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Tag Archives: Healthy Cooking

Tea Tuesday: More Rhubarb, Baked as a Gem

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in *About the Show, Breakfast, Brunch

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Award winning tea at Great Fosters (great name!)

Award winning tea at the Great Fosters in Surrey. I would go just for the name!

It is getting closer to the lazy days of summer, but for now we are still contending with May showers spilling into June.  As I was setting up for the large charity tennis tournament our firm co-hosted on Sunday,  I imagined lords and ladies gathering on grand grass courts on lovely country estates like Downton as part of their own charity garden party (S1).  Tennis is such a timeless sport.

As you may know, Tea Tuesday is a weekly tradition I started, dishing about Downton Abbey, featuring a new “Downton” era recipe. Refer to my Online Guide to Afternoon Tea, helpful in understanding traditions and recipes to help you host your own tea party with family and friends.

Since my garden is still oveflowing with fresh rhubarb, today’s treat is Rhubarb Blueberry gems (muffins).  As you may recall from earlier posts, gems were the little pans that little cakes were baked in.

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Tea Tuesday: Enjoy Simply Mincemeat Cake for the Holidays

11 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Dessert

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Why not host a Christmas Tea party?

Welcome Downton Abbey fans.  Christmas is only thirteen sleeps away, that time of year when we frantically  try to cram as much merriment as we can into a few weeks. Why not start a new tradition and invite your friends for a relaxing afternoon tea to help calm the nerves?

Each Tuesday I dish on Downton Abbey and other topical issues one might discuss at tea, served up with a recipe with history. You may find my Online Guide to Afternoon Tea helpful in understanding traditions and recipes to serve at your own tea party.  Today’s treat is  Simply Mincemeat Cake, from my new ecookbook Abbey Cooks Entertain.   A simple recipe which provides some of the flavours of Christmas without all the work.

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Downton Abbey and Thanksgiving “Makeovers”

26 Monday Nov 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Breakfast, Brunch, Season 1, Season 2, Season 3

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Getting ready to open its doors for Season 3

Thanksgiving in the US has past, and many are still savoring “leftovers” from huge family dinners.  I never really liked the term “leftover” as it carries a negative connotation, as if the food has lost some value somehow.  I like to use the term “makeover”, implying that yesterday’s fabulous meal will taste even better today with a few touches, and more love added in.  I often find that many dishes take on new lives when enjoyed the second time around. Today’s dish is a prime example.  Colcannon (a mashed mixture of potatoes and cabbage) is sinfully delightful when made into Colcannon cakes.  This is definitely a Lord D favorite.

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Downton Downtime: Pudding for Breakfast or Brunch

27 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Book Reviews, Breakfast, Brunch, Season 3

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What will Daisy be cooking in Season 3? (ITV)

It’s the last week of August and time when many of us begin to mentally prepare for the end of the lazy days of Summer and the return to busy schedules of the Fall and Winter season, when the kids are in school and superiors/co-workers are back from holiday with lots of great ideas to implement.  For Downton Abbey fans in the UK, the end of Summer brings a new Season of their favorite period drama. Continue reading »

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Tea Tuesday: Witty Downton Retorts Served with Custard Tarts

21 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Breakfast, Season 2, Season 3

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Award winning afternoon tea at the Palm Court in Langham Hotel in London.

Welcome to Tea Tuesday, my weekly tribute to the art of having tea. As Henry James once said: “There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.

I host Tea Tuesday each week, a virtual tea party which was inspired by Christine, a follower who lives in France, who was curious about English tea traditions after watching a few episodes of Downton Abbey. The British may have failed miserably in other culinary areas, but they excel in the tea ritual. Join me every Tuesday as I dish on Downton Abbey, the Royal Family, UK tourism and other topical tea issues one might discuss at tea, served up with a tea treat recipe with a history.

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Downton Downtime: Food Fashions to Expect in Season 3

20 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Garden Parties, Season 3, Side Dish

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In Season 3 Sybil and Tom sport 1920s hair     and fashion

UK viewers have only a few weeks left to wait before the Season 3 launch of Downton Abbey on ITV in September.  Sadly, PBS in the US, will not be releasing the new episodes until January 6th, but the internet does allow us a glimpse of what to expect.

We have followed the Crawley family from 1912, through WWI and have now, in Season 3 we see life in the 1920s.  We will see hair styles and hems getting shorter.  The food will also get a makeover.

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Downton Abbey Withdrawal? Everything old is new Again

20 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Breakfast, Brunch, Special Occasion

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Finally, a proper proposal (ITV)

Downton Abbey fans across America (and Canada) were glued to their sets last night to watch the season finale of their favorite period drama on PBS. Many got into the spirit of the night and celebrated with friends and family, dressing up Downton and serving Downton dinner.

My Friday post on what to serve at a Downton Abbey viewing party was inspired by a radio interview I gave on Thursday. PBS retweeted it which contributed to an avalanche of views yesterday. Thank you to everyone who came by to visit. I hope that everyone found something to suit their tastes. Lord D took pride in preparing dinner for us last night; his recipe for pork roast is still a well guarded secret, but it was heavenly.

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Welcome to the New World: Doubting Thomas eats Humble pie

16 Thursday Feb 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Brunch, Main Course, Season 2

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Cheers to Peace below stairs (ITV)

Downton Abbey fans were thrilled with the news in S2 Episode 6 that the Great War was over, particularly after the previous sombre episode where Matthew and William come home wounded from the war, and William succumbs to his injuries.  Bummer.  At long last we will be able to return to new fashions, extravagent dinners, turkey shoots, garden parties, and other gaity that goes on in the life of the privileged, and those so happy to be in service to them.  Life does go on, but alas, not in the way that anyone had hoped.  Continue reading »

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Valentine’s Day, gone but hopefully not forgotten. Et tu soufflé?

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by in *About the Show, Dessert, Season 2

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Our favorite Downton couples

I awoke this morning to the sweet words of my husband, “Happy Valentine’s Day, my love”.  No, he was not a day late:  in our home, we celebrate love every day.  I freely admit that he is definitely more romantic than I.  He introduced me to Downton Abbey, and sometimes gets husbands into trouble with their wives when he is seen opening my car door, and showering me with compliments and flowers. Continue reading »

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If food be the music of love, cook on…how about some chicken soup?

14 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Season 1, Soups

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…isn’t that how Shakespeare phrased it?! Perhaps not, but I do often explain my passion for food as an outward expression of my love for family and friends.  I strongly believe that those who love to cook are more interested in the pleasure it gives others than to themselves.  I love chocolate, but wouldn’t dare have more than one of my own swiss chocolate truffles (recipes for another time): I live to see the expressions on the faces of those lucky chocoholics who consume them in front of me.  Continue reading »

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