--A Jane Eyre tea blend from Adagio
--Every Meal in Jane Eyre, Ranked in Order of Severity, from The Toast
--A Tea with Jane Eyre necklace at Etsy
--Jane Eyre Tea Cozy patterns for knitters!
--Walnut Tea Sandwiches inspired by Jane Eyre
--Jane Eyre, the Fragrance, from Ravenscourt Apothecary (this is a NEAT site!)
--And finally, this long-time favorite: Dude Watchin' with the Brontës from Hark, a Vagrant.

Also, some of my previous Jane Eyre-related blog posts:
--Brontës on the Brain (Nov 2013)
--The Problem of Kissing in Jane Eyre '11 (Aug 2011)
--Derbyshire Top Ten, including photos of Haddon Hall (July 2011)
--I saw Jane Eyre yesterday (April 2011)

[Crossposted at Livejournal]

December Tea and a Book: No Holly for Miss Quinn (Christmas at Fairacre)

Quick take: So COZY.
(Special thanks to Laura B. for recommending it and to Glenda A. for gifting it!)

Goodreads synopsis: Miss Quinn, who cherishes her privacy, intends to spend Christmas on her own as she likes it. But before the holiday, her brother telephones to tell her that his wife has been rushed to the hospital, and would Miss Quinn come and stay with the children? Miss Quinn's unexpectedly hectic Christmas has a significant effect upon her life.

(Above you see Christmas at Fairacre, an omnibus that includes No Holly for Miss Quinn. Check this Goodreads page for reviews and links to various vendors of the individual novel. Or check here for the omnibus.)

My thoughts: My mom has always loved the novels of Miss Read (a.k.a. Dora Jessie Saint, who died in 2012 at the age of 98). I read one or two of them when I was young, but at that time I didn't have quite such a powerful craving for quiet and cozy books. Well, I do now! And amidst all the madness of late, this book certainly hit the spot.

I thoroughly empathized with Miriam Quinn's preference for quiet and solitude. At the same time, it was great fun to see her thrown in with her brother's somewhat feral brood of children. Oh, the appalling disorder! How satisfying to watch her organize them, and then how delightful to see her loosen up and enjoy various sweet moments of connection with each child. My favorite part involved the two nieces, one of whom knows "the truth" about Father Christmas and is aching to spoil her younger sister. Our Miriam deals with that in a lovely way.

No Holly for Miss Quinn is a quick read brimming with warmth and humor, and even a tiny bit of romance. Chime in if you've read it -- I'd love to hear about your favorite moments!

Related favorite things:


I particularly enjoyed the illustrations by J.S. Goodall, which gave me the same cozy feeling as those of Garth Williams (the Little House books) and Pauline Baynes (the Narnia books).


LOOK AT THIS! I have listened to this Enya CD about a million times, and I never once associated this song with Miss Read. How delightful! Do have a listen.

Miss Read/Dora Saint wrote of her own childhood in Fortunate Grandchild and Time Remembered (now combined in a single volume entitled Early Days). Also, for more on her inspiration for the novels' settings, see On the Trail of Thrush Green.

And now for tea:


I tend to make the same treats every year for Christmas, so this time I tried something different: Chocolate-Cherry Snowballs from the Betty Crocker website. Click the link for the recipe, which is pretty straightforward. I will say, however, that next time I'll make the cookies smaller because they really should be bite-sized. (Otherwise, MESS.) Also, I would recommend you wait until they are quite cool before you roll them in the powdered sugar. They need time to set so as not to crumble when you roll, and they get stickier as they cool, which makes the sugar cling nicely. (I learned all this the hard way, of course!) I followed advice given in the comments and used maraschino cherries instead of candied, which worked quite well. (Where does one find candied cherries, anyway?)

Here is a closer view of the "snowballs".

In the pot is Thé des Délices, a black tea containing citrus peel, candied mandarins, and cocoa nibs. So delicious, and only available during the holidays from Palais des Thés.

Don't forget to check out my December Holiday Reading List, and do let me know if I've left out one of your favorites. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Summer travel postcards, final installment -- the photo parade of TEA!

