So the boys are now nearing the end of week two of their summer holidays....the pace has definitely slowed a lot and relaxing the routines has certainly been welcome.
With dog-walking normally done while the boys are in school, Chester's walks have been varied and noisier recently!
Rain or shine, we've been at the beach which has been great fun taking time to 'see' the things the boys see. We've collected pebbles, shells, fossils, smoothed glass.......
(I have quite a growing collection of little pebbles of glass now, with no real thought as to why!)
Yesterday, to ring the changes, we invited some family for a high-tea......I do love to sit and look through my cookbooks and plan a meal or party......aside from eating, it is one of my favourite things to do.....maybe it is the anticipation of the eating!
The boys got involved by making a menu for our guests.........
While I got on with the baking....Chocolate biscuit bars, Rose flavoured cupcakes, Courgette, walnut and cinnamon cake and Mixed berry muffins
All of the recipes came from this book.....so many lovely things to choose from. I also made cheese muffins from the recipe page on Nattie's lovely blog Florence and Rose....these have become a family favourite (and famously, some months ago, Chester, the constantly hungry beagle, ate one in less than a second off an unattended plate!)
The cake above had a mystery ingredient which I purposely left off the menu, as I knew one middle sized boy would refuse to eat it if he only knew......
Needless to say, it tasted jolly good and middle boy even tried a bit after he heard there was courgette in it!
We went the whole hog with cucumber and smoked salmon sandwiches.....washed down with a nice cuppa! I wouldn't mind eating like this every day of the week.
What about you.....what is your idea of a perfect meal? I like the tradition of high tea, with crust less cucumber sandwiches, dainty cakes (to be honest none of my cakes were delicate or dainty!) and tea in a china tea-cup.
Thank you for all of your thoughtful comments on my previous post....we are blessed indeed that everyone was safe and any losses will be covered by insurance.
Mmmm yummy scrummy. Looked like a perfect high tea, what lucky guests! That walnut cake looks enormous, like a tower!
ReplyDeleteYou've given me some nice baking ideas, especially the cheese muffins, I'm licking my lips.
When I get out of my sick bed the first thing I'm doing is baking!
Yum! :)
ReplyDeleteHigh tea with homemade goodies and friends sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon. x
ReplyDeleteYummy, wish you stayed closer!
ReplyDeleteI do envy you, living so close to the shore. And wow, those cakes, yum!
ReplyDeleteWe love hunting around the rockpools too, such fun! I love sea glass and always collect it :) your cake looks divine, mine ate corvette cake (with chocolate ganache mind) all summer too and there were no complaints!
ReplyDeleteYour High Tea = heaven!! It is one of my faves too... In fact every 4-6 weeks myself and my 3 best girlfriends take turns in hosting a high tea. Never tried a cake with corgette in it, but I'd love to try it. It looks delish!
ReplyDeleteLove the pics of your boys on the beach in their wellies... We have boxes and buckets full of shells, pebbles, fossils, etc. Great fun, but I think we may need to move to a bigger house to accomodate it all soon!!
Thanks for the advice on the hexies... I am leaning towards another cushion! :-) xx
Hey Faith, what a lovely post......love walks on the beach, I can imagine how much fun Chester and the boys have. I have a small collection of sea glass too, I just love the stuff. Glass a part of our everyday life has been tumbled and smoothed by the ocean and turned into beautiful little pebbles.......
ReplyDeleteYour High tea certainly looks and sounds wonderful, what a great get together with your family.
My idea of a perfect meal....where do I start, so many options, but I really love breakfast/brunch out with family. Good coffee, eggs benedict, a great start to the day, can't go past it really.
CLaire :}
Oh, tha tlittle guy is so cute I could just eat him up! I love the serious archeologist he's becoming! LOL! YOu never know?!?!?
ReplyDeleteYour High Tea is so interesting. I've been trying to make English desserts during the Olympics and I guess I should have consulted you! What wonderful yummies with a beautiful menu to go with it!