Skip to main content

Reminder & Addendum

I just want to remind everyone that sour cherry season is right around the corner.  I've been combing the farmers markets for these delicious fruits so that I can bake a pie very soon.  Sour cherries are here for only a very short period of time, and depending on where you live, they may be available as soon as mid-June.  

Last year I was only able to get a couple of quarts of these fruits because someone beat me to the majority of the crop on the day I was at the market.  I'm determined not to let that happen this year!


This is what I love this time of year.  The bright cherries look so stunning sitting here on a milk glass cake stand in my kitchen, but rest assured, they don't last for more than an afternoon.

After I pit them, I mix the fruits with simple ingredients such as sugar, cinnamon & cornstarch or tapioca starch.  I make sure not waste one precious drop of juice as I'm pitting them.

Cherry Pie anyone?  This pie sitting here on an old-style wire cooling rack on the kitchen counter, was made last year.  I will make another in the next few weeks.

Consider this a little reminder to keep your eyes peeled for tart cherries the next time you're at the farmers market.  Don't hesitate to buy some.  Make a pie, bake a tart or make some jam to put up.  You're going to love using sour cherries.


As I was walking up the driveway this morning, I noticed that the numerous wild raspberry canes which grow rampantly throughout the grounds were getting ready to bear their fruit.  I'm not too fastidious about picking every single berry near the house, because I realize the wildlife has to eat, but I do enjoy some of it.

Nothing is better than picking a fresh raspberry that is still warm from sitting in the sun and popping it into your mouth.  The berries here are small, tart and concentrated with flavor.  

We sometimes eat them with our yogurt or add them to a fancy tart like the one above.  This particular tart was a simple pate brisee filled with a decadent creme patissiere which had fresh raspberries strewn on top.  

Delicious!!

Jadeite Addendum

As I was putting together the story for Collecting Jadeite last month, as you know, I asked a few people to share their images with me.  My friend, David Bondarchuck, had told me awhile back that he had a set of 14 Martha by Mail jadeite turkey dishes at home.  Naturally I wanted images of them and I finally have some to share with you!

David keeps these jadeite turkeys on top of his kitchen cabinets.

A small army of turkeys.


When Martha by Mail was selling "Martha's Green Glass", the jadeite turkey played a prominent role in their catalog & online advertising.  It's wonderful that David managed to acquire a collection of them. 

You can see the variations in color from turkey to turkey.  The ones in the front have a deeper jade tone to them, as opposed to the ones in the back which have a softer green shade.

A nice collection of Martha by Mail jadeite.  Thank You David!!

Comments

  1. JanetJune 8, 2013 at 10:25 PM

    I don't even know what to say...

    It's going to take me a while to get over seeing these photos... What an amazing collection!!!

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good Things by DavidJune 10, 2013 at 10:22 AM

    Haha!

    Yes, those turkeys are pretty amazing. I wish I had a whole set of them. Arrg! One of those MBM items that one should have ordered when there was a chance.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank You for Posting!

Popular posts from this blog

Antique Salt Cellars

There was a time when salt cellars played an important role on the dining table for the host or hostess.  As a result of it being such an expensive commodity several hundred years ago, salt was seen as a luxury and it was the well to do that made salt cellars quite fashionable & a status symbol for the home.  A single salt cellar usually sat at the head of the table and was passed around throughout the meal.  The closer one sat to the salt cellar, the more important one was deemed by the head of the household.  Smaller cellars that were more accessible and with an open top became a part of Victorian table settings.  Fast forward to the 20th century when salt was no longer a luxury and when anti caking agents were added to make salt free-flowing, and one begins to see salt cellars fall out of fashion.  Luckily for the collector and for those of us who like to set a table with Good Things , this can prove to be a boon. Salt cellars for the table come in silver, porcelain, cut glass
50 comments
Read more

How to Paint a Chair

If you have ever felt the need to spruce up a set of chairs or give them a new look, why not try a little bit of paint?  Our tastes in decor and color will probably alter throughout our lives, and at some point, we may find ourselves wanting to change the look of our furniture without having to spend a lot of money.  That's where a few handy tips, some tools from the hardware store, and good-quality paint come in handy.   I know I'm not alone in paying visits to local antique shops, antique fairs and flea markets, and falling in love with pieces of furniture that would be perfect if they were just a different color.  You don't have to walk away from a good purchase simply because it's the wrong color.   My dear friend, Jeffrey, is forever enhancing his home with collectibles from flea markets and tag sales.  However, certain items aren't always up to Jeffrey's tastes when he brings them home.  He is the type of person who won't hesitate to chang
6 comments
Read more

Vintage Wilton Wedding Cakes

Wedding cakes have certainly evolved over the decades just as tastes and styles have in our American way of life.  There was a time when elaborate & very formal towering feats of sweetness were the standard for every bride & groom.  Growing up in a household where I witnessed several wedding cakes take shape from start to finish, I can tell you  that every single one of these was a true labor of love.  For mom, Wilton was the go-to supplier in every aspect of cake baking, including the wedding cakes which flew out of our house every single year for friends & family.   Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers It’s fun going back and looking at Wilton’s methods and styles for wedding cakes during the 1960s and 1970s.  Back then, the shapely cakes were not simply stacked and covered in perfect fondant the way they are these days, but were iced and decorated with real buttercream, along with a multitude of accessories.  There was even a working fountain available that could b
7 comments
Read more