Happy Summer Solstice! Celebrate with salmon and fancy drinks!

Looking forward to enjoying long summer days when temps dip below 90 degrees

Today marks the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. As noted in this morning's WSJ, which quoted the director of the Whitworth Ferguson Planetarium of the State University of New York College at Buffalo (whew!), the summer solstice "is the day when the sun takes the longest path from sunrise to sunset across the sky. And that translated into the longest amount of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere."

For those of us in Michigan, we know it's one of the great perqs of this time of year - warm days that can stretch up to almost ten o' clock at night. We can pack so much in this time of year such as twilight golf, evening deck sitting without artificial light and long boat rides after dinner. But, as much as we celebrate these long summer days, we know, first hand, of places north of the Mitten State that exceed even our fifteen hours of daylight - the land of our peoples: Sweden and Finland.

The brief sunset at midnight in Rovaniemi, June, 2001

Just over twenty years ago, our family traveled to Scandinavia, this time of year, to visit family and be tourists in the land of our ancestors. Although there were many highlights to the trip, one of the most amazing things to experience was the land of the midnight sun. While in Rovaniemi, a city bordering the arctic circle, we drove to a wide open park just before 12:00 PM to witness the slight dip, followed by the immediate rise, of the sun.  

Of course, while Scandinavia can boast making the most of a summer day, they do, indeed, pay the piper during the winter. Daylight checks out as early as 3:00 o'clock in the afternoon. (Makes us Michiganders happy to know, we're not the only ones facing dark December days.)

But, now to the celebration! 

Searching on-line, we found A LOT of summer solstice specialty drinks, along with some Scandinavian inspired menus.  A Bon Appetite article from 2014, which lists fifteen Scandinavian recipes to celebrate "Midsummer" (aka, summer solstice), includes salmon dishes and more than one Vodka drink.

Salmon is a perfect way to celebrate Midsommer - already on the Gulley dinner menu for tonight

We actually had salmon on our dinner menu tonight (courtesy my gourmet chef husband, Chris), but I needed to source some summer solstice beverages. Taking stock in our inventory, we were short on quite a bit (my "peoples" like their vodka 😊) , but found something we could work with courtesy the Alabama Chenin Journal and their "summer solstice" drink.  This simple, but elegant, drink has only four ingredients:  prosecco, peaches, sugar and mint. Although we were missing the mint, we decided to go forth.

Pairing sparkling wine with peaches for the summer solstice drink

With fresh peach puree, the drink does evoke a taste of summer and it resembles a bright (but brief) sunset, so appropriate for summer solstice.

It was actually quite tasty, but without the mint, it lacked something. Chris suggested a dash of lemon juice and that really enhanced the taste.

Procuring peach puree for summer solstice

Taking inspiration from this summer solstice drink, and looking for some tea connection, we tried a bit of French Lavender, a jasmine, white tea syrup, we purchased from Bingley's Teas a few years ago. (This also allowed us to pay tribute to the other half of "my peoples", the maternal side from France.) Instead of the peach puree, we simply poured the syrup into the flute and added sparkling wine. While not unpleasant at all, it is very sweet. 

French Lavender, tea syrup

Specialty drinks pair well with Tost and champagne

We also paired these purees and syrups with Tost, our favorite NA sparkling drink with all similar results as the "fully loaded" versions. 

Summer solstice (left) evokes a sunset

We raise a glass of summer solstice to you! We look forward to when temps dip below 90 degrees, but will make the most of the long days . . . before December! 

Make wonderful memories this Happy Father's Day: Recollecting on my favorite collector

My Dad and I, ready for our next photo op

I started the first half of this blog back in June of 2016. I'm thinking that family, dogs, houses, job-thing might have interfered with finishing it.  As I was recently "cataloguing" some of my blog stories, I found this draft and, this weekend, I felt it was time to complete it - remembering my truly wonderful Dad.

A month after Mother's Day, we all get a chance to take time and honor the other side of the parenting team, our Dads.  Although my father has been gone for over forty years, I think of him often and usually with a smile on my face. He was funny and fun to be with.  Growing up in small town in the upper peninsula, he maintained that friendly, at-ease manner that's natural in a place where no one's a stranger. He carried that endearing trait with him to Chicago and Detroit, the latter where he eventually met my Mom and settled in.

