Food For Friends by Fran Warde

We got a new shipment of books into the shop, yesterday. I Love books to begin with, but cooking books are just divine. Don’t you think? I like to just peruse the books we get in just to familiarize myself with what were selling, but also to sneak a peek of some of the recipes. So today’s pick is “Food For Friends” by Fran Warde.

It inspired me.

So I held a dinner party for my friends. My sister came, too. She blogged about it and you can read her post here…

http://www.inthesunnyspot.net/

And the recipe that I used from the book was Artichoke and Tomato Bread Puffs. . .

Artichoke and Tomato Bread Puffs

. . . the results

Served on my antique lilac transferware. (sorry that’s not for sale)

What you can’t see is the melted fresh mozarella on there.

We had a lovely evening out in the garden for the first part. Unfortunately it began to rain so we moved inside. But no worries. It’s about the companionship and the food, right?

We followed the “puff” with a plate of cheeses from local Vermont farms.

For the main course we had roast chicken stuffed with an herb plum dressing. You see I’d gone on a bit of a plum kick. Rosemary potatoes, salad, and beans from the garden on the side.

We finished the evening inside with a yummy vanilla panna cotta.

Food for friends, Vermont style.

Bon Appetit!

Chicken Soup With Rice by Maurice Sendak

Growing up one of my very most favorite books was Chicken Soup With Rice, by Maurice Sendak.

I thought it was an appropriate post for today as . . .

“In August

it will be so hot

I will become

a cooking pot

cooking soup of course.

Why not?

Cooking once

cooking twice

cooking chicken soup with rice.”

I have a huge smile on my face right now. I can’t help it. I just LOVE this book!

I really have cooked chicken soup with rice. I dont know why it’s been so long since I have. Its a really wonderful soup any time of the year, don’t you think?

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Of course this is my “Soup du jour”!

It’s actually a rainy day here today and soup is just perfect.

Last week I made Julia Child’s french onion soup.

Ploughman's Lunch Vermont Style

Are you hungry yet?

Come on by and visit us for a nip of tea and a cup of soup.

Hi folks!

Just a short post today. This week I’ve had several calls inquiring about our Bed and Breakfast. One of the more common questions I get asked is, “What is there to do in Vermont?”. Well there are a whole bunch of things to do, but today I wanted to share just a couple. And to do that I am going to refer you to two other blogs.

I encourage you to take the time to click through. It’s really worth it.

The first suggestion is outside of Chester (about 2 1/2 hrs), and is a great day trip.

The Shelburne Museum, just south of Burlington.

The Round Barn at the entrance to Shelburne Museum

My sister and her family recently took a trip up to this museum.

http://www.inthesunnyspot.net/

Here is a suggestion for in Chester. You could make your trip a gourmet vacation. Starting right here in town!

Meditrina Wine and Cheese

You could start here in Chester and follow your nose down the Vermont “Cheese Trail’ or the “Wine and Beer Trail” (Maps available)

http://www/artequine.com/wp-blog/

This is my own personal blog and Meditrina is one of my favorite shops in town.

We are hoping to feature wine and cheese tastings here at Rose Arbour with our friends at Meditrina. Check back for more info about that.

Cabbage Patch

A cloche is a cloche is a cloche…

I have had several people ask me this week, “What exactly is a cloche?”, as they’ve come across one in the shop. So in response to all of these questions I though I would tell you just what the English bell cloche is, where it came from, and why we love them.

Morning Glory

Cloche (sometimes referred to as a bell cloche): A glass covering,originally

bell-shaped, for garden plants

to prevent frost damage and promote early growth.

also . . . Sometimes referred to as handlights

these were quintessential elements in

a Victorian garden – in effect robust

miniature greenhouses designed to protect plants.

There appears to be some disagreement about who first invented the glass cloche or bell jar. One source says it was the Italians the 17th century, another claims it was the French. In either case the purpose was to extend the growing season by protecting plants from early frost or to help young plants develop during colder bleak temperatures. The desire being to hasten their growth towards early maturity.

Cloche in French means “bell”

Antique Victorian Cloche

The Dutch and English expanded the idea with handlights, lantern style, faceted pyramidal covers made from glass panes and frames of cast iron. Though the original glass bell shaped cloche design and function has changed very little in the last few centuries, variations have come into fashion over time. These include carrying knobs on top, venting holes, and tinted colors to reduce heat. But the bell shape has remained traditional.

So, that is “what” they are, and “where” they came from, now a little about “why” we love them.

Well, let’s be honest… look at them. They’re pretty. But aesthetics aside they have more function than just in the garden.

Home Decor

Cover & Protect Heirloom China

Cloches are a perfect touch for the home. They’re great to cover deserts or cheeses, or they can cover small indoor plants . Use them as decor pieces, or to cover heirlooms that  need to be protected, but too beautiful to put away.

"Cheeeeeeese, Gromit!"

Cloches have a charm to them. In the home or in the garden. You have to admit, there is a romance to the idea of a “garden under glass”. It sounds like something out of Alice in Wonderland or The House At Pooh Corner. You can almost picture Rabbit in the Hundred Acre Woods using a cloche to try to protect some of his precious young carrots.

