Saturday, December 5, 2009

MISS POTTER TEA EVENT

It was a lovely day for a Beatrix Potter Tea Event at Bernideen's in Old Colorado City. Here is a photo of Gwendolyn Simpich and her mother, Debra Simpich as they pose outside after Gwendolyn did a lovely presentation reenacting Beatrix Potter....




We had  some darling children listen to Miss Potter read and talk about her life....












Beside the children and parents...we had visitors from the Victorian Society of Colorado Springs who caroled in Old Colorado City today!


CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS MEMORIES

 Today I am sharing an old Christmas Memory...well that's easy because that was the year I got this doll back in the l950's!  My Mother had wrapped a box of paper dolls in "tin foil" (I think it really was tin back then) I crawled under the tree to try and peak in the box and the whole tree fell on me breaking some of the glass balls - what a mess that was! Boy was that scarey for a kid.

Friday, December 4, 2009

CHRISTMASTIME DECORATIONS AND TEAPOTS



I always love decorating but especially at Christmas...we have a live tree patiently waiting in the garage...a white fir....will show you later.  I grew tired of that old fake tree last year and decided it's day was over!





I have so much baking I want to do including steamed puddings. For weeks now I have been studying different recipes and am interested in one written by the Victorian Lady Fannie Farmer.

Monday, November 30, 2009

AN EARLY VICTORIA ISSUE ABOUT GEORGETOWN, COLORADO

My favorite place in Colorado was featured in the second edition of the original Victoria magazine.  I somehow missed the first edition but started my subscription with the winter 87/88 issue.  It featured Georgetown, Colorado and the beautiful Victorian houses there.........


I love the movie that John Denver made
there which brought interest to the little town:



This photo is of one of the pages
in the magazine:


Who doesn't love  Uncle Bud and the Buzy Bee Cab Company. This movie is hard to find...and this is an old video...but I highly recommend it!  I think it is out
now in DVD and we enjoy it at Christmas.



Tuesday, September 29, 2009

FALL WEATHER AND CHOCOLATE CAKE


Now that the weather is changing we will be spending more time indoors........Here in Colorado we had a rainy summer which is unusual and we seem to jumping right in on fall.......this weekend the aspens have turned in the mountains........


We look forward to using our woodstove and relaxing nearby. It's getting dark earlier now too!
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

1Grease 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 minutes