For our London stay, a friend recommended The Wolseley, and we were quite pleased with our experience. First of all, it's not a stuffy sort of place in the least. It was very busy, with lots of chatter and laughter, plus great people-watching (& eavesdropping) opportunities. Steve and I both enjoyed the Wolseley Afternoon Blend tea. The scones were freshly baked and still warm, and the sandwiches were deliciously unfussy. As usually happens, we were a bit stuffed by the time we turned to the dessert tier of the tray, but rest assured we did our best. ;)


On our first full day in Cromarty, Scotland, we enjoyed tea and cake at The Pantry. This was a bright, cozy place, and quite peaceful in the late afternoon.


The next day we visited Coupers Creek, a cafe/gift shop also on Church Street. Doesn't that freshly whipped cream look divine?


Once in Gairloch we enjoyed a tray of tea at the Shieldaig Lodge. We each had our own teapot, our own pot of hot water for refilling, and a couple of shortbread cookies. Quite reviving after our long (& winding) drive from the Black Isle!


Finally, a longstanding favorite -- cream tea on the terrace at the Old Parsonage Hotel in Oxford. The silver teapot and strainers are fancy, yet the atmosphere is always relaxing. Over the years I've enjoyed many teas with friends at this spot. (Just for reference, here's what a full tea looks like at Old Parsonage!)

That's it for Summer postcards! I fully intend to return to my "Tea and a Book" posts this fall, so stay tuned!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

March Tea and a Movie and a Book!

My dear friend Michelle visited earlier this month--it's an annual thing for us. We shop, have tea, see movies at the theater, watch tv and movies at home, and, of course, we talk, talk, talk. I look forward to it every year, and it's always hard to say goodbye at the end.

This visit I asked Michelle if she would watch Bright Star (2009) with me. I'd seen it twice already, and I wanted to share it with her. And you know what? I think I loved it even more the third time!


As you may already know, Bright Star is the story of the ill-fated romance between John Keats and Fanny Brawne (played respectively by Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish). The film was written and directed by Jane Campion, who also wrote/directed one of my all-time favorite films, The Piano.

I adore the look of this film--it balances the ordinary and extraordinary with an exquisite attention to detail. We see that the feelings shared by Keats and Brawne are powerful and transformative. At the same time, Campion honestly depicts the melodrama of youthful passion (Fanny was only 18 when they met), as well as the ways in which each might have been in love with the idea of love.


As a companion to the film, Campion published Keats' letters to Brawne, along with a selection of his poems. The passion in his letters is, at times, breathtaking:

I cannot exist without you. I am forgetful of everything but seeing you again -- my Life seems to stop there -- I see no further. You have absorb'd me. I have a sensation at the present moment as though I was dissolving -- I should be exquisitely miserable without the hope of soon seeing you. I should be afraid to separate myself far from you. My sweet Fanny, will your heart never change? My love, will it? I have no limit now to my love. (13 Oct 1819)

I wish Fanny's letters weren't lost to us. Apparently the letters she sent to Keats in Italy were buried with him unopened. Fanny mourned him very publicly for years. She did eventually marry, but not until twelve years after Keats' death. Her letters from him were not released until many years after her husband's death, and they created quite an uproar when published. Many thought Fanny was vain and shallow, certainly not worthy of Keats' love. (argh!) However, the 20th century publication of Fanny's letters to Keats' sister offered a different perspective on Miss Brawne--one that apparently inspired director Jane Campion's depiction of her as steadfast and kind.


For my "Bright Star" tea, I chose Brigadoon Breakfast from Adagio, perhaps in memory of Keats' faithful, if infuriating, friend, Mr. Brown. (Contrary to the film, Charles Armitage Brown was not Scottish, or at least wasn't born there, but he and Keats long had a dream of traveling to Scotland together.) Brigadoon Breakfast is a very special Scottish Breakfast blend that only makes an appearance every four years. (It is out of stock until Feb 29 2020!) The official description: "Celebrate Leap Day with this Scottish Breakfast Blend of Assam and Keemun teas. We've added a touch of Silver Needle and blue cornflowers to evoke the blue and white of the Scottish flag that Brigadoon would fly."