Sharing the stage with my older brothers

On Mother's Day, I wrote about my Mom and how even today, after she passed away in 2004, we're still connected by great memories and her expansive library that keeps unfolding new discoveries. I've found that same connection with my Dad, still linked by memories of  times past and a favorite pastime: collecting.

It's suiting that in between Mother's Day and Father's Day, I wrote about my visit to the Lightner Museum in St. Augustine. [May 13, 2016] The museum is an upscale hoarders paradise and Mr. Lightner believed everyone should have a hobby, - his was also collecting.  My Dad and I were similar in that respect, but my Dad's passions were mainly coins and stamps as opposed to tea cups, dolls, Wedgwood and (for better or worse) much more. 

Demitasse cups and saucers my Dad brought back from Japan

Although, there may be some overlap in the father/daughter collecting Venn Diagram with the tea cups. When my Dad was serving in the Philippines and Occupied Japan in World War II, he brought back a 12-piece demitasse cup and saucer set for my Grandmother.  Several years ago, it went from Grandma's dining room shelves to my house. They now reside proudly in my office bookshelf, showcased in perfect-sized cubbies.

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But, again, a little back story. . .

Although I was only twenty-two when my Dad passed away, if you were measuring quality vs quantity time, I got the former in droves.  He possessed a quick wit, a penchant for history and embraced nonsense with such a flair, he could entertain kids for hours, including his own:  me and my three older brothers, Bob, Glenn and Ed.

My Dad entertained us, but Easter photos were to be taken seriously

My Dad's goofiness was not camera shy.  He loved photo booths, and, in turn, so did I  - which back in the day, were housed in dime stores (geez, now I'm sounding old), not an accessory to a graduation party or wedding reception. When I was elementary school age, I'd accompany my Dad on trips to the store, and, if there was a photo booth on-site, it was never a question as to whether we'd pay a visit. Queue up that 25 cents!

My Dad, gold chains, sunglasses (sadly, poor 70's photo quality)

The photo ops continued at home as well. I remember when my oldest brother came home with a new-to-him convertible, my Dad met Bob at the driveway wearing sunglasses and a gold chain. Of course, the camera came out, too.

(So, okay, maybe, along with the "collector gene", I also got a little bit of the hammy DNA, too. . . , but to be fair, I think my brothers got some of the ham, as well)

We've all got a bit of the "hammy". My Dad labeled this, appropriately, "the clowns".

But, the one thing I remember most clearly is that I spent a lot of time with my Dad. Whether it was a quick trip to Kresge's or an afternoon at a coin show, I'd tag a long as his VIP guest.  As a kid, I took that for granted, as an adult, I'm grateful for all that was squeezed into what seems to be way too little time. 

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Now, back to the shared collecting pastime - as I wrote about my Mom's book collection still "speaking" to me, I find the same is true with my Dad's collections of stamps, coins and, most recently uncovered, royal souvenirs which was the topic of my February (2022) blog ". . .the other Anglophile in the family".  

My Dad, anglophile and philatelist

Now that I have turned in my nine-to-five corporate job for "tea and travel", I'm also enjoying using some of that spare time going through my Dad's collections, especially the royal stuff. Add that to the tea cups in the Venn Diagram overlap.  

Rob, Rachel, Matt and Chris, Father's Day, 2016

On this Father's Day, my husband, Chris, (also a super dad who can easily embrace the goofy)  and I will have our family over for dinner.  I'm also going to carve out some time to brew a pot of tea, browse through old collections and ridiculous photos, and remember my Dad, who was as outlandish - and priceless - as his gold chain accessories. 

Lemon curd from Barb's Tea Service "test kitchen": A perfect accompaniment to afternoon tea scones

Homemade lemon curd served with glazed vanilla bean scones

 

There are many things to love about scones, including what you put on them, be it cream, jam, or perhaps our very favorite, lemon curd. It's an afternoon tea staple and I always treat myself to a generous dollop (or two!) of this sweet and tasty preserve when served, yet I have never made my own - that is, until this weekend.  Long overdue, but the results, I will unhumbly say, were worth the wait.

Inspired by a find - and subsequent purchase - at Trader Joe's last week of the store's own brand of glazed vanilla scones (which are very good!), I reasoned if I wasn't making my own scones, I could certainly take some time to whip up an accompaniment to go with them.  

