Afternoon Tea

386. Afternoon tea is a simple, light meal composed of three course of tea sandwiches and savories, followed by scones with clotted cream and jam, and ending with sweet pastries. Everything is bite-sized and eaten with fingers.

Afternoon tea time is around 4:00PM,  between lunch and dinner. The light meal is not meant to replace dinner but instead to hold you over until dinner which was usually at 8:00PM for the upper class.

The concept of afternoon tea started in England in the 1840s when The Duchess of Bedford would grow hungry and wanted a small bite between lunch and dinner.

With the new movie following the Downton Abbey Series coming out this past weekend, I found it fitting to enjoy this English tradition.  Rather than make tea sandwiches we rather made cheese and crackers trays with fresh fruits, homemade scones and jam. 

 And of course a variety of teas with the Downton Abbey original soundtrack playing softly in the background.  It was a lovely event shared with 5 lovely young ladies.  And after we enjoyed our afternoon tea we whisked away to the movie theater to watch the delightful Downton Abbey movie.  The movie was all we hoped it would be...a wonderful continuation of this engaging, charming story.  The day was a win-win.

“We must always travel in hope.”
— Carson, Downton Abbey, Season 5

“You are being tested. And you know what they say my darling, being tested only makes you stronger.”
— Cora, Lady Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 3

“Sympathy butters no parsnips.”
— Mrs. Patmore, Downton Abbey, Season 5

“There is nothing more ill-bred than trying to steal the affections of one’s dog.”
— Robert, Lord Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 5

“I’m a woman, Mary. I can be as contrary as I choose.”
— Violet, Dowager Countess, Downton Abbey, Season 2

“We must all have our hearts broken once or twice before we’re done.”
— Mrs. Hughes, Downton Abbey, Season 4

Four O'clock Flowers

385.  This summer I have been extremely pleased with my garden.  The greatest surprise has been my  "Four O'clocks".  I have an abundance of seeds and have packaged them up to sell.

This flower is an heirloom flower and the name indicates the time of day when the plants trumpet-shaped flowers open.  The flowers open in late afternoon, in response to a temperature drop.  Nocturnal moths and other nighttime pollinators are attracted to their nectar.   The name of the plant also goes by "Marvel of Peru" due to its native South American habitat.

The flower is hardy and grown as a perennial in zones 7b-11, but gardeners in other zones often grow these beauties as annuals.  They will self-sow also.  They can grow to four feet tall and three feet wide.  They are heat and drought tolerant and are a favorite of hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.

And the scent is very fragrant and similar to lillies.  

"Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."

~  Hans Christian Anderson

Chicken Piccata with Ziti

384.  Lemony,  cheesy,  warm and crispy chicken smothered with a lemon caper sauce nestled over hot ziti noodles.  Now that is an ideal meal.  I found this recipe that was Paleo, Whole30 and Keto compatible and it was so delicious, you could be fooled.

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This recipe is very similar to most chicken cutlet recipes cooked in sauce.  You can find this process in Polish, Italian, French and Russian cooking and so many other nationalities.   

It's what is for dinner tonight!  Try it!

Question:  "What is your favorite smell?"  "Basil or sautéing onions."  ~ Stanley Tucci

Chicken Piccata originated in Italy and was originally made from veal instead of chicken. Chicken Piccata is chicken cooked in lemony sauce and sometimes served with noodles. Piccata is a method of preparing food, not The dish as such : meat is sliced, coated, sautéed and served in a sauce. The dish originated in Italy using veal (veal piccata).

In Italy, veal piccata is considered as a “secondo” (second course) and would be served after the pasta course.