This mini cake stemmed from my grandson asking me the question "what is a sponge?" and simultaneously making sure I knew that caramel and bananas were his favorite flavors! So that set me on the task to figure out how to put all three together in one dessert that I could also serve for afternoon... Continue Reading →
Cheesy Bread with Herb Butter
Do you ever take a look at old recipe books - like decades old? I find them incredibly fascinating - what a window into the past and what food trends were popular then! I was recently looking at some of my mother's older recipe books, and I always find that she used to clip recipes... Continue Reading →
Blueberry Hand Pies
I've been craving something like an individual hand pie - something with a lovely, flaky crust that melts in your mouth, along with a nice sugary crunch and rich syrupy fruit on the inside. I also wanted them to be small enough to have 1 - or maybe even 2! - with my afternoon cup... Continue Reading →
Raspberry Rice Cups
This recipe is an old family recipe - one that probably was in a Lutheran recipe book from the 1960s at one point! But it's long been a favorite - We kids would have eaten it at any time my Mom could be persuaded to make it; my Mom loved that it worked well for... Continue Reading →
Experimenting with scone flavors
Not only are scones one of the fluffiest, most delicious baked goods ever to be created to be eaten with a cup of tea, but the possible ingredients and flavor combinations are simply endless. And I love to play with different flavors and spices to see what I can come up with. This time I... Continue Reading →
Smoked Salmon Tartlets
Presenting another savory salmon option for afternoon tea for you, inspired by a recipe by personal chef to British royalty, Carolyn Robb. I picked up her book recently, Tea at the Palace, and did my own spin on one of her salmon recipes. (And by the way, I highly recommend the book - it has... Continue Reading →
Pound Cake two ways
Even though a traditional pound cake didn't originate in the US, it still feels like a very American kind of cake, one that can easily substitute for the "shortcake" in a strawberry shortcake, goes well with a scoop of ice cream, and lends itself well to adding other flavors to go with whatever special occasion... Continue Reading →
Fortnum & Mason’s Custom Tea Service
An idea that seems to be catching on with some loose leaf tea vendors is that of custom tea blending. You tell them what kind of leaf, flavor, intensity etc. you want, and they blend a tea for you to hit all of your favorite, right notes. The first time I saw this at an... Continue Reading →