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Monday, October 16, 2017

Tuesday Cuppa Tea With A French Flavor

Hello and welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea...this week with a French flavor!


We have been overwhelmed by the further destruction of the Nappa/Sonoma/Santa Rosa area fire...an area we know well. Having been raised on the SF Peninsula and spent many days and hours in the area, as well as our daughter and her family having lived there for 20 years raising their kids, so visiting often.
They moved about 8 years ago, and it has been devastating to them with friends and relatives still missing and massive proerty damage. It was a bit difficult to do a tea, but our daughter thought it a good idea, so...


My background is a Limoges Paris France souvenir plate, showing all the famous landmarks. I have been to Paris a number of times...with my Aunt when I was 20, when we stayed for a month on the Rue Honore' in a pensione. After I married, we spent a week in Paris with a nephew, and visited several other times while in conjunction with our annual month in England. 
As my husband's disease makes it impossible for him to travel that far anymore, we are so grateful for the time we spent there and the surrounding areas over the years.


The mark is one I can't identify. Limoges is often mistaken for the maker's name, but it is actually the town/area in France that has given it's generic name to all the potteries in the area. It's like some of English china says Made In Staffordshire...but that's a large are of many potteries. Because this was made in the 1950s it has the French Government La Seynie mark guaranteeing it was made in Limoges, and that is is fine porcelain. The C and crown is a potter, but not in any of my references....

  
My teacup is actually a teacup trio, made between 1900-1910. It is also from Limoges, France, but has additional information in the marks.
The marks indicate the pottery is Haviland, and it is one of the most beautiful Haviland patterns I have ever had.


Additional marks even tell me the designers of the pattern...GDA or Gerard, Dufraissiex and Abbot.



To hold our tea, we have something with a French accent, but from an English pottery made for Quebec, Canada...a Sadler Cube teapot, cream and sugar...


Sadler made the cube in several different sizes, from miniature to quite large. This is the 16 ounce size, so it holds 1-2 cups.



The other nice thing is it has a wonderful iridescent luster finish and comes with the matching sugar and cream too...


The teapot set was made in the 1950s. Sadler made a lot of souvenir items. Love them!


When you travel, you bring home small souvenirs...this is a miniature Arc de' Triompe I brought home...


And my miniature Eiffel Tower. My aunt and I walked all the way up to the top...it was amazing...and exhauting! They off for chocolate and croissants at a sidewalk cafe' in celebration....


For tea we have Harney & Sons aptly named Paris. I got a sample with my last order of Tropical green tea...which describe as:

A Fruity black tea with vanilla and caramel flavors, and a hint of lemon and bergamot.
Quite nice!


And for a French tea treat, madeleines! I have shared the recipe before, but here it is again from my post in 2016...they are so easy to mae, they appear in the cookie jar fairly frequently...



The recipe I used is from a smallish book titled The London Ritz Book Of  Afternoon Tea by Helen Simpson published in 1987...I picked it up at the Ritz as a souvenir after having tea there that year for my birthday....


I love the chapter title of the book which includes the Madeleines recipe...Foreign Cakes And Wicked Cakes...and says:


"Such cakes hold a frisson of wickedness to the English cook, as they glory in quantities of cream and chocolate and tooth-deep frosting. Sweet sirens of the cake world, they are as smooth and rich as film stars."

Little French sponge cakes Proust said were "richly sensual under it's severe religious folds"...well!

Ingredients

2 medium eggs
1/2 cup sugar
8 tbs or 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
finely grated rind of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup self rising flour

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Lightly butter 2 madeleine tins.
Beat the egg yolks and sugar until thoroughly mixed but still bright yellow. Beat in the melted butter, lemon rind and juice, then sift the flour over the surface and fold in. Stir in egg whites with a fork; then beat them well into the mixture

Spoon a small amount of the mixture into each mould and bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Cool slightly in the moulds before gently easing onto wire racks to cool completely.
Makes 24 madeleines



For more info on any of the china at Antiques And Teacups, click on the photos.



Thank you for joining me for my French flavored tea today. I hope you will join me praying for the devastation in California...and so many other places in the country...

I will be joining:

Here is the Tuesday Cuppa Tea linky for your tea related posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are patient...it's there!  I am so looking forward to visiting you!

15 comments:

  1. How thoughtful of your dear daughter to encourage you to have your tea party, Ruth. I'm so sorry that they have friends and family missing.
    Your French inspired tea takes us away to a wonderful spot. Thank you for sharing your Madeleine recipe with us. I would love to share one with you. Thank you for hosting and sharing!

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  2. Such a tragedy to lose all those lovely areas! There have been some terrible fires this year both here in Canada and in the US. I hope your daughter hears from her friends soon.
    I really enjoyed your French inspired tea, Ruth. Love the Sadler pieces and the Haviland/Limoges teacup trio is simply darling! It is so beautifully done and so delicate. I like Madeleines but my hubby doesn't so I have never made them. I pick up a package every once in a while from a coffee shop and have them all to myself. Thank you for sharing your interesting post and have a lovely week.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  3. Everything is so beautiful, Ruth. I love the Eiffel Tower plate. I love traveling to Paris and my heart breaks whenever it is attacked. The Haviland trio is gorgeous too, one of my favorite makers. I have been praying for CA....Christine

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  4. I also wanted to add that PD has not stopped us from traveling. We bring a scooter, EV rider, and it is very convenient esp. when cruising. You might want to check it out.....Christine

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  5. Thanks for hosting even in sad moments,Ruth...The Haviland Tea set is my favourite,just wonderful.I love sévres.God bless all of you.Hugs,Maristella.

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  6. Oh what a fun post Ruth and that plate with the Eiffel Tower is wonderful. I wondered if you ever figured out who got the root canal....not me. I have plenty already though! Ha! I won't be having a party this week as our computer! seems to be ill and is in the shop! This was an extra fun post

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  7. This has been one of the worst wildfire season in years. The brave firefighters and fire victims are in my thoughts.

    Your Haviland teacup is stunning. I especially like the gold trim. I didn't realize that Sadler did souvenir teapots. I also enjoyed Harney and Sons' Paris tea. Thank you for hosting and have a wonderful week!

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  8. My granddaughter was up there and almost couldnt get out she called crying it took her four hours to get here to San Francisco.. just terrible and sad.. I always wanted to make madelines I have one tins I bought years ago and havent done it. But im gling to try this recipes.. nice post with love Janice

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  9. Ruth, thank you for hosting. I'm bringing a tea giveaway to the party this week. Love this post and the beautiful trio and the gorgeous madeleines!

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  10. PS I had been planning a trip to Napa and for some reason decided to visit another wine area instead, about 5 hours south of Napa. Then the fires started. So terribly sad!

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  11. Your tea set is lovely and would be wonderful to display. While I love floral, that souvenir set would easily fit in with any cups and would be versatile.

    My hometown is Sonoma CA. They are getting back on their feet. My mom just sold her house in Sonoma last July and moved to NV.

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  12. That is a beautiful! I get more of an understanding daily of the kingdom! It is awesome! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!

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  13. Such a beautiful post!
    Amber
    followtheyellobrickhome.com

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  14. A very beautiful post and lots of lovely treasures. Thank you for sharing and have a great weekend. HPS!

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  15. So glad you had the tea Ruth! Hubby and I have spent time in that area as well and the devastation breaks my heart! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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Thanks for visiting and we love to hear from you! We read every comment. If my husband's health permits, I love to visit andreply. Have a wonderful day and a cuppa tea always at hand! :)