Tablescape Times Three: Cake

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Happy 100th Birthday, Mother!

Dear Mom,

So wish you were here. I am having a little celebration to honor your 100^th birthday.

I am serving strawberries and chocolate cake – your favorite. It reminds me of the stories that you used to tell about World War II and how all of the neighborhood ladies would pool their sugar rationing cards to buy sugar, so you could make fudge for everyone. I can certainly understand. Your fudge was wonderful!

I know how much you loved flowers, so I am using plates with flowers and a big bouquet on the table. I remember how you loved to dress in clothes with bright colors and flowers on them and the arguments we had, because I would wear only plain clothes. Guess what? I still wear plain clothes, but I always think of you, when I see the flowered ones.

I put the flowers in the Niloak winged victory vase that you gave me. I am really sorry that my friend broke your matching one, when we were in the seventh grade. These green vases show up on eBay sometimes and I immediately think that I should buy you a replacement. Then, I realize that you are not here to enjoy it.

I am using salad forks from the silver that I chose, when I married. I apologize for giving you only a month to plan that wedding. However, you will be glad to know that the marriage is still going strong. We just celebrated our 43^rd anniversary!

I am inviting Andrea and her two girls to celebrate with me. I wish you could know my three grandchildren. You really would love them. They all are such interesting people and all three are voracious readers like you and I. Thank you for giving me your love of books and all of the arts. Those gifts have made my life so much richer, than it would have been without them.

About those grandchildren – did you know that on the day of your memorial service, Andrea told me on the steps of the church that she was expecting our first grandchild? What a bittersweet moment that was! However, it was such a wonderful blessing! You will also be thrilled that the baby was born on your mother’s birthday and she was named “Emma” like your mother.

I am showing a photo of you, when you were young. It is appropriate that you are sitting in the middle, since you were definitely the middle child. Your older brother and sister are not in this photo, but it must have been interesting to grow up with three older and three younger siblings.

Well, I guess that I had better close for now, but I wanted to let you know that I did not forget this important day. I, also, wanted to tell you that I love you and miss you, but most of all – Happy 100^th Birthday!

Love,

Your daughter, Diane

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Sunday, March 13, 2011

Travelscape! (with recipe)

Our family loves traveling almost as much as tablescaping. Summer will be here soon and it is time to plan vacations. I invited my daughter and two granddaughters to lunch for a surprise discussion of our next travel adventure.

The table was set. Then, I added some black and white photos to remind us of our past travels.

Paris

New York

Morocco

Berlin

I used some square “cities” plates that I had bought many years ago at TJ Maxx. I had always intended to put them on the wall of one of my bedrooms, but never got around to hanging them. Each one has scenes of a different world city – Paris, London, Rome and New York.

Paris

London

Rome

New York

I decided to use yellow with the black and white, so I added some lemons to a black wire basket from TJ Maxx. Maybe, I will use them later to make my mother's lemon cheese cake (recipe at the end).

The Sunflower Yellow Fiesta tablecloth was purchased on Amazon.com.

Fiesta Solid Color 60 Round Tablecloth, Sunflower

I ordered the black and white napkins from an online linen store.

The napkin rings were made from flowers that I bought at Michael’s. The yellow centers were the inspiration for the black, white and yellow color scheme.

Target was the source for the black flatware and placemats.

The glasses are from Mikasa.

The stemware charms that I have had for years almost matched the plates perfectly. They include the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Of course, the leaning tower is not in Rome, but it is in Italy, at least!

Our trip last summer was to London and Paris, so I guess those cities will be eliminated from the list of possibilities for this year. I do love to shop in England for china, though - the first time that I ever visited one of the China Reject shops, I was overwhelmed. Of course, shopping at Harrod's in the tabletop department is not bad either!

Time to decide on a destination. Collectively, we have been to most of the countries in Europe. However, none of us has been to South America. Maybe, it is time to learn to dance the Tango - Argentina, anyone????

Lemon Cheese Cake

Cake

8 egg whites
2 cups sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup butter
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 1/4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Sift flour and baking powder together four times.
Cream butter and sugar together. Add flour and milk alternately, mixing after each addition.
Beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Add vanilla.
Pour into three greased and floured cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees, until layers are done (the recipe reads 45 minutes, but my layers were done after 20-25 minutes).

Lemon Cheese Filling

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks
juice of 3 lemons

Cook together in the top of a double boiler, until thick. Refrigerate, until cool.

Seven Minute Icing

2 egg whites
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the first 5 ingredients in the top of a double boiler. With hand mixer, beat for one minute to combine. Then, over boiling water, beat on high for seven minutes. Beat in vanilla.

To assemble the cake:

After removing the warm cake layers from the pan, spread cooled filling over the bottom two layers. Place the three layers together and spread seven minute frosting on sides and top of cake. Enjoy!

Diane