And, of course, the cheese tray under glass is a familiar image that evokes the sound of accordians playing “Le Vie En Rose” while you sip a glass of Bordeaux in a small French cafe. Those are just a few of the images that the cloche evokes for me.

Well, I hope that solves the mystery for some of you about what a garden cloche/bell jar/handlight/thingamajiggy is.

Tell us how you’ve used your cloches! We’d love to hear more ideas.

Cheers!

English Bell Cloches available at our gift shop.

In The Garden

22 Roses In the Rain

“How sociable the garden was.
We ate and talked in given light.
The children put their toys to grass
All the warm wakeful August night.”
-   Thomas Gunn, Last Days at Teddington

Last year I put a raised bed garden in the back. In the middle of it I placed a picnic table. It has become a great place for friends and family (and guests) to gather and enjoy each others company. Of course, summertime means not only gardening but picnicking, as well. And picnic is just what we did. I invited my family over for a delightful meal of mom’s potato salad, grilled steak and chicken, and garden grown vegetables. We had fresh summer squash, corn, lettuce and peppers.

"Oh boy, corn!" said Toby

It was a perfect Vermont summer evening. The boys picked strawberries and black-raspberries off the vines while the table was being set. The sound of “Roses In The Rain” being played on the phonograph wafted out the kitchen door.

Edison phonograph circa 1920

It was a wonderful way to spend a warm summer evening. In the words of Jane. . .

“To sit in the shade on a fine day, and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.”

-Jane Austen

And it was.

Apples, Cheddar, and Sage

Imagine Apple Pie Wrapped In A Creamy Omelette

One of the most popular items on our menu, here at Rose Abour, is our Apple Cheddar Quiche. We often get requests for this recipe. Imagine warm apple pie wrapped in a yummy omelette then nestled in a flaky pastry crust, and you’ll understand why.  So here you go…

Ingredients

Pie Crust (use the recipe of your choice or pre-made from the store. There are some good ones out there.)

3 medium Granny Smith apples

6 eggs (4 whole, 2 yolks only)

Farm fresh eggs from my sister's chickens

2/3 cup half and half

8 oz. cottage cheese

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (grated) Of course we use good Vermont cheddar, but any sharp will do.

pinch of salt

2 TBS cinnamon and sugar 1:1 mixed for the topping

Preheat your oven to 350*

Peel, core, and dice apples into approx. 1 inch cubes. Saute apple pieces in 4 TBS butter until apples are soft and slightly caramelized. Set aside. In large bowl whisk 4 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks with half and half and a pinch of salt. Add cottage cheese and mix. Grate cheddar and add to egg mixture. Place apples into prepared pie crust and pour egg mixture over the apples until completely covered and pie plate is filled. Be careful not to over fill, as drippings will cause your oven to smoke. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the top covering all of the egg mixture.

Bake for 45-50 minutes depending on oven variations. Let the quiche set up for at least an hour before serving.

Apple Cheddar Quiche

And most of all ENJOY!

Family Day

On days that I get very large shipments of merchandise I often ask for the help of my sister. Not many people know this but Rose Arbour is actually my sister’s brain child. Well, my mother and her, but we like to blame it on Katy. And though I have since made it my own we both enjoy those days, so much like Christmas (because of all the pretty gifts) when she gets to come help me out with displays.

We recently had such a day. My sister being the creative person she is decided to share this day with the world on her blog http://www.inthesunnyspot.net/. Go on over and take a look.

Thanks to our wonderful importing friends, we are very happy to announce that Fortnum & Mason teas are BACK!!

We have a few tins available with loose leaves as well as a selection of some of the F&M favorites in 25 and 50 ct. teabags.

We also have a new selection of other Very popular British tearoom teas.

Miles, PG Tips, Taylors of Harrogate, Whittard of Chelsea.

And elsewhere in the shop we have new items as well. I have to say its been a lot of fun “re-decorating” the shop with all of the wonderful new decor items we’ve gotten in.

The new Franz Porcelain has arrived.

Apothecary Jars with antiqued botanical prints……

how French Country!

And for those of you with a green thumb like me, Greenhouses, Herb Racks and English Cloches…….

how fantastic is that!?!

HOPE WE SEE YOU SOON!

All item pictured in this post are available in our gift shop.

call (802)875-4767

or write suzy@rosearbour.com

My Sister and I have been having conversations about patterns and textures lately.

Particularly patterns and textures in nature and of course patterns on glorious fabric.

One of the things my sister and I agree on is that we both really LOVE textiles.

So I of course begin to see a fresh perspective on the things in our shop. Sights that I knew were there, but am seeing differently after our conversations.

Here are a few of the patterns & textures I saw today. . .

(mmmmmmm yummy fabrics…)

(and textiles!)

Of course all this talk of pattern and texture will inevitably lead the conversation to color.

Wouldn’t you agree?

All item pictured in this post are available in our gift shop.

call (802)875-4767

or write suzy@rosearbour.com

One of the things I love most about Spring is being able to use edible flowers in my menu. A couple of lucky ladies came for a Full Afternoon tea to celebrate a birthday, and they were the first to have flowers on their plates this season.

I have to have quite a few pansies and violas blooming in the garden right now. They make such a wonderful addition to any dish, either as garnish or as a part of the dish. I love using flowers in my salads, for example. To see a list of edible flowers you can reference this site…

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/blflowers.htm