To go along with the tea I made scones using this easy-peasy lemonade scone recipe. The funny thing is that Michelle and I tried to make these scones while she was here, but they didn't turn out very well, possibly because I didn't have self-rising flour and instead had to make my own with [possibly outdated] baking powder. (Or did I use baking soda???) Whatever the error, the resulting scones were flat and strange-tasting. My second attempt yielded much better results, though I think they needed to bake a little longer, and I would urge you to use a well-floured biscuit cutter.


I whipped my own cream (not as thick and wonderful as true clotted cream, but still quite nice) and used Crofter's Organic Strawberry Spread. I prefer the Devonshire style of putting cream first and topping with jam. (See this article for more context.) Very tasty!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

January 2016 Tea and a Book

This past weekend I accompanied Steve on his trip to NYC for the AALS conference. Once he was finished with sessions on Saturday, we took a long walk through Central Park and rewarded ourselves with afternoon tea in the Plaza Hotel's Palm Court. (We booked in a advance, of course.)


We loved the vibe in the Palm Court -- jazz music, lots of chatter and laughter with great people-watching opportunities. It was especially fun to watch the young ones enjoying their Eloise teas, which included pink lemonade, pb&j sandwiches, and cotton candy, along with more traditional tea fare. (See more about Eloise below.) Here's a more detailed review of the afternoon tea, from which I gather that the Palm Court used to have a more formal atmosphere. Steve and I rather liked the buzzing, upbeat feel to the place. I suppose some might find the music a bit loud, but we did not strain to hear each other.


The tea was perfectly steeped. I enjoyed the Big Ben English Breakfast (a blend of Assam and Yunnan), while Steve chose Thé des Amants, (black tea blended with apple, almond, cinnamon and vanilla). Both teas can be ordered from the Palais des Thés website.


The "New Yorker" tea tray is divine, don't you think? The warm scones are snuggled in the napkin on the lower rack.


Here is a closer look at the sandwiches, which were traditional and tasty, along with the sweets, which were extraordinary. There was no way we could finish it all, but the "leftovers" made for a perfect snack that evening.

And now for the book: The Absolutely Essential 60th Aniversary Edition of ELOISE.

I had a vague notion of who Eloise was, but prior to this tea had never read the book. Of course, I rectified this omission as soon as I got home! The 60th edition of Eloise is quite nice, and I appreciated the essay and scrapbook from Marie Brenner, which included a biographical account of author Kay Thompson and charming notes from illustrator Hilary Knight.

The book is clever and often endearing, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as a child. If memory serves, I was more wrapped up in books about animals or pioneers. Eloise's life at the Plaza would have seemed very alien to me, and though I've always loved books about children with wild imaginations, I think her "trickster" tendencies might have stressed me out a little.

Fortunately, Marie Brenner's essay helped me better understand the appeal: "[Eloise] lived mother-free in a poor-little-rich-girl paradise without rules. As she raced from a mint raid in the Empire Room to spy from the Baroque ceiling of the Grand Ballroom, she lured us into an intoxicating urban fantasy. [...] Eloise was free to express the dark gleams of her inside. She could offer rubber candy to adults and let fly with her opinions. My daughter, Casey, on discovering Eloise when she was six, said of her reverentially: 'She is a bad girl!'"

I'm considering tracking down Eloise in Paris, and Eloise at Christmastime. Any other Eloise fans out there? Please feel free to enthuse in the comments!

ETA: Oh my -- do check out Jama Rattigan's celebration of Eloise!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Monday Miscellany

For today's blog post I offer you a grab bag of happy-making things:

TEA AND A GARDEN WALK
This past Tuesday I picked up my dear friend Michelle in Dallas and we had quite the tea adventure in Fort Worth. I'd read glowing reviews of Antique Outlet and Mitra's Tearoom on Teamap. When we arrived, we were afraid the GPS had failed us -- all we found was an old and mostly dead strip mall. Upon closer inspection, we noticed the "Antiques and Tea Room" sign. We ventured inside to find a fairly ordinary-looking antique shop. At the back, however, was a little Victorian oasis of dainty, chintz-bedecked tables surrounded by teacup and teapot displays. Mitra's Tearoom doesn't actually offer an afternoon tea, but we enjoyed a "combo" lunch that included soup, tea sandwiches, salad, and dessert. It was DELICIOUS. Our tastebuds rejoiced and our tummies groaned.

