FORGET ME NOTS

Forget me nots.....

What says springtime more than forget me nots? Maybe violets and pansies do to!  And lilacs....and....

The beloved blue tiny flowers on this Japanese post World War II demitasse cup and saucer remind us of picnics, springtime and happy days!

I have forget me nots waiting to be planted right now - keeping warm in the kitchen trying to be patient!

When I was a little girl, these are the kind of teacups we collected.  You could buy them at the Woolworths Dime Store and many little girls collected them. I imagine many are in antique malls now waiting for some little girls to love them like we did! 

LEMON TART

I have been wanting to make this lovely lemon tart.  This winter while it was very quiet at my shop, I spent hours researching recipes and going through 10 years of Southern Living Recipe Books.  I have a file just for the lemon tart recipes and I did a lot of comparing.  I am moving toward using some organic and natural ingredients.  This is difficult for me because I tend to look at the cost but I am sure it is much healthier.  Can you relate to this?  Of course you can! 

I don't like those photos of the

 chickens in the cages .

I found this recipe in Sharon O'Connor's "Bistro" the CD and Recipe Book combination which features recipes from great french hotels and outstanding french restaurants in America.  I thought the recipe sounded delicious and it certainly was!

You are going to need a 9" tart pan where the bottom comes out!

THIS RECIPE WAS ORIGINALLY FROM  "Bouchon", a French Bistro in Yountville, California.

 For the pastry shell: 1 2/3 cups of all purpose flour, 2/3 cup of powdered sugar, 2/3 cup cold butter, 1 egg beaten

For the filling:  5 large eggs and 1 more egg yolk, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup butter and I also used the zest from
3 lemons- this is up to you!  IF YOU REDUCE THE SUGAR it will be more tart of course!
                                                       
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  For dough:  Combine dry ingredients and egg and cut in butter. Form a nice dough ball.

 It is suggested that you refrigerate this for 30 minutes before rolling out- you will have more than you need when you roll it out and put it in the tart pan.....

Bake it for about 15 minutes constantly pricking the tart with a fork to keep it down.  Sit aside to rest...

In a separate saucepan cook the filling ingredients which have already been mixed well.  I chose not to strain mine but had been careful to remove lemon seeds in the bowl. Simmer until thick.
Pour into the shell and bake 20 minutes.  Cool and serve.

Once you start baking you will be amazed how inexpensively you can make things that big $$$$ are charged for in bakeries and restaurants! 

TITANIC TEA TIME OR DINNER

Perhaps you are looking for an 

opportunity to get together with friends

 and do something

interesting and educational.

I can tell you that a Titanic Tea Party

or dinner is really fun and this book

will walk you right through the

entire event.

This is my salt

and 

pepper:

This book gives you menus from

the first, second and third class on

the ship and lots of recipes.  We did

this party before and we each picked 

who would like to "pretend to be" during

the party.  The food is really good and

can be assigned to different people to

bring to the party.  Even the third

class food is delicious.

THE REGENCY GIRLS STOP BY TO VISIT!

 I just had to show you these darling "Regency Period" girls who popped in yesterday at my store!  Aren't they cute and they made their outfits and Caitlin (2nd from the left) made their hats!

Left to right: Carissa Horton, Caitlin Horton, Elizabeth Barber and Amy Burch.

THE BLOSSOMING OF THE CROSS!

Yesterday we worshiped at Shepherd of Love

 Fellowship in Broomfield, Colorado and at the end of the service we participated in the Blossoming of the Cross which was a great celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.....