Oh goodness, but it is January...
and that means...
Official Hot Tea Month!
But then, it always is around here!
And are you still finishing up Christmas goodies? Because we are!
Afternoon tea today, on Sunday Twelfth Night, is just such a tea!
The Twelve Days of Christmas starts with the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day and ends on the twelfth day after, representing how long it took for the wisemen to reach the stable...
above is a stained hlass window by Burne-Jones titled Twelfth Night at Winchester Cathedral...
Well, I am sure you know it well, have heard it often and sung it a few times in the last few weeks!
My tea started with a gift book, The Twelve Teas Of Christmas by Emilie Barnes with illustrations by Sandi Lynham Clough...
a wonderful book with how to prepare for the teas, history around the teas and lots of wonderful recipes, all augmented by the wonderful tea themes illustrations.
A feat in all senses!
Add to that an Emma Bridgewater mug of a pair, a gift last year, illustrating the carol We Three Kings...
Even the box is cute!
Perfect for Epiphany on January 6th...
And our goodies are Ecclefechan Tarts aka Ecclefechan Butter Tarts or Border tarts... which hail from the Borders... between Scotland and England.
They are sort of like a mince pie, but I have always liked them better.
As with everyhting, I used to make them, but know prefer to buy a pack of Walker's with their shortbread crust...
They are often connected to the Scottish tradition of the New Year 3 day Hogmanay... some say because they go so well with a dram of whiskey!
Ecclefechan is in Scotland, actually not far from that famous placed, beloved of all historical romances... Gretna Green... where you used to be able to be wed by a blacksmith, across the anvil as soon as you arrived, as long as both parties said they were agreeable. Often provided was a bedroom next door....
No banns, so questions asked!
I couldn't find a good small tart recipe for the US, but did find this recipe for an entire tart on Epicurious... link below the photo...
Recipe link on Epicurious:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ecclefechan-tart-109500
Wishing you a wonderful week... with more goodies to be finished this week! What a shame!!! :)
Recipe link on Epicurious:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/ecclefechan-tart-109500
Wishing you a wonderful week... with more goodies to be finished this week! What a shame!!! :)
Happy New Year, Ruth!
ReplyDeleteLove the Emma Bridgewater mug. I'm also still consuming goodies from Christmas. Would you believe that I still have chocolates that were given to me in Christmas 2018! But they're still good for another few months (expiry is April 2020). Hee!