We poked around the antiques afterwards, but soon realized a brisk walk was in order. Hence we made our way to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.


See Michelle above with our tea and muffin appetizers (or would you say amuse-bouches?). On the right is a lovely wooden path through the Botanic Garden. We certainly met our goal of walking off the meal--the garden encompasses 110 acres--and the fact that it was 90 degrees outside made it even more challenging. But what a gorgeous place! I can't wait to visit when the trees are in full leaf.

KIDLIT CELEBRATION

On Friday I took Michelle to the airport (wah!) and immediately set out for Tulsa, as this past weekend was the "Ignite the Spark" conference for the Oklahoma region of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Our regional advisors put together a splendid panel of agents and editors, and, as always, I enjoyed meeting up with old friends and new. (Above you see me with Valerie Lawson and my roomie/critique partner Brandi Barnett.) I left inspired and recharged, which is a good thing as this week I REALLY MUST GET SOME WRITING WORK DONE.

BRAINY COSTUME DRAMA

Finally, I just wanted to point out that the BBC adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall is finally coming to PBS! Above you see Mark Rylance as Thomas Cromwell, and I am delighted to learn that Damian Lewis plays Henry VIII. This six-part series actually covers both Wolf Hall and its sequel Bring Up the Bodies. The Guardian called it "sumptuous, intelligent, event television." Go here for more review blurbs that seem to indicate an overwhelmingly positive critical reception of the mini-series. Huzzah!

Check out the BBC trailer:



Wolf Hall premieres Sunday, April 5!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

February tea and a book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up

When I met with my editor earlier this month, she enthusiastically recommended this book by Marie Kondo (and was nice enough to send me a copy). As a lifelong clutter bug, I was intrigued by Kondo's technique of organizing your possessions by reducing to those that "spark joy."

The method is rather drastic, but just reading about her process felt like a gentle sweep of my mental cobwebs. I don't need so much stuff. I can let the joyless things go. I am NOT genetically fated to be a packrat! (In my family, hoarding was known as "Granny Green-ing," after my great grandmother Clemie Green.)

Kondo's thinking might seem a little "woo woo" to some. She strongly believes that inanimate objects want to be cared for, to be useful, and that they'd rather be donated than remain unwanted in your closet or on your shelves. Kondo has a very spiritual approach to tidying, a particularly Japanese approach, and I (being a wee bit "woo woo" myself) found it very appealing:

To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose. To get rid of what you no longer need is neither wasteful nor shameful. Can you truthfully say that you treasure something buried so deeply in a closet or drawer that you have forgotten its existence? If things had feelings, they would certainly not be happy. Free them from the prison to which you have relegated them. [...] Let them go, with gratitude. Not only you, but your things as well, will feel clear and refreshed when you are done tidying. (61)

Kondo insists that we tidy by category rather than room. She recommends starting with clothing, and then moving on to books, papers, miscellany, and finally, sentimental objects. However, since my books seemed more out of control than my clothing, I decided to start there. I thought it would take me half a day, but it actually took about three days because I did follow her process of taking everything off the shelf and touching each item. I confess to keeping a few "joyless" volumes for reference, but it was interesting to track my emotions as I touched each book. Not only did some of them not spark joy -- they actually sparked disgust. INTO THE DISCARD PILE! What a great feeling.

And soon I look forward to tidying up my closet and chest of drawers. According to Marie Kondo, we shouldn't hang so many of our clothes. Folding is better for most items, and she recommends storing items vertically. I vaguely understood what she meant when reading, but this video helps clarify the folding part:



And this is what a drawer with "vertically stored" clothes would look like:



Her method for socks intimidates me. Still, I'm eager to take the next step in this tidying process!

And now for tea . . .


