And welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea...the one that I didn't use last week with my Honey being ill. I am happy to report he is making good progress. His chest xray this week came back with a good report...most congestion gone and no pneumonia...which he has a tendency towards having been an asthmatic child and further exacerbated by the Parkinson's Disease. I can't believe how much time we have spent in doctor's offices, labs and pharmacies these past 2 weeks. Whewww!!! Thanks so much for your prayer and thoughts. God is good!!!! If my Honey is doing well, then so am I!!!
I am having tea, as usual in the sunroom...really, the only place, as we have no garden to speak of, and no deck or balcony. I have a vintage embroidered cloth and a Battenburg runner from my family on our tea table with a tea time based around 2 Shelley China, England teacups I acquired recently in an unusual color.
The first teacup is in the Stratford shape, and is teal and white panels in a teal color referred to in the pattern books as Drake's Neck Blue or Drake's Neck Green....
As you can see, the teacup also has a wonderful gold overlay pattern and burnished gold trim. The teacup was only made between 1964 and 1966 when the pottery closed. The Stratford shape was one of Shelley's more popular shapes...and was copied by 2 other potteries that I know of. I love the shape...so elegant and dainty! The pattern is number 056/91...the 91 refers to the color.
The second Shelley is also the Drake's Neck Teal, but is on the Lincoln shape, and features an unnamed or numbered combination pattern.
This pretty teacup dates to 1963-1966...because the Lincoln shape was only made during those years. The exterior has the Fruit Center motif, but the center of the cup is a gold overlay snowflake, and there is a wonderful gold overly border pattern.
Isn't that pretty? A surprise at the bottom of the cup! I DO love Shelley patterns. And I think the combinations are a favorite, because they allowed the artists to create a bit.
Most combination patterns don't have numbers or names, and most were done only in a short run. So fun! For more info on the teacups at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.
My tea is a bit eclectic...I decided to show you the last Sugar Pine cone we have left...we used to live at a mountain high altitude lake in Northern California, Lake Almanor, in Lassen National Forest, for 30 years, and we loved to collect and decorate with the huge Sugar Pine cones. We have been through 2 moves since leaving the lake, and moved with several as momentos and decor...but this is the last that is left. Amazing how big they are, isn't it?
I also wanted you to see another treasure...this is a hand carved deer antler Eagle from Icy Strait Point in Alaska.
We have a friend who was raised and lives in the Hoonah Nation corporation who own the little known cruise port called Icy Strait. The port includes gift shops run by local Hoonah native artisans, and about 10 years ago when the port opened and we first visited on a cruise ship, we bought it from the artist. The carved section of deer antler is mounted on a piece of local work. It's about 5 inches high. We LOVE the workmanship! Okay...back to my Teal Tea Time to be alliterative!
I brought out the Sweet Harvest Pumpkin black tea to have today...I was feeling fallish! I am waiting to see what new flavors show up this year...nothing so far at our local shops...but we are rather rural.
And for treats with our tea...we have lemon iced cakes from a local bakery, and I made macaroons...what you can't see is the semi sweet chocolate layer at the bottom! These are my Honey's favorite, gluten and dairy free. I got fancy & piped these...usually just call them haystacks and use a spoon! You should feel highly honored!! Lol! Here is the recipe, which is for a small amount...but you can double or triple it:
Coconut Macaroons
INGREDIENTs
Butter and flour for preparing baking sheet and foil
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
SEMI SWEET CHOCOLATE PIECES MELTED...OPTIONAL
PREPARATION
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 300°F. Butter a baking sheet, then line with foil and lightly butter and flour foil, knocking off excess flour.
Stir together egg white, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and a pinch of salt until combined, then stir in coconut. Divide coconut mixture then drop into mounds about 2 inches apart onto baking sheet. This makes about 8-10. You can also pipe them...adding a bit of almond milk to make easier to pipe if needed.
Bake until tops are pale golden in the tops, 10 to 12 minutes, then carefully lift foil with cookies from baking sheet and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes. Peel macaroons from foil.
(I then melted a small bowl of semi sweet chocolate pieces, and dipped the base of the cookies into that, shaking the excess off and allowing to cool on more foil.)
This and the very top photo via Country Living magazine
Thanks so much for joining me...and I hope things will be more normal around here this week!
Below is the list of some of the blog
parties I will be part of and there is the linky for your tea related
posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are
patient...it's there! And I love to read your comments, and can find you to
visit!
Such good news that your husband is feeling better! The waiting with appointments is so draining. Hope you were able to get some relaxation this weekend.
ReplyDeleteYour Stratford shaped Shelley took my breath away. (I really do love Shelleys.) The gold designs and striped saucer make this teacup fit for royalty.
