Tea Tuesday: Kick off the Season with Rhubarb Puffs

21 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Garden Parties

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Abbey Cooks Entertain, afternoon tea, brunch dishes, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey casting news, Downton Abbey Cookbook, Downton Abbey entertaining, Downton Abbey recipes, Downton Abbey Season 4, Downton Diddy, healthy desserts, Low fat cooking, Rhubarb Puffs

Afternoon Tea at Harrods

Canadians celebrated Queen Victoria’s birthday yesterday, one of our most loved long weekends. May 24th marks Victoria’s official birthday, but the holiday falls on the last Monday before May 25. While still proud of our English heritage, this holiday takes on a special meaning marking the unofficial start to summer.

The fear of frost has passed in most parts of the country so many worked on their gardens, others fought horrific traffic to enjoy Canada’s beautiful lakes, mountains and forests. Also known as the May Two-Four referring to the Queen’s birthday and the Canadian slang for a case of twenty-four beers (a “two-four”), a drink popular with Cannucks during the long weekend.

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.

This week’s treat are rhubarb puffs, a great little bite which is the cross between a muffin and a biscuit. Great at tea, brunch or breakfast.

Tea Tuesday: Visions of Sugar Plums and Cookbooks Dance in our Heads

18 Tuesday Dec 2012

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Season 3, Special Occasion

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Abbey Cooks Entertain, afternoon tea, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey casting news, Downton Abbey Cookbook, Downton Abbey entertaining, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey Party Food, Downton Abbey recipes, Downton Abbey viewing party, Edwardian cooking, Edwardian recipes, food history, healthy desserts, Sugar Plums

lovely tea from Style Pretty

Welcome Downton Abbey fans. Christmas is just a week away. Are you ready yet? Have you taken the ladies out for a relaxing tea to unwind? I do love the spa experence, but afternoon tea is so relaxing. Perhaps someone should combine the two.

Part of our holiday plans recently included a lovely holiday meal with Lord D’s foodie family; Lord C and his mother Lady J prepared a lovely turkey dinner for our extended family. Our son, Master S, is visiting from Australia, making it an extra special event. Shout out to family friends Lord E and Lady K who brought wee Master O to brighten everyone’s day.

Today’s treat is Sugar Plums. Do they really dance in children’s heads? They are really easy to make, and quite healthy for you. Bonus.

Tea Tuesday: Enjoy Simply Mincemeat Cake for the Holidays

11 Tuesday Dec 2012

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

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Abbey Cooks Entertain, afternoon tea, apple charlotte, cookbook on Edwardian cooking, Dan Stevens not Returning for Season 4, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey casting news, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey Party Food, Downton Abbey recipes, Downton Cookbook, Downton Inspired Cookbook, Edwardian cooking, Edwardian recipes, food history, Healthy Cooking, healthy desserts, Simply Mincemeat Cake, Vermont Public Television

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.

Tea Tuesday Serves up Healthy Pumpkin Bran Loaf Goodness

09 Tuesday Oct 2012

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Breakfast, Season 3

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afternoon tea, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey casting news, Downton Abbey recipes, healthy desserts, healthy tea loaf, pumpkin bran loaf, Pumpkin puree

Montague on the Gardens offers awarding winning Afternoon Tea in touristy London.

Welcome to Tea Tuesday, my weekly ritual of sharing tea with Downton Abbey fans. Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday. Lord D and I spent some time in the Kingston area, where the War of 1812 was fought; a special shout out to Eunice Chaplin, the owner of Blanche Dubois at Elysian Fields, the lovely B&B we stayed at in Napanee. A gourmet chef, she caters from her home and hosts a dinner club in the off season. More about Eunice another time, but if you are the area, Lord D and I highly recommend this great B&B with beautifully appointed rooms topped off with a gourmet breakfast.

Tea Tuesday: Make Quick and Elegant Low Fat Tarts

11 Tuesday Sep 2012

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Season 3, Special Occasion

≈ 2 Comments

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afternoon tea, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey viewing party, healthy desserts, low fat phyllo tarts

One of Churchill Salon’s award winning Afternoon Teas at the Hyatt Regency 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”. It is a sad day as we remember and reflect on families torn apart eleven years ago today in the 9/11 attacks.

Tea Tuesday was inspired by Christine, a young woman living 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. Today’s treat is a simple and elegant way to vamp up your tea or dessert tray.

