Friday, January 30, 2009

CLASSES ABOUT "HOW TO HAVE MY OWN TEA PARTY"


"How to Have Your Own Tea Party"

Classes begin February 21 through May 16th on most Saturday's at Bernideen's from 9:00 to 10:00 AM. Please make a comment on this post and include your email for additional information.



Class cost is $25.00 and includes a demonstration, work booklet, a 15% coupon good for attendee on day of class and tea and scones. Classes are limited to 10 people.

Topics to be covered include: The Tea Experts- who are they?, Let's Talk About Tea, Preparing Tea and Using the Gadgets, Getting your Tabletop Together, What Will You Serve? and Recommended Tea Party Books.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR VALENTINES DAY


Isn't Chocolate Wonderful?

Here is a delicious cake which you might
like to try:

BERNIDEEN’S  recipe for

 Chocolate Fudge Cake Oh-la-la: 

5 Squares unsweetened chocolate,

 2 1/4 cups sifted flour,

 1 cup sour cream

2 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt

½ cup (1 stick) butter

2 ¼ cups firmly packed

light brown sugar

3 eggs

1     ½ tsp vanilla

1 cup water – boiling to be added last

1.  Grease and flour 2 size 9 x 1 ½” layer cake pans, tap out excess flour.

2.  Sift flour, baking soda and salt into bowl.

3. Melt chocolate in a small saucepan with the butter.

In a large bowl beat brown sugar and eggs; beat with mixer at

High speed until light and fluffy, 5 minutes.  Beat in vanilla and chocolate.

4. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with sour cream until batter is smooth.

     Do not boil water too soon as it evaporates fast – Stir in boiling water – batter will

Now become thin.  Pour into cake pans.

5. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (less if convention oven – watch!)

6. Let cool 10 minutes +, cut around edge of cake with knife and turn onto cake platter

Fudge icing: 2 squares unsweetened chocolate, 1/2 stick of butter, 3 ¾ cup of powdered sugar,  1/4 cup milk, 1 tsps vanilla

Melt chocolate in small saucepan with butter…remove from heat

Combine other ingredients in bowl and then add chocolate mix…….beat till ready to ice cake

 If the icing is too thick- add more milk

*****sometimes I put cherry pie filling between layers

 

After the cake is iced I like to cover the center top with maraschino cherries!

I often bake my cake in 2 heart shaped cake pans and sometimes 3 pans…..it only takes 20 minutes if using 3 pans.

 

·       For cupcakes – bake 15-20 min


Thursday, January 15, 2009

TEA BRINGS PLEASURE

I have enjoyed learning all I can about having Tea Parties and using the opportunity to enjoy time with other women. I started this blog
originally on Word Press but now am going
on blogspot and look forward to sharing
about tea time and hospitality and other
interests.


I lady name Frances Vollmer in our church
 in Burlington, Iowa gave me this china from Austria below back in the 1980's and that started me down a road and I mix and 
match it with other pieces.



 I learned as a young woman that Mexican food was very "affordable". Guess what? So is tea! I didn't always have beautiful Old Country Rose China! In fact, I just got this earlier last year "by chance" for my 40th anniversary...for many years I only had mix and match china.

(Originally there was a photo here
of my Old Country Roses China)





 One of my favorite out of print books....
You can learn so much
from reading tea books..
I hope you will consider
the possibilities of this
"interest" and get
started this year - 2009!


Monday, January 12, 2009

USING AN UNUSUAL VINTAGE PIECE TO STORE TEA


Here is an idea for
you...using an
interesting piece of
furniture to put your
tea in.....

With winter in full swing.......look around the house and see if you have a piece of furniture that might work for you!

I am so excited about my new blog.. oops...I think I already said that!

My tea chest is really an old telephone stand from the 1950's. It works perfectly for tea and the little drawer holds the gadgets!



I love the event of Afternoon Tea where savories, sweets and tea are served.......today I will be joining a friend for lunch for tea.