I'm looking forward to trying that particular pumpkin tea. Sounds perfect for fall mornings. Happy Tea Time this week!
Hi Ruth,
ReplyDeleteSo glad for the good report on your Honey. :) I know that has to be such a relief.
Your teacup is gorgeous and your treats look delicious! Those lemon cakes and the macaroons that you made, how wonderful!
Thanks so much for hosting and have a great week,
gina
I was happy to hear a good report on your sweetie, Ruth. Thanks for updating us with the news. Both of your teacups are just stunning, but I think my favorite is the one with the surprise snowflake in the bottom of the cup. Your carved eagle is a work of art, and the pine cone is a work of God's art.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to share a macaroon with you and a cup of pumpkin harvest tea. Thanks for the recipe and also for hosting! May this week be more restful and relaxing.
Ruth, I am so glad to hear your hubby is doing well! An illness certainly can drain one's energy. I adore both of the Shelleys. The teal is simply magnificent! Gorgeous little works of art! The pumpkin tea sounds wonderful too. Thanks for sharing and hosting.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
Oh, my, how I love those gorgeous teal teacups, and I really love hearing that your husband is feeling better! Yay!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that your hubby is on the mend. Your teal Shelley teacups are gorgeous! I especially like first teacup with the Stratford shape.
ReplyDeleteI think the pumpkin teas come out early in Canada because we celebrate Thanksgiving in October. I tried out the Sweet Pumpkin Harvest tea for the first time last month and enjoyed it! I've also had pumpkin chai by Davids' Tea and pumpkin spice by Stash.
Thank you for hosting and have a great week!
I'm glad your husband is in the mend too. Your teacups are gorgeous as usual.
ReplyDeleteTea with those macaroons it's simply wonderful. Than you for sharing the recipe too.
Thank you for hosting.
Have a nice week.
FABBY
Your teal tea time is so beautiful with the pine cone treasure. The Shelley tea cups and saucers are amazing. The flower shape one is so pretty with the white and teal petals. I have a set of six cups and saucers in this shape by Royal Doulton each one has different colors. I am glad your husband is better and no more doctors and drug stores. Have a lovely fall week!
ReplyDeletePam
Wow - what a great recipe. Sounds delicious. I love those pine cones and kept just enough fro Christmas time. We don't have those in Colorado but I sold lots of them over the years from California. They do seem to last a long time!
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth,
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you are back and hoping your hubby continues to improve. I love your gorgeous teal Shelleys today - they are so very rich and elegant. Your macaroon recipe looks delicious and they are so pretty on the plate. Happy Tea Day and Thank you for hosting Tuesday Cuppa Tea. Karen
Thanks for hosting! Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteHow charming a tea-time, out there in your pretty sunroom! The blues are simply stunning, against that heirloom lace.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I read a silly-to-me letter to one Manners Maven or the other, saying "Should I really use these blue dishes I inherited from Great Aunt Agatha and which I've wanted all my life, or just use them for display, because I read somewhere that BLUE is supposed to somehow kill people's appetites, and maybe I'd better not serve food on them?" Can you imagine?
Yours are simply stunning, with an old-world elegance in colour and shape. Now THAT to look forward to at four o'clock would enhance anyone's day.
rachel
heading off to see if I really DO have a bag of flaked coconut in the freezer---I've never heard of using almond, though I do use that in all peach and nectarine dishes, but now I'm craving macaroons. Those must taste like a delicate, dainty Mounds bar---my favorite.
Your tea cups are very pretty and the macaroons look so delicious. They are my hubby's favorite....Christine
ReplyDeleteHi Ruth! I'm treating myself to a teatime post this month--and a tea exchange that I came out pretty well from. Lovely Shelley's! My favorite, too. I've never seen the Lincoln pattern. It is very elegant. I shall keep my eyes out for it in future. This past weekend I was in an antique shop where there was a whole cabinet full of the Shelley's with the pastel handles (don't remember the pattern shape). I love those--the creamy color of the pastels make them look like candy. They were pricey--of course--but to see a whole cabinet filled with them lined up like soldiers made my palms sweaty! LOL
ReplyDeleteJoy!
Kathy
I always learn something visiting you. I love the color name. Drake Teal. Yes it is just the right name. Lovely tea, and I am glad to hear the Mr. is on the mend.
ReplyDeleteOh and macaroons are one of my all time favorites! Cheers.
Ruth: Your posting is included in the special featured posts for the week!
ReplyDeleteRuth, though I've never served soup at afternoon tea, I know some people and tearooms do, so I went ahead and linked my favorite autumn soup. Those cookies sound like just what one needs with a nice cup of tea!
ReplyDelete