Freshly squeezed lemon juice, one of the 5 ingredients required

Realistically, when I'm thinking "some time" in the kitchen, I'm typically looking for something that doesn't take much time at all.   After a quick on-line browse of lemon curd recipes, I found one that I thought fit my requirements:  Perfect Lemon Curd from Allrecipes. It boasted: 10 minutes prep time, 6 minutes of cook time and only five ingredients. It also promised twelve servings - which, with three of us in current residence, that seemed adequate.

Cream the sugar and butter first

Add eggs, juice and zest

While most of the above is true, the directions can be a bit misleading. The recipe calls for all five ingredients (sugar, butter, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest) to be combined together in a saucepan and whisked together over low to medium heat. Sounds simple enough, but I was glad I checked the comments section before I started as some folks complained of bits of cooked egg in their finished curd. A few veteran chefs chimed in with sage advice. In order to avoid the cooked egg mishap, combine the ingredients as you would when making a cake. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the juice and zest.  Take that mixture to the saucepan and proceed with the whisk.

Place mixture in saucepan and whisk away

Whisk/reward, beautiful, glossy cured!

In addition, another slight discrepancy I found was that it did take a bit longer than six minutes to whisk away the mixture on the stovetop. However, patience is rewarded - the whisk/reward, as we say -  with a beautiful, glossy yellow pudding-like sauce, ready to be cooled down and make its way to your tea table.

Add plastic wrap to the surface to avoid a skin

Use clear glass to serve this pretty curd

Follow the recipe's tip to place plastic wrap on the surface of the curd when placing it in the refrigerator. This will eliminate any skin forming on the top. Also noted, the curd can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week before serving. How nice to keep lemon curd on hand to serve up not only with scones, but layer it with, say, fresh fruit in a parfait glass, for something quick-and-easy, yet tasty and elegant, for drop-in guests.

Tiny glass bowls add a special touch for individual servings

For presentation, we used tiny glass bowls we found in the back of our china cabinet (to my husband, Chris, I say, "see, there is a use for these!"), for pretty individual servings. The curd is such a bright a festive color, we think clear glass serving ware is the best to show it off.

Ultimately, the success of a good recipe is in the flavor, and we certainly found Perfect Lemon Curd to be very tasty.  Sweet and tangy, with the emphasis on tangy, and perfect consistency. 

We'll be trying out more lemon curd recipes this summer at Barb's Tea Service Test Kitchen.  Stay tuned! In the meantime, today's afternoon tea treat brings to mind an old folk song (slightly revised):

𝅘𝅥𝅯 Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is so sweet,

but the curd made from that tart fruit is delicious to eat. 𝅘𝅥𝅯

Tuesday Tea and Ton: The Duke and I, the first in the Bridgerton series with its own tea!

Bridgerton has inspired a new line of teas and a BTS tea talk!

Bridgerton is hot and steamy - and we're not talking about just the tea!

Our Tuesday Tea and Tomes feature has been modified slightly due to the subject matter of our latest book spotlight, "The Duke and I", the first of the Bridgerton novels which have inspired an ongoing Netfix series. The Bridgerston stories center on an aristocratic family with eight children who navigate high society, i.e. the "ton", in England's Regency period. 

If you love Jane Austen (and, yes, we do!), you will find much to relish with the Bridgertons:  there are plenty of balls, beautiful dresses, country estates and "Ambitious Mamas". Those among the latter category have a preoccupation in life and that is  to find - to paraphrase the opening line of "Pride and Prejudice" -  that single man of good fortune who must be in want of a good wife.  Like Mrs. Bennet, the ton is full of designing mothers seeking the most suitable matches for their daughters.

The Bridgerton stories do differ from Austen novels, however, in their sauciness. While there's little mention of public displays of affection in Austen's tales, there are plenty of steamy boudoir scenes detailed in Bridgerton.  

And, what could be a better accompaniment to such bodice-ripping reading than a cup of steaming hot Bridgerton tea from The Republic of Tea? (see tea review below).

Bridgerton tea, tomes and television, hot and steamy!

"The Duke and I" is the story of a single gentleman whose title of "duke" puts him at the top of the aristocratic hierarchy, making him highly desirable to both mothers and daughters of the ton. Oh, did I mention, that he's also tall, handsome and somewhat mysterious? It's the icing on the cake - or, perhaps, more appropriately - the heavy cream on the freshly baked scone!