Your Online Guide to Hosting A Downton Abbey Themed Party

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Appetizers, Book Reviews, Dessert, Drinks, Special Occasion

≈ 22 Comments

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apple charlotte, Colcannon, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey Party Food, Downton Abbey recipes, Downton Abbey viewing party, healthy desserts, online guide to Downton Abbey themed Emmy party, raspberry meringue pudding recipe, truffles, Waldorf Pudding

Downton Abbey fans love to share the show with their friends and family. The fabulous food lends itself to themed parties. In this post, I include a few specific ideas for planning a Downton party. Come back regularly as I update links to this page.

Want more? My new book, Abbey Cooks Entertain, is available for download here (click on the image in the right column), or you can order from Amazon. I hope to provide inspiration for fans of all cooking ability who want to take a Downton twist on casual or formal gatherings. It is pretty rare to get rich selling books, but every penny helps offset my food costs so I can continue to share new recipes with you every week.

Tea Tuesday: Have a Cup of Tea and Eat it, Too

06 Tuesday Mar 2012

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Season 1

≈ 6 Comments

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Abbey Cooks Entertain, afternoon tea, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey Cookbook, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey launches in Canada on Vision TV, Downton Abbey Party Food, Downton Abbey recipes, fruit cake, healthy desserts, Ritz London, Ritz London Cup of Tea Cake

Celebration Afternoon Tea at Ritz London

It is Tea Tuesday yet again where we take time to care and share.

If you have been following along on Twitter (@downtoncooks), Facebook or here on the blog, you know by now that I celebrated my 50th birthday on Sunday. If you know me really well, you will understand that I stretch my birthdays into a month long excuse to reconnect with friends. Aside from a brilliant gathering of family and friends at our home, organized by my amazing husband, I celebrated virtually with many friends and well wishers. I can boast birthday greetings from Hugh Bonneville (@hughbon) who plays Lord Grantham, and dear Lesley Nicol (lesley_nicol) who plays Mrs. Patmore, Queen of the Downton kitchen. I can imagine actors being adept at tweeting with all those hours of hurrying up and waiting for their next scene. Continue reading »

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

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

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

≈ 3 Comments

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chocolate souffles, Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey Party Food, Downton Abbey recipes, Healthy Cooking, healthy desserts, love at Downton Abbey, Valentine's Day dessert

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 »

Lady Sybil & Branson: Love like a Brownie

13 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by downtonabbeycooks in *About the Show, Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Season 2

≈ 9 Comments

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afternoon tea, applesauce substitute, Downton Abbey Food, Downton Abbey Party Food, Downton Abbey recipes, fat free cooking, guilt free brownies, healthy desserts, Valentine's Day dessert

Lady Sybil and Tom Branson go public (ITV)

Valentine’s Day. In keeping with the spirit, Masterpiece Classics served up a double helping of Downton Abbey romance last night. A great pre-Valentine’s Day date night in our home which we enjoyed, even though we had seen these episodes before. Love gained, love lost, wedding bliss, wedding cancelled, attempted elopement, a funeral, an arrest. Yes, Downton Abbey has it all, and it is all good.

Downton’s Daisy and the Humble Crumble

21 Saturday Jan 2012

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

≈ 2 Comments

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crumble, Daisy, Downton Abbey recipes, healthy desserts, Mrs. Beeton

Daisy, the sweet scullery maid (ITV)

Downton Abbey offers viewers a whole cast of characters to cheer and sneer. Drawn to the food, and a fan of the underdog, I quickly found myself routing for Daisy, the scullery maid.

In my research on life in the kitchens at Downton Abbey, I came across a special presentation prepared by ITV, who produces the show, entitled Downton Abbey, Behind the Drama.

A tour of the custom built set for the kitchen scenes is provided by the adorable Sophie McShera, who plays Daisy, our lowly heroine. She also speaks about her duties and her relationship with Mrs. Patmore. Charming. Continue reading »

Downton Abbey Cooks

~ Great food has a history

Tag Archives: healthy desserts

Tea Tuesday: Kick off the Season with Rhubarb Puffs

Tea Tuesday: Visions of Sugar Plums and Cookbooks Dance in our Heads

Tea Tuesday: Enjoy Simply Mincemeat Cake for the Holidays

Tea Tuesday Serves up Healthy Pumpkin Bran Loaf Goodness

Tea Tuesday: Make Quick and Elegant Low Fat Tarts

Your Online Guide to Hosting A Downton Abbey Themed Party

Tea Tuesday: Have a Cup of Tea and Eat it, Too

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

Lady Sybil & Branson: Love like a Brownie

Downton’s Daisy and the Humble Crumble