A PETER RABBIT TEA

I hope you love Peter Rabbit and Beatrix Potter because I sure do. Yesterday we actually had a little snow in Colorado Springs so I am still in a garden reflection mode as the garden isn't quite ready yet!  I had 5 rose bushes in packaging which I had to bring in  the kitchen.  When I saw these pictures back in my photos I wanted to bring them forward.

I have baked some lovely "Mrs Rabbit's" Currant Buns

 that you can make with your little ones......very easy!

Beatrix would say our table

 is "perfectly appointed

 and delicious"..

Mr. Jeremy Fisher

 has arrived early....

And other friends.......

And of course Miss Bella, the neighbors momma cat.....

The recipe for Mrs Rabbit's Currant Buns comes from the "Peter Rabbit's Cookery Book" which is now sadly out of print.

This is very easy to make with children...just combine in a medium bowl as follows:

8 oz self rising flour, pinch of salt, 3 oz butter, 2 oz sugar, 1 egg, 2 Tb milk and 2 oz currants Bake at 425 degrees for about 8 - 12 minutes

Watch for browning at 8 minutes

 Makes 12 

VINTAGE CANISTERS for "Friends Sharing Tea"

Good Monday morning and I hope you had a delightful Easter weekend!  The promise of spring is here and even though it is cool out we are seeing our backyard grass turn green and bulbs and plants starting to pop out of the ground. 

 I recently found a set of vintage tin canisters for $18.00 that I am sharing.  Many of the other items I have shared in the past too.

I believe these are called 

crinoline lady silhouettes.

Our hearts turn toward springtime teas now and I know many of you have this favorite tea book which is now published by Benjamin Press. 

I seem to love Tuscan cups and saucers and have three rosebud ones here plus a Clarence and a Shelley.

The coffee pot above is Spode and the teapot which is a favorite is Crown Dorset.

LEMON CURRANT SCONES

Good morning and happy forthcoming Easter!  I have set up a little tea time this morning on my coffee table near the sofa.  I hope you can join me as I even have some clotted cream for your scone:

This morning I used my sifter from when I first got married almost 47 years ago.  I have to tell you that I see this Bromwells sifter in all the antique malls and I laugh.  I guess that makes me an antique.

I baked some Lemon Currant Scones and you can pour yourself a cup of nice hot tea.  This recipe was from an out of print book called "Tea Time at the Inn" by Gail Greco.  Another favorite by Gail that is also out of print is "Tea Time Journeys.  Don't you just love tea books?  I have so many and really no shelves to put them on.  My husband has a plan though we are working on.

Can you believe we had snow on Sunday evening and early Monday morning.  I am so anxious for real Spring weather like many of you have.  Today it will be getting warm again which will be lovely!  I find it hard to believe that we have the possibility of frost until around May 25th.  Some of you remember times I have planted flowers and it has snowed.  I remember a few years back I had foxgloves all over the dining room table because I bought them too soon.

Here is the recipe for the Lemon Currant Scones: (originally Orange Currant Scones but I changed to Lemon Currant)

2 cups flour, 1 1/2 Tb baking powder, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, grated peel of 2 lemons, 5 Tb butter, 5 Tb shortening, 1/2 cup buttermilk and more for brushing (I used 2/3 cup buttermilk in the scones in high altitude) , 1/3 cup currants ( I used 1/2 cup which made more scones)  I also added the juice from 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Place grease-proof (not waxed) paper on a baking sheet.  Combine first 4 ingredients by hand.  Add lemon peel.  Flake in Butter and shortening.  Add buttermilk.  Mix gently,  just until ingredients are incorporated.  Fold in currants.  Roll dough out.  Cut out scones with 2"  biscuit cutter; brush with a little buttermilk.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.  Yield: 24 small

TIME FOR A BOUQUET

Sometimes you just have

 to buy some flowers:

Sometimes you just have to make a bouquet:

Sometimes to just have to enjoy!