OLD ORIGINAL BOOKBINDER'S APPLE WALNUT PIE for "Tea In The Garden"

 We have had some apples on our kitchen counter for far too many days.  Today I thought I better do something with them.  I have been trying some recipes from an old Victoria cookbook that was published in 1997 called "Sweet Baking".

This pie is different than the usual apple

pie because it has a lot of sour cream in it.

I set a little tea table up out on the deck

off the kitchen:

Here is the cookbook I used from the

days when Victoria was owned by

Hearst Publishing:

I think I would add raisins to this recipe

and a little less sour cream.

The original restaurant from the 1800's 

is gone but Bookbinder's now produces

other products.

And oh my - we need some rain:

THE GATHERING OF FRIENDS for "Friends Sharing Tea"

Over the holidays I was invited

to have lunch with tea at Janice's

home...it was great fun.  She blogs
at "Curtains In My Tree"  This is
my kitchen table below where I am
enjoying tea now.  Also, you see,
your cup is poured too!

 Janice introduced me to some
 books I had not heard about before
 but immediately wanted.

The books are called "The Gathering

of Friends" and there are 7 volumes filled

with recipes and decorating ideas.
They are $32.50 each but I ordered a
used set on ebay.

Let's take a few minutes 

and check out Volume One:

There are wonderful recipes
 to make and decorating ideas
 and table settings.  I could sit here 
for hours just absorbing.  I think
wintertime is perfect for books.

If you want to bake my brownies - 
they can be found here by Brenda 
at Coffee Tea Books and Recipes.
I make these often.

A PINK QUEEN

What is it about the color pink 

that makes us so happy?

  Last Sunday I found this vintage pink "Queen" in a case at the Warson Woods

 Antique Mall in St. Louis, Missouri.
She takes me away to another time and era. 

I made the buffet runner or seat runner years back by sewing
Crinoline Lady and Sunbonnet Lady Vintage Linens together.
Here was my original post of that

 back in Colorado.

I am down in the  
 "Tea Room" today at the Buffet.

 There are no markings on my "Queen"

 but she has lots of

crazing and looks really old.

Wednesday night we had our first frost so I picked some
 of the last flowers before the frost.

I am sharing a simple dessert that I think
you would love from Clarice Fox-Hughes' book "Wishes Are Like..."  She has wonderful Italian recipes in this romantic book so I made the Lemon Ricotta Cake with Strawberry Sauce Topping.  This is her easy recipe I made for dinner tonight with some ricotta cheese and strawberries! 

Perhaps you would like to use this teacup
and have some of the cake.

WISHES ARE LIKE....by Clarice Fox-Hughes

I just finished reading this wonderful book.  I have been

down with my back after foolishly lifting something too heavy

last week.  It was a perfect time to read.  I had read Clarice's

first book already:

I did a review on "Wren Bay" here!

If you love homemaking, gardening,  cooking, romance  and travel, you will love these books.  "Wishes Are Like" is loaded with authentic French recipes that are easy to make.

  In Clarice's first book she introduces us to her character -

 the beloved Wren.  I know that I sure love her!

  I do recommend these books to young women too and Wren has ideals and values that are wonderful.

Four years after her marriage to Devlin, Wren and he journey across France and you get to go too!  It was when I read about Brittany, France that I thought of our blogging friend Magali in Brittany in "real life".  

I do think you would love reading these two books!

They are available HERE!

TIME FOR "TEA IN THE GARDEN" AGAIN

Hello there blogging friends 

and welcome to "Tea In The Garden":

I set up a little table for us to sit by the pond

and have a chat over tea.  I know it is
hot out as it is in the 90's most of the time now.

I wanted to show you a few

cookbooks I recently got at

my favorite "resale" shop.  
I haven't had time to just sit and 
read lately since there is still a list
of things to do after moving.
  I guess I need
a rainy day or better yet,  
winter is a time much more suited to reading.

I am also sharing an English bone
china sweet cream
 and sugar set
 which is made
by "Old Royal".

My English bone china cups and saucers are
 Kent & Taylor on the
left and the one on the right is Adderly.
The teapot is a little Sadler which has an
orphan lid which works just fine.

This Kent & Taylor cup and saucer is one of my favorites:

I don't have a wide angle lens but this is the
right side of our yard:

And looking toward the left:

I have been in a continuous cycle of trying
to stay on top of the June Beetles but......
it is tough!  I guess they didn't get the memo
that it isn't June anymore!

I do enjoy now having a selection of flowers
 in the garden to choose from for bouquets and
I will be excited to see how much fuller
the garden will be next year.

Sharing at:
  Saturday Showoff
Tuesday Cuppa Tea
Tea Cup Tuesday With Martha

If you are a teatime blogger - please join my party!

An InLinkz Link-up