Yorkshire Pudding Day for Sunday Favourites wth Chari.

On Sunday Great Britons everywhere will, hopefully, be celebrating Yorkshire Pudding Day.

Fotosearch image

To show my support for this wonderfully iconic British dish, I'm sharing a post from last year which was originally one of my Alphabe-Thursday contributions, and joining Chari for Sunday Favourites @ Happy To Design.

I should imagine that not many of my US followers know too much about the Wars of the Roses?
No, not the movie with Danny DeVito, Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner!

The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars fought in medieval England from 1455 to 1487 between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.

The name Wars of the Roses is based on the badges used by the two sides, the red rose for the Lancastrians and the white rose for the Yorkists. Major causes of the conflict include: 1) both houses were direct descendents of king Edward III; 2) the ruling Lancastrian king, Henry VI, surrounded himself with unpopular nobles; 3) the civil unrest of much of the population; 4) the availability of many powerful lords with their own private armies; and 5) the untimely episodes of mental illness by king Henry VI.Source:http://www.warsoftheroses.com/
The end result of the Wars of the Roses was that Henry Earl of Richmond killed Richard
Of Gloucester at the Battle of Bosworth, became Henry VII and went on to found the Tudor Dynasty.
Now, (or nethin as we say in Lancashire) that was a few hundred years ago and I have to say that there is still some slight rivalry between the two counties.



However, on our recent trip back to the UK we stayed in a great little gastro pub with rooms, the New Inn, in the village of Marsden situated in the West Riding of Yorkshire, just a few miles outside of Saddleworth, where my family now reside.
It was lovely.

In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Marsden like this:
MARSDEN, a village and a township-chapelry in Almondbury and Huddersfield parishes, W. R. Yorkshire. The village stands on the river Colne, adjacent to the Manchester and Huddersfield canal and to the Manchester and Leeds railway, under the backbone of England, 4¾ miles E of the boundary with Lancashire, and 7¼ SW by S of Hnddersfield; is a large place; and has a station on the railway, a post office under Huddersfield, and fairs on 25 April, 10 July, and 25 Sept.
Source: A Vision Of Britain Through Time.


Although I am a born and bred Lassie from Lancashire, (that is not me in the vt! I just wanted you to hear the tune) I have to admit that there are some things that the folks over in Yorkshire have done well, and one of them is to produce Yorkshire Tea!
If you like your tea strong, this is the one for you.
Check out this fabulous website to find out all about it.

Another very special foodstuff to come out of Yorkshire and one that I think everyone knows about, is Yorkshire pudding and if I say so myself the ones that I make are Historic!
In a good way!
Helping to make Yorkshire puddings, a traditional part of the family Great British Sunday Roast when I was growing up, was a treat for a young girl and over the intervening years I have tried and tested many different recipes.
However, I always come back to Delia's classic Yorkshire pudding recipe, (well, we do share the same family name: Smith).

I'm also joining in with The Tablescapers Seasonal Sundays this week,
click here to see who else is participating.

To market, to market, to buy.........?

Most Thursday mornings we drive to a nearby market town to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, we take our elderly neighbour along with us, too.
Some time ago he was informed by the "authorities" that he was too frail to drive himself and his licence was duly annulled, much to his digust!
We left in a hurry and I forgot to pick up my shopping list off the kitchen counter so had to try and recreate it in the car as we drove along.
Thank heavens I had a pretty little notepad & pen in my bag.

I don't think I could ever be described as a "girly girl" (I like to think more Wonder Woman than Barbie) but the fluffy purple feathers on the elegant strappy shoe make me smile.
Thanks KE, for this sweet Christmas stocking filler gift that brightens up your big sisters day.

This week, whilst Mr B was "parlaying" with the boucher, I meandered around the stalls to see what else might take my fancy.

Free delivery when you buy 6 chairs, today only.

I came across a woman who now and again sets up a small "Brocante" table and stopped to browse the ancient books displayed there.

I uncovered two antique, school textbooks: Le Livre de L'Ecole printed in 1890 and Lectures Faciles circa 1905.

Le Pont D'Avignon.
English schoolchildren learned this one too.

At just 2.50 euro apiece, I had to have them.

Just a few stalls further along, I found these beautiful tulips.

Back home again, one blue and white Quimper pitcher later, and voila!

Je suis une fille heureuse.

Joining in the fun this week with
Courtney for Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage
Show and Tell Friday with Cindy @ My Romantic Home
Liz @ Rose Vignettes for Fresh Cut Friday
Linda @ A LA CARTE for Junkin Finds Friday

 and
A Few Of My Favourite Things Saturday @ Bargain Hunting With Laurie.

Thank you ladies for graciously hosting these wonderful gatherings.

February National Food Days

I recently discovered a great website where you can learn all about National Food Days celebrated in the US.

Intrigued, I googled British National Food Days and unbelievably found just one.

