"tea and a walking in the fields"

victoria sponge cake

at the beginning of our book this month,

before the "murder" happens,

laurel is daydreaming in her treehouse.

along with dreaming about a boy and growing up and leaving

green acres someday,

she is also thinking about the birthday party and picnic that her family is about to have.

victoria sponge cake and fizzy lemonade.

sounds so good this time of year.

this cake is also mentioned throught the book...

i did a little research and found out a little bit about

victoria sponge cake.

 

Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788-1861), one of Queen Victoria's (1891-1901) ladies-in-waiting, is credited as the creator of teatime. Because the noon meal had become skimpier, the Duchess suffered from "a sinking feeling" at about four o'clock in the afternoon. At first the Duchess had her servants sneak her a pot of tea and a few breadstuffs into her dressing room.

Adopting the European tea service format, she invited friends to join her for an additional afternoon meal at five o'clock in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. The menu centered around small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and, of course, tea. This summer practice proved so popular, the Duchess continued it when she returned to London, sending cards to her friends asking them to join her for
"tea and a walking the fields."
The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly picked up by other social hostesses.

Queen Victoria adopted the new craze for tea parties. By 1855, the Queen and her ladies were in formal dress for the afternoon teas. This simple cake was one of the queen's favorites. After her husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, the Queen Victoria spend time in retreat at the Queen's residence (Osborn House) at the Isle of Wight. According to historians, it was here that the cakes were named after her.

 

What is a Victoria Sponge cake? It consists of two light sponge cakes which are sandwiched together, with a layer of strawberry jam and a cream center. Sounds easy? Well it is not a difficult recipe but it is all too easy to get this recipe wrong, and end up with a cake that is heavy and unappetizing.

I have detailed tips and instructions so it turns out perfect

every time. Be sure to read the instructions carefully before making this cake.

The jam filling can be your favorite jam, not just strawberry; but then it would not be a traditional Victoria Sponge cake recipe.  Black Raspberry, Cherry or Raspberry Jam makes a tasty cake. So does Lemon Curd! Let's get baking!

VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE RECIPE

3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup super-fine white sugar*
3/4 cup homemade unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups flour
2-1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt

Filling:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup homemade strawberry jam

Garnish:
strawberry slices
1/4 cup super-fine sugar*

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8 inch cake pans and dust the inside with flour and tap out excess. Line the bottom of the pans with wax or parchment paper. Put the cake pans on a baking sheet also lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

Sift the dry ingredients together. (*For super-fine sugar, place the specific amount of granulated sugar in a blender and pulse a couple of times.) Very easy to make and less expensive.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a full minute after each addition. Slowly fold in the dry ingredients, and combine well. Do not over-mix!

Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans and level out with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes or when a knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Transfer to a rack and cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up. (These cooled cakes may be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months.)

FILLING INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth.

While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak. Gently fold in the strawberry jam.

When the cakes are cool sandwich them together with filling. Sprinkle the top of the cake with 1/4 cup of super-fine sugar.

how does this sound for

"special occasion cake"?

delicious to me:)

lets make cake this weekend!

if you decide to,

instagram us!

P.S. the narrator in the audio version of the book is fantastic...

soooo good!!!

bye...

more later...

cozy dinner. robyn style

robyn sent this to warm up our freezing cold weekend:

 looks amazing...

she says she let hers simmer for a few hours

and to serve it with grilled cheese sandwiches...

i am making it as we speak:)

thanks robyn...

what's warming up your single digit weekend?

bye...

more later...

bare-naked granola

dallys' granola

not really...

but it's close enough:)

super easy and delicious...

i absolutely loved that when dallys posted this on instagram

within hours, we were all making it, preparing to make it, or planning to make it...

i love instagram...

it's so great for families who live far apart...

thank's dallys:)

it's almost here!!!!

are you getting ready?

bye...

more later...

the thirteenth tale



“For me to see is to read. It has always been that way.”
― Diane Setterfield, The Thirteenth Tale

i have to say...

of all the books that we have read, this is the 

one that made me wish we had the opportunity to meet and talk about. 

it was really good and dallys and i kept calling each other and saying "where are you at?"

it would make a very interesting discussion.

here is a summary from goodreads

Biographer Margaret Lea returns one night to her apartment above her father’s antiquarian bookshop. On her steps she finds a letter. It is a hand-written request from one of Britain’s most prolific and well-loved novelists. Vida Winter, gravely ill, wants to recount her life story before it is too late, and she wants Margaret to be the one to capture her history. The request takes Margaret by surprise—she doesn’t know the author, nor has she read any of Miss Winter’s dozens of novels.