I was terribly excited to use my Japanese teapot -- a gift from my (ex)stepmother, Rosemary -- for this "tea and a book" post. Prior to this I hadn't used it very much because I usually drink black tea. Also, my limited experience with Japanese tea had left me convinced that it all tasted like sour grass clippings. I know now that I was steeping the leaves too long in water that was too hot. I steeped Adagio's kukicha for two minutes in 175 degree water, and the result was delicately grassy/nutty with a sweet finish. I purchased the sesame almond tea cookies from Radiance Tea House when I was in NYC. If you'd like to make your own, here's a recipe from Just One Cookbook. These Almondina biscuits look rather nice, too!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

January tea and a book: the Blandings novels

I just love a clever English comedy set between the wars, especially if it involves a country house party. After gobbling up multiple novels by E.M. Delafield and Angela Thirkell (each already featured on "tea and a book"), I decided to shake things up a bit...by choosing another English comedy involving a country house party.

Okay, so I didn't shake it up that much. But I deliberately chose a male author, and the stories are set in a slightly earlier period. Plus I have TWO books to recommend (with more to come, I'm sure.)


Yes, I am finally reading P.G. Wodehouse!

Both of these books involve the garden-obsessed and rather bumbling Lord Emsworth, who hosts weekend parties where very silly crimes are committed, crimes that are perpetrated and/or exposed by guests using false identities. Lord Emsworth's featherbrained son, Freddie, is always in the thick of the trouble, and we end up rooting for whichever pair of guests seems to be falling in love. Wodehouse tends to assign most of the cleverness to his female characters, which is refreshing. And what a surprise to encounter Psmith (the "p" is silent), who wears a monocle (see above) and talks a great deal of piffle! Was Dorothy Sayers inspired by Wodehouse when she created Lord Peter Wimsey? Or is it simply that all Old Etonians wear monocles and talk piffle? Hmmmm...


And check this out! I think the series is based on the early collection of Blandings short stories, so I'm looking forward to watching soon. Any fans of this TV adaptation out there?

Now for the tea . . .

The cup of tea on arrival at a country house is a thing which, as a rule, I particularly enjoy. I like the crackling logs, the shaded lights, the scent of buttered toast, the general atmosphere of leisured cosiness.

P.G. Wodehouse, The Code of the Woosters

I've noticed in various English novels set between the wars that bread and butter or buttered toast often feature in tea offerings, particularly in those gatherings that take place before guests return to their rooms to leisurely bathe and dress for a late supper. Buttered toast is one of my favorite things to eat with tea, but I always like to add a little orange blossom honey:


The bread for the toast is from Panera -- I love their country loaf because it has generous air pockets in which the butter and honey like to dwell.

For the tea I chose Royal Breakfast from Paromi, purveyor of organic teas. (I found mine at Whole Foods, but it's also available to purchase online.) Described as "a majestic blend of hand-picked black teas from the Dibrugarh District in Assam, India and the Red River in Vietnam's Yen Bai province," the Royal Breakfast is wonderfully brisk and satisfying.

(I also bought the Coconut Almond and just now noticed that they offer a Chocolate Orange blend. Wow!)

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Friday Favorites: traditional afternoon tea in . . . Vegas?

Last week while Steve and I were in Las Vegas we made a special visit to the Mandarin Oriental to partake of their afternoon tea.

It was amazing! Let me show you. (Click photos for a larger view.)


First we were served perfectly steeped tea -- Steve chose the Mandarin Orange (specially blended for the hotel chain), while I went with my comfort tea, Golden Tippy Assam. You can find the latter and much more at TeaLeaves.com.


Next came the tea tray -- isn't that a marvelous design? Our server suggested we start with the scones in order to enjoy them warm with the devonshire cream and preserves (we had a choice of apricot or cranberry). That's always seemed the proper order to me, you know? Sweet, then savory, and then MEGA SWEET to finish. Yum.


A close-up of the savory offerings -- curry chicken in sesame cones, goat cheese tartlet with apricot jelly, Black Forest ham sandwiches, and smoked salmon and cucumber. What a treat!


The "assorted tea pastries" had a charming holiday/winter theme (the snowmen were my favorite). Due to sugar coma, I can't remember much about them except that they were delicious.


One of the loveliest things about this experience was our view -- it was such a pleasure to sip our tea and watch the sunset.

This really was one of the best afternoon teas I've had in a long time. Such attention to detail in the food offerings! And the servers were attentive without being obtrusive. Highly recommended!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]