But, what a "one" it turned out to be, drumroll please..................

the first Sunday in February has been declared "Yorkshire Pudding Day"

Click here to go to the Recipes4us.co.uk to learn how this celebratory day came about, and please join me on Sunday to honor this wonderful iconic British dish.

Meanwhile ........in the US, February is amongst other things
 Hot Breakfast Month
and the hot breakfast of choice here at the Presbytere is poached egg on toast. Mmmmm!

I don't know if you remember the scene in the movie "Julie & Julia" but Julie had a terrible time trying to poach an egg.

It didn't help I suppose that she hadn't ever eaten an egg in her life and sort of had an "egg phobia". 

During 30+ years of married bliss I must have poached hundreds of eggs, using a variety of methods.

Taught by my mother to use one of these, it stood me in good stead for many years.

A couple of years ago I discovered these little poach pods from Lakeland but couldn't get on with them at all, the egg always seemed to stick a liitle bit, to the inside.

A friend told me that Delia's method is foolproof, click here,  and it is.

However, I found the very best way to poach an egg in the Hairy Bikers 12 days of Christmas cook book which I blogged about here in December.

For the poached eggs, pour enough water into a large deep pan so that it is two-thirds full. Bring to the boil.
Place the eggs, still in their shells, into the boiling water for 20 seconds, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Step 1

Add a splash of white wine vinegar to the pan, then swirl the water gently to create a whirlpool effect. Crack one egg into the centre of the whirlpool and poach for 2-3 minutes, or until the egg is cooked to your liking.

Step 2

Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.

Keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs

Step 3, foolproof.

Do this and you won't ever worry about your poached eggs again, if only Julie had used Si & Dave's method, as shown in my photographs, she could have saved herself a lot of anguish.

Linking this post to Miz Helens Country Cottage Full Plate Thursday gathering and also Gollums Foodie Friday, you can click on the sidebar buttons too, to find mouthwatering food from around the world.

Bon Appétit

Victorian Inspired vignette.

I think my style of decorating could be best described as Victorian inspired, English Country.
Achieved for the most part with auction finds, inherited pieces, flea market bargains and contemporary accents.

Chandelier, painting, lithograph and mirror
 all found at the Bayeux Hotel de Vente

Vintage Malicorne faience duck vase,
handpainted with a breton musician on the front.
Souvenir of St. Malo.

Over the years these two books have been invaluable sources of interior design inspiration, they epitomise the look that I aspire to in our home.

From “Victorian Style” written by Judith & Martin Miller -
“covers all aspects of Victorian interiors. Illustrated with over 400 colour photographs, the book reflects the diversity and eclecticism of the period.....”
First published in 1993 and available on Amazon, click here.

From “Classic Decorative Details, author Lady Henrietta Spencer Churchill -
“with the help of this book, you can become an instant expert on collecting silver, glass and ceramics, find out how to hang pictures, display leather bound books and make dramatic impact with flowers and fruit”...........
First published in 1994 and available on Amazon still, click here.

Quimper double shoe salt, silver bonbon basket and spoon,
a trio of vintage Famous Five books.

Many thanks to our wonderful hostesses
Courtney @ French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday, and Debra @ Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday

The large mirror reflects the staircase seeming to widen the hallway even more

to Laurie @ Bargain Hunting With Laurie for A Few of My Favourite Things Saturday


Copeland Spode Italian plate, HR Quimper card holder,
 Old English, Poole silver dish, the perfect vide poche for my keys.



to Mary @ the little red house for Mosaic Monday who has some beautiful tulips in her mosaics today,

and Kathy @ A Delightsome Life for Tuesday's A Return to Loveliness Party inspired by Victoria magazine.

Click on the links above, or on their buttons on my sidebar, to visit these great blogs and see who else is participating this week.

US National Food Days

Yesterday we had fun at Jo Jo's Pie Party celebrating National Pie Day.

Like many of you, before I heard about NPD from JoJo, I didn't have a clue there was such a thing.
Well, thanks to good ole' google I have discovered that in the US every day is a "National something food" day.
Just look at the partial list for the remainder of this month that I found on the States Symbols USA website.
Click here for the link to the site where you can find out which particular food item is celebrated when.

January:

National Hot Tea Month
National Oatmeal Month
National Slow Cooking Month
National Soup Month

January 23 National Pie Day

January 23 National Rhubarb Pie Day

January 24 National Peanut Butter Day

January 25 National Irish Coffee Day

January 26 National Peanut Brittle Day

January 26 National Pistachio Day

January 28 National Blueberry Pancake Day

January 29 National Cornchip Day

January 30 National Croissant Day

January 31 National Popcorn Day


I just discovered that my birthday is National Chocolate Eclair Day!
How marvellous is that?
Roll on June!

Image courtesy of  fotosearch.com

What a great theme this could be for a birthday treat, I'll definitely be baking Mr B a Hazelnut cake this year.

