National Tea Day in the UK April 21st

April 21st is National Tea Day in the UK....

I love that there are National Days revolving around something I enjoy so much.

A chart of the perfect cuppa from the Royal British Standards Institute...

And Lyons reminds us there are so many ways to drink it... black tea above...

Or maybe this chart from Yorkshire tea... :)

Some of these made me giggle...

So, what ever time it is... it's Time For Tea!

The coronavirus has changed activities for National Tea Day, but they substituted virtual "teality" tea parties. The day has a website, and you can see more of the activities online and on Facebook...

https://www.nationalteaday.co.uk/

So... with my Rosina teacup....wishing you a Happy Tea Day!

Strawberry And Silver Teatime

Hello! I hope you are all well and enjoying your forced sabbatical from "normal" life.

We had our groceries delivered a few days ago, and they had some fresh organic strawberries. I couldn't resist!

I put together a strawberry and silver tea in the sunroom...

I had just listed a Hammersley, England Strawberry Ripe pattern strawberry basket, and thought I would use it, as I seldom find one with all the parts...

The pattern is so pretty! Strawberry sets always have a pitcher for cream and either s sugar basin or sugar shaker depending on age and maker. 

This set has has the cream and sugar basin that fit in clever incorporated wells...

I must say, you usually are missing the cream and sugar...

This 3 piece bone china was made in England between 1974-1989 when Hammersley was part of the Spode Group. The pottery was closed and the Hammersley name discontinued in 1989.

I have included this silver strawberry fork, in case you haven't seen one, as they are pretty rare. The Victorians loved having a special utensil for everything, and these were for strawberries.

This particular silver fork was made by by WM Rogers and Son Silver Company, USA in AA plate, which was a top quality heavy plate, in the 1913-1920s and is in the Fair Oak pattern.

To serve the strawberries, I used a set of cut crystal berry bowls in a pretty pattern with feet...

I don't know the maker, but are American and date to the 1950s with a pretty pattern of arches, diamonds etc.

For the sugar, in this case Demarara, I have another Victorian specialty... a sugar sifting spoon. They were designed to sift Demarar or powdered sugar on muffins and crumpets, but work well with Demarara too.

This American silver spoon was made between 1890-1910, but doesn't have a maker mark so I am unsure of the silversmith. Love the shaped holes!

The spoons are a set of 3 sterling silver teaspoons in a French inspired fleur d'lis art nouveau style made by Geo. Shiebler & Company, USA in the Clematis pattern and retailed by Sanders Silver Company, USA in the 1890s.

I always love it when the retailer is identified too. This is during the time Tiffany & Company was importing and retailing many things under their own name, and the Sanders store did as well.

Wishing you health and peace... and a cup pf tea or two!

My wish for you this week, as we all probably need this...

Anniversary Of The Sinking Of The Titanic, Edwardian China

I hope you had/are having a lovely Easter or Passover interlude, even if it is in isolation.

It is April, and new life is burgeoning around us... Swallows flitting, visitors to the birdbath, Tulips blazing in the garden... all from a different perspective this year. Here are pages from my Country Diary of An Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden...

But this part of April always causes me to remember the tragedy of  the sinking of the Titanic...the unsinkable ocean liner that sunk after hitting an iceberg on the night of April 14th thru 15th, 1912. 
So pivotal it started off the first episode of Downton Abbey! Remember?
And a reminder was brought to the fore by finding a tin of the Titanic Blend tea from Harney & Sons I reordered a few months ago, as it is a great favorite.

The famous White Star ocean liner Titanic sailed with custom designed china for first class passengers from the Royal Crown Derby pottery in England which were reissued for the centennial in 2012, so I am sharing a teacup and teapot from the Titanic china for 1st Class passengers...

I think the design is lovely...so elegant and classic. The cup and saucer is if I remember correctly 42 pounds, or about $60.

Click on the teacup or teapot to go to the Royal Crown Derby website to see what is available, or click this link: Royal Crown Derby Titanic China

Actual Titanic 1st Class dinner/supper menu...Getty

Below is the Titanic Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland that opened in 2015. When we were last there, it was being built.

The museum is on the site of the builders yard where Titanic was built...Harland & Wolff...and includes original spaces as well as an hotel, with lots of artifacts and interactive exhibits.

The building  was  designed to reflect  the Titanic, and is the same height as the ship...

Harney & Sons RMS Titanic Tea blend

It's a great blend of black teas with a wonderful taste. Delicious!