Late one night while pondering whether to accept the task of recording Miss Winter’s personal story, Margaret begins to read her father’s rare copy of Miss Winter’s Thirteen Tales of Change and Desperation. She is spellbound by the stories and confused when she realizes the book only contains twelve stories. Where is the thirteenth tale? Intrigued, Margaret agrees to meet Miss Winter and act as her biographer.As Vida Winter unfolds her story, she shares with Margaret the dark family secrets that she has long kept hidden as she remembers her days at Angelfield, the now burnt-out estate that was her childhood home. Margaret carefully records Miss Winter’s account and finds herself more and more deeply immersed in the strange and troubling story. In the end, both women have to confront their pasts and the weight of family secrets. As well as the ghosts that haunt them still.

both dallys and i agree that this one of the best we have read and gave it 5 stars...
i was completely drawn in, although slowly at first and then it was very hard to leave it.
everyone that i have heard from so far felt the same way...
we also had a little fun throughout the month...

it started with an official invite which arrived sealed with wax...

if you read the book you will understand the invite a little better with the seemingly burned paper and single book page...

we then had everyone post the invites on instagram when it arrived...

we also threw in a wednesday word...

#ghosts

here is a look at the ghosts and whatnot that 

crossed every ones paths...

we ended the month by having some ghost stories and our

2nd annual

"ghost story extravaganza"

in my backyard...

we

had hot chocolate and hot cider,

doughnuts and carmel popcorn...

i told this ghost story

around the fire

"the wheel of wasted souls"

which was the winner of the

"JFP creative frightening story"

contest

written by

http://www.teriharman.com/2012/11/the-wheel-of-wasted-souls.html

it was spooky and so much fun!

i want to thank everyone who played along...

if you were able to read the book

"the thirteenth tale"

i would love to know what you thought...

we thought it was just so good!

 

and if you didn't get the chance to read it, we are not having a book choice for the month of december so you could read it then if you want. it was definitely worth reading:)

bye...

more later...

matters of the heart

image of clay taken from here

http://claysnellgrove.com/

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ball-Player-ebook/dp/B007YK2CMI

I spend so much time looking for new books to read. I am always tempted to go to the obvious recent bestsellers and lists and whatnot in order to hopefully find something everyone wants to read. In other words I am always on the hunt for the next new book.

But …

every once in a while…

a book finds me.

The Ball Player…

This book found me.

And since I was personally guaranteed by its author of “passion galore”...

gosh...

how could I not read it?

So here’s the thing…

Just when you think you are reading what seems like an auto biography of a professional athlete you soon discover that what you are really reading is a beautifully written, heartfelt story about love.

In its purest and simplest form.

It begins with the love of Baseball, continues with real friendship and the seedy underbelly of sports and ends with the possibility of 

true love and forgiveness.

What drives a man to the extreme? What drives a man to do the unthinkable (in his own eyes) in order to play for a little longer? 

What do you do when you are “Born to Play Baseball” and the pursuit of that dream nearly kills you and yet you still cannot give it up?

How do you find a new dream?

Can you?

That’s the dilemma that this ball player faces. Along with the loss of his best friend and biggest competitor. He realizes that all his life he was driven by the competition of his lifelong friend and now that friend is gone and he feels entirely responsible and somewhat lost without that motivation.

I was promised “passion galore” and it truly does have passion. Maybe not the obvious “Fifty Shades of Grey” type passion but the deep down, sometimes awkward but definitely genuine passion that is often dismissed or skimmed over by male writers.

It was real and fragile and in its simplicity, that much more moving.

 This story is honest and so exposed.

I loved it.

Mr. Snellgrove is  

a beautiful writer with something deep that needs to be said. 

I hope there is more…

and clay...

thank you for liking my seemingly meaningless picture on instagram and helping this book find me...

i truly did dig it:)

to purchase click here

"she was part of everything i had done since being born again under the half moon of a humid summer sky."

"for one night i was able to see without light, breathe without air, and experience my soul living inside another."

from the "the ball player"

by clay snellgrove

~~~~~~~~~~

bye...

more later...

games and such

enders game

Enders Game Review

 by Matt

Enders Game was a very good read/listen, if you don't know I generally listen to books from Audible rather than read them.  It is easier for me because it gives me something to do while I drive to work or workout in the fitness center.

Anyway, Enders Game is about a young boy name Andrew Wiggins, he lives in the future and was monitored by the government since he was a baby to see if he has the ability/capability to fight against the aliens called buggers.  The earth was attacked 80 years earlier by the buggers but found a way to repel them.  However, now the fear is the buggers will return, so the earth is preparing for the second wave and looking for leaders and warriors to help beat them.

Andrews nickname is Enders, hence Enders Game.  Ender is chosen to attend special training to help him become a fighter pilot in the battle against the buggers.  Enders game takes you through his training, which Ender excels at. The training uses war games and computer simulation to provide situations that may occur during war with the buggers.  I really liked how the author told the story, Ender is manipulated to train and fight.  It has an interesting ending and I would recommend it especially for younger readers.

ps...

definitely a boy book:)

well, here is a look at some of the fun we had in july...

apparently we have lots of treasures and are incredibly blessed:)

thanks you guys for all the participation in our wednesday word fun.

now on to a different feel...

gone (at least momentarily)

are the patriotic fireworks and meyhem of july

(anybody else feel that july is always jam packed?)

and on to the

hot august nights

and spookyish books...

maybe a little jam making

and tomato dinners on the porch...

share if you want and have fun with the witches or whatever you are reading...

love you all!

bye...

more later...