Enter Daphne Bridgerton, a pretty and capable young woman, seeking to marry for love not just convenience. She enters "the season" looking for romance while maneuvering through the ton's sometimes stifling etiquette  and  battling with protective, but often ridiculous, older brothers. In addition, she  continually monitors the oft published scandal sheet from the anonymous gossip scribe, "Lady Whisteldown", in hopes of not receiving any bad press.  

A fun and fanciful read, cleverly threaded together with the equally sharp tongue and pen of Lady Whistledown.

One note of caution - the newer editions of the Bridgerton series include a "second epilogue" which continues the stories several years (decades) beyond. We found a few "spoilers" for future Bridgerton tales, so if you don't want to know outcomes of later story lines before they are revealed in the original books, hold off reading second epilogues until you have finished the series.

As mentioned, "The Duke and I" is the first of eight Bridgerton books, one for each of the Bridgerton children.  We've enjoyed the Netflix series and the books, too. Bridgerton brings a fresh outlook to the Regency period, including a resurgence in the genteel lifestyle (see our blog from January, 2021, Fancy tea sets surge in popularity, credit Neflix and quarantine). 

We're so fond of Bridgerton, that we at Barb's Tea Service have added a "Bridgerton-inspired Tea Talk" to our list of programs. For more information, contact us at barb@barbsteaservice.com. (gloves and ball gowns optional, although we have ours!).

The Republic of Tea's Brigerton blends, delightful to pair with your Bridgerton books

And, now that tea review. . . 

The Republic of Tea has a line of Bridgerton teas, and, not too surprisingly, we chose to sip "Duke and Dutchess" tea while reading "The Duke and I".  It is a hearty, but sweet (like Daphne and the Duke!) blend which includes natural honey, sweet blackberry leaves, and vanilla and orange blossom flavors mixed together with black tea. 

The tea label, which prominently features the Duke and Daphne from the Netflix series, instructs one to "sip this seductive infusion to ignite desire, and ultimately, devotion. Best taken with a big spoonful of warm milk."

In addition, may we suggest a few rapid waves of one's fan, especially when the Duke enters the room. 

Until the next Bridgerton season!

The next Bridgerton book, also Season Two of the Netflix series

 

Celebrating Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee! (We were at QE II's home when she became England's longest reigning monarch and have the mug to prove it!)

Ready this morning to share in the Queen's Platinum Anniversary festivities

This weekend England will celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 70th anniversary as the reigning - and longest ruling - monarch of their country. Many events are planned in London, most televised, over the next four days, starting with today's "Trooping the Colours" and concluding with the "Platinum Jubilee Pageant" on Sunday. According  to Variety ("Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee:  How to Watch all the Events"), the BBC, with an exclusive joint agreement with ABC, will air many of the festivities live.

Watching the Trooping the Colours this morning

Of course, we here at BTS, were up this morning, with our Queen Elizabeth-esque brightly colored hat and full pot of tea, to watch the Queen and the rest of the "working Royals" (and we know who that excludes) walk on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to view the traditional military parade. While the Queen looked lovely in a Wedgwood blue and silvery-trimmed coat and hat - and Kate, of course, was standout stunning in a white suit with a white and navy "hatinator" -  it was young Louis who stole the show. The four-year Prince, squirmed and waved and covered his ears when the planes flew by, exhibiting all the charm and irreverence of every little boy everywhere.

At Buckingham Palace on the day QE II surpassed Queen Victoria

At BTS, we are captivated by the pomp and circumstance of the Royals and have had the great fortune to visit many of their palaces in England, including the family home featured today, Buckingham Palace. In fact, my husband, Chris, along with our daughter, Rachel, and son, Matt, were actually at the royal residence in September of 2015, on the date that Queen Elizabeth surpassed Queen Victoria as England's longest reigning monarch. Rachel bought a commemorative mug, which still resides in my china cabinet . . . until she reclaims it.

Souvenir mug touts QE II's new record

This is mine until reclaimed!

We will be alternating hats and jewels during the next few days as we sit back and check in on the rest of the celebrations. 

To Queen Elizabeth II, we wish a very happy Platinum Anniversary. To Prince Louis we share your unbridled exuberance!

A picture of QE II at her visit to same hotel we stayed in Windermere (she, 2013, us, 2018)