I don't have any of the Titanic china, but I do have this Royal Albert Crown China, England pretty cup and saucer which dates to the time of the Titanic.

Love the swags and rosebuds... you can see a similar Edwardian design influence shared by both designs...

Royal Albert Crown China, England... trademark of Thomas Wild from 1900-1917...
dropped the Crown from the name in 1917 and became the now household name of Royal Albert.
A Long history!

I hope you have a lovely, healthy week and can indeed stop to smell the flowers!

Happy Easter! Easter Bunny Cake and Eggcups

A Happy Easter to you... one we never thought to experience... each family in our homes joining via via technology to celebrate rather than joining our voices in song and prayer together in a group... but precious none the less...

Easter eggs, with the underlyng concept of renewal and new birth, are a traditional part, although a secular one, of Easter celebrations...

which brings me eggcups!

Do you know what Pocillovy is???

Collecting eggcups!

Eggcups have been around in one form or another for centuries. The oldest example was found in Pompeii and dates to 79AD

And they have always been a favorite in England and Europe.

Johnson Brothers, England Historic America eggcup in blue transferware ironstone

In form, they are usually a simple cylinder or on a pedestal with a foot, or in the case of these Victorian and Edwardian examples above, a combination of a small size for a boiled chicken egg and a larger cup for either a boiled duck egg or coddled egg serving.

The above is a single bone china eggcup by Shelley, England in the Dainty Polka Dot pattern...

they have been made in every material imaginable....

And are elegant or fun... like these shoe hose figural eggcups above... that surely were designed to remind us of the Old Lady Who Lived In A Shoe for a nursery tea...

And cottageware eggcups are so cute in a single, hoop or cylinder shape...

Porcelain with Daisies...

Bone china with red dragons.. from Crown Staffordshire, England in the Rangoon pattern...

Earthenware with fruit from Villeroy & Boch in the Jamaica pattern

Another Shelley, England in the Bridal Rose or Rose Spray pattern...

And many more...

Whatever your style or material preference, eggcups are wonderful useful, affordable and  easy to collect and display. 

There are collecting societies and collectors Guides...

Very fun! 

And from Victoria magazine... use them for small vases or place cards or favors...

I found this great recipe for a bunny shaped cake in Good Housekeeping magazine in 2011 and thought I'd add it here...as it's Easter bunny time fast approaching. The original diagram is no longer online, but I am thinking it's possible to draw your own pattern on parchment and use that. It makes a 13X9 size, then you can diagram it out.

I thought it was so cute!!

Pineapple-Coconut Bunny Cake

Serves: 16 

Yields: 16 servings

Prep Time: 35 min

Prep Time: 25 min

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 cup(s) well-stirred cream of coconut (from 15-ounce can)*
• 1 can(s) (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice
• 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3 large eggs

Silky Coconut Butter Frosting

• 3/4 cup(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup(s) well-stirred cream of coconut
• 2 tablespoon(s) well-stirred cream of coconut
• 2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 cup(s) (2 sticks) unsalted butter (no substitutions), softened

Decorations

• 1 bag(s) (7 ounces, or 2 2/3 cups) sweetened flaked coconut
• 2  pink Jordan almonds
• 1  blue jelly bean
• 1  red heart-shaped tart candy
• 2  (2-inch) lengths black licorice lace

---

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan.
2. Prepare Pineapple-Coconut Cake: On waxed paper, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In 2-cup liquid measuring cup, combine cream of coconut, pineapple with its juice, and vanilla.
3. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat sugar and butter just until blended. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 3 minutes or until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Beat in flour mixture alternately with pineapple mixture just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture and occasionally scraping bowl.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen cake from pan; invert onto rack to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, prepare Silky Coconut Butter Frosting: In 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar and flour. Gradually stir in cream of coconut until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely.
7. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in cream-of-coconut mixture. Makes about 3 cups.
8. Make a bunny pattern on parchment paper (Note: one square = one inch.)
9. When cake is cool, transfer to large flat platter. Using pattern and knife, cut out bunny's body and ears from cake. Place some cake trimmings on tail and ears to add height. With metal spatula, spread frosting over side and top of cake. Gently press coconut into frosting on cake. Decorate bunny with Jordan almonds for ear, jelly bean for eye, heart-shaped candy for mouth, and licorice for whiskers.
10. *Reserve cream of coconut remaining in can (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) to use in frosting recipe