Simple Pleasures: Bread and Jam

When I was a little girl, I loved reading "Bread and Jam For Francis" by Russell Hoban. Perhaps it was that book that has instilled in me a love for the simplicity of bread and jam. Look at this yummy recipe for making bread.

Also, if you've never made your own preserves, it's really worth the extra time and effort. There is nothing that compares to homemade jams. We have 40 fruit trees at my house and have made many batches of peach jam. Now that summer is beginning and the fruit trees will be laden with ripe, delicious fruit - try your local farmers market for some peaches to make homemade preserves. Once they're canned, they'll last for a long while to be enjoyed again and again.

Read more...

Chocolat Chaud.

mmmmmm. Brings back memories of snowy days, Christmas time, ski slopes, and crackling fires. Somehow it feels right to drink it with mittens on or when wearing a sweater like this. Add a little spice like cinnamon or chili powder for a little pizzaz the next time you make a cup. Or, try using this recipe for step by step sweetness.

For a real treat, try Serendipity's frozen hot chocolate. A famous restaurant in NYC (like most of those crazy busy restaurants - book months in advance), its frozen hot chocolate has become as famous as the restaurant itself. Since its opening in 1954, it has been serving up this delicious twist on the traditional hot chocolate. Fortunately for those of us who don't swing by the high brow restaurants of NYC on a frequent basis, we can order this delicious dessert in packages from Amazon! It has become a traditional Christmas gift in our family. Try it. You won't be disappointed.

Photos: 1, 2

Read more...

On the Subject of Tea...

Caffeine, antioxidants, and shelves of flavorful mixtures - tea is quite a splendid thing. However, for really exceptional tea, Teavana offers dozens of fresh, loose teas. They sell white, green, oolong, black, herbal, rooibos, and mate teas. My favorites are the Peach Cran-Tango and the Queen of Babylon. Combine these teas with your favorite overstuffed chair, a soft blanket and a good read (Alice and Wonderland, perhaps?) and you're good to go.

P.S. Here are several classic recipes for scones, because what's better with tea than a piping hot raisin scone?

Read more...