Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Tex / Oriental Evening by Candlelight

Recently I found this black and white china at TJ Maxx.  I knew at the time
that my name was "on it".


I know you all have heard of Tex / Mex Mexican food, but have you ever
 heard of
Tex / Oriental food?  It is made the Tea Party Everyday
 way......the easy way.


Oriental Salad
DRESSING:

1/4 c. gourmet white wine vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
Seasoning package from beef ramen
oriental noodles

SALAD:

1 lb. pkg. cole slaw mix
Cut up green onions
Slivered almonds
Sunflower seeds
1 pkg. Ramen noodles

Mix dressing ingredients together.
Add all salad
ingredients together.
 Amounts depend on your taste you
 may use your own
cabbage cut up.
 Add a few grated carrots. Add
 dressing to salad
ingredients.
 JUST BEFORE SERVING, break
 up Ramen noodles
 and add to salad.
 Really adds a nice
 crunchy taste.



I will be serving the salad in these bowls.





For the main entree I will be making Green
Pepper Beef from an old recipe that
I found in a Southern Living magazine
years ago.




The most delicious Egg Rolls with sumptuous
 hot mustard will be
 "purchased" from my favorite Oriental eating
establishment here
locally and served on the new "take out" box
 plates that my
darling daughter gave to me. 




The centerpiece is my favorite Asian
 bowl
 of faux greenery,
 cloche with lime green paperweight inside,
 Chinese
crystal ball
handpainted from the inside, quite a
 feat of
artistic ability!















I found these white linen (hand towels), now napkins,
 monogramed
with our initial "H", and thought they would be
 fantastic with the
 black and white china.  And the best part, is that
 they were on
 sale for 50% off.



The whilte milk glass goblets are from my
 collection of different
patterns.  I find that using them always creates
 a conversation
about each one.


Fenton's Hobnail goblet


Tiara Indiana Glass Kings Crown goblet



I hope someone can tell me the name of this pattern and
who made it!



Westmoreland's Della Robbia goblet



This is my new white and silver flatware that I ordered from
 Howchow's a few days before their sale began.  But that is
 okay as it was discounted a little.















And..........when everyone has finished eating,
 I will serve the
 fortune cookies on the "ticket" plate.
  (also, a gift from my daughter)


Thanks a bunch for stopping by and visiting.  As always,
I enjoy
your visits and treasure your comments.  Please, always
 feel welcome
and I hope to see you again soon. 

 May everyday in you life be a .........

Tea Party Everyday !





Tuesday, May 17, 2011

A Spoon Full of Sugar

I am linking up with Wow Us Wednesday at Kimberly's.  Thanks for hosting!  To be transported to Wow Us Wednesday, just click on the icon on the right side of the page.  Have FUN!



Sugar was imported to America from England in colonial times.  It was named castor or caster sugar which is a very finely ground sugar.  It dissolves quickly in tea, coffee or cooking ingredients for cakes, icings, pies and other sweets.  Granulated sugar is a more coarsely ground sugar that is mostly used on American tables today.  However, the finer ground sugar can still be purchased for special recipes and use. 
                                                                                     

                                                                                   
Homemakers in the early times in America were proud to have sugar to serve their families and guests so special silver spoons and containers were designed by silversmiths to hold the sugar and were given special attention. 



This trio of sterling silver sugar castors were introduced around 1750 to hold the caster/castor sugar.  The sugar being ground so finely, easily sifted out through the decorative holes in the top of the shaker.  These are still being manufactured today for use in home.  Antique ones, such as these, are very costly and highly collectible.  They were, also, made in china or porcelain with sterling silver tops.

                                                                                


The two-handled vase style silverplate spoon holder (also known as “spoon goblet”) is uniquely American. Some were made to match silver tea services and were considered necessary to complete the service. Some were not produced to match tea services and sold individually.
Most had pedestal bases and some were produced with 4 feet. The vase shape was popular during the 1850s and 60s.   In antique shops you can still find examples of these and also some made in cut glass or pressed glass which I think were made later than 1860.




Then around 1870 the revolving spoon holder was designed and quickly became popular with the ladies.  They could be purchased in the one tier variety or the two tier type.  I think I prefer the two tier one.  I must admit, however, that in all of my years of "antiquing" that I have never seen one of these.




Next came the sugar bowl with the spoon holders around the middle of the bowl.  This type sugar bowl and spoon holder was very popular during the 1880's to 1910.  I am very fortunate to have one of these that I found in an antique show one time while visiting in San Francisco.
                                                                                                                                         





Technically, the spoon holder is for teaspoons, but I have used my collection of sterling silver souvenir spoons, more the size of demi-tasse spoons.
                                                                                                                    

                                                                                      
Note the silver plated foot (with the silver worn away) and the filigree with the Great Heron in the design.  We have a Great Blue Heron who lives in and around our back yard, so we are partial to Herons.




Note the art glass liner in the beautiful Robin's egg blue with the inverted thumbprint design.  I love the fact that my little treasure has this added bonus of glass and yummy color!





I have never used my lovely sugar/spooner at the table for actual use, but rather, display it on a table in my living room.  It is just an object from older times that is now a "pretty" to look at and definitely a conversation piece.  In Victorian times, however, this would have been used on the table.  I have read that Victorian ladies used only their best on their dining tables and liked to show their status in life via the china, crystal, and silver appointments set on their dining tables.   It was the norm to have at least four or five different type of forks and knives in the place setting of sterling silver flatware.  The following is a "must have" list for the proper Victorian dining table.




  I have to laugh as we sometimes dine so casually in our home with just the two of us.  If I were to pull out this Victorian sugar/spooner caster and expect Mr. B to use it, he would laugh at me! 



Thanks for stopping by !  Your visits mean so much to me, and I treasure your comments.   I wish I could offer you a cup of tea, but since that is not possible, may your week be a

Tea Party Everyday!!





                                                                                  

                                                                                    















Revolving spoon racks were introduced around 1870, a silver example shown here. Various spoon rack designs began to incorporate items such as vases, bells, & sugar bowls within the rack.




This silver plated sugar bow spoon holder was made between 1860 and 1899 by the Middleton Silver Company.