Image courtesy of fotosearch.com

What's your National Day??

My apple pie.

On Sunday, all over the US, people will be celebrating National Pie Day.

I’m joining JoJo’s Pie party with our family favourite - apple pie.

JoJo has asked that we share our pastry/pie crust recipes, here’s  mine:

8oz plain flour; 2oz butter; 2oz white fat (Trex or Crisco); a pinch of salt & cold water to mix as needed.

Sift the salt and flour into a bowl then tip it all into your food processor, add the fats and blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of really cold water to bring it all together.

Turn out onto a floured pastry board and with your hands form the dough into a smooth ball.

Wrap the dough in cling film (Saran wrap) and refrigerate for about 25 minutes.

To make a deep dish fruit pie, divide the dough roughly into 2 parts. On a floured board  roll out one half to fit the pie dish with a slight overlap, add pie filling,  roll out remaining dough and cover the dish.

Crimp the edges together, roll out remaining pastry bits and press out shapes with pastry cutters or cut into strips, to create leaves, which is what my Nana & Mum always did. With a sharp knife make several cuts in the pastry lid to let out the steam.

Brush the entire lid with milk and sprinkle caster sugar over to ensure a crispy surface when baked.

Bake for 30 minutes at 200c or 400F.

For a tasty filling I always use 6 granny smith apples, (peeled, cored and finely sliced), 2 oz each of golden caster & soft brown sugars, & a pinch of cinnamon.

Confused about English Imperial/Metric/US equivalent measurements?
Click here for comprehensive conversion tables.

To quote Miss Jane Austen:

“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”

P.S.

I had planned on using these wonderful Williams Sonoma pastry cutters that my dear friend Sarah @ Hyacinths For The Soul sent to me recently but as I wanted to show you our family’s traditional apple pie, will save them for another time.

"Make way! Make way for Captain Toad of Toad Hall!"

When I was 7 years old my mother finally agreed with me that I was old enough to have my own library card and I was successfully enrolled as a junior member of Stoneleigh Library.
One of the first books that I brought home was the Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.
From the first page I was enthralled.

Charles van Sandwyk image
Source: Books Illustrated Ltd.

Although I liked Moley & Ratty and enjoyed reading about their adventures, messing about in boats along the Riverbank and the picnics (!)

Mole & Ratty enjoy a picnic.
Arthur Rackham image.

my favourite character was the Toad ~
“He is indeed the best of animals,' replied Rat. `So simple, so good-natured, and so affectionate. Perhaps he's not very clever--we can't all be geniuses; and it may be that he is both boastful and conceited. But he has got some great qualities, has Toady.'

He was so naughty and made my little girl self, giggle at his exploits. Always off on some adventure whenever something new caught his fancy and always getting into trouble.

Mr Toad of Toad Hall is probably best known for his love of motor cars, although his first encounter with one was quite disastrous and left him sitting, befuddled, in the middle of the open road after a road hog sent his canary yellow, horse drawn caravan careering off into a ditch.

Moley leads the horse drawn caravan.
Arthur Rackham image.

“Glorious, stirring sight!' murmured Toad, never offering to move. `The poetry of motion! The real way to travel! The only way to travel! Here to-day--in next week to-morrow! Villages skipped, towns and cities jumped--always somebody else's horizon! O bliss! O poop-poop! O my! O my!'

Image supplied by google

After this first fateful encounter he purchased and crashed several cars, until the day his three friends Badger, Ratty and Mole decided it was time for an intervention.

Despite their best efforts, the Toad  refused to reform and after escaping from them he steals a car, and lands in prison, where he is befriended by the gaoler’s daughter.



Drawing by French artist
Michel Plessix
courtesey of Floss



“When the girl returned, some hours later, she carried a tray, with a cup of fragrant tea steaming on it; and a plate piled up with very hot buttered toast, cut thick, very brown on both sides, with the butter running through the holes in it in great golden drops, like honey from the honeycomb. The smell of that buttered toast simply talked to Toad, and with no uncertain voice; talked of warm kitchens, of breakfasts on bright frosty mornings, of cosy parlour firesides on winter evenings, when one's ramble was over and slippered feet were propped on the fender; of the purring of contented cats, and the twitter of sleepy canaries. Toad sat up on end once more, dried his eyes, sipped his tea and munched his toast, and soon began talking freely about himself, and the house he lived in, and his doings there, and how important he was, and what a lot his friends thought of him.”

Tea & toast a favourite afternoon tea time treat.

Toad eventually escapes from prison, with the girl’s help, dressed as a washerwoman and is reunited with his friends but not before having many more Wild Adventures along the way.

Wind in the Willows quotes from: Classic Reader.com

LINKING THIS POST TO THE “WIND IN THE WILLOWS PARTY” GRACIOUSLY HOSTED BY MAGS @ FRAISE LACHRYMOSE