Showing posts with label Hercule Poirot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hercule Poirot. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

A Literary Luncheon



For those of us who spend a lot of time tablescaping(and I know that this is not for everyone), I find it to be very revealing. This rather practical art form offers such amazing glimpses of personalities. When I see things on other people's tables that I own myself, it always makes me smile. Oh, the things we would have to talk about, and notes we could compare! 
I like to keep the dining room table set at all times. It is one of the first things that I see upon rising in the morning, and it always makes me smile. Last week I decided to re-read an old Agatha Christie favorite, the Hercule Poirot mystery, Death on the Nile. As I closed the book I wondered what a visual representation of this would look like on the dining table. Here is the result. I like it. 
I keep threatening to organize a book club in my neighborhood (hang on, ladies, eventually!) and thought about what fun it would be to set a table reflecting whatever book had been read. I think this is going to open up a whole new tablescaping world for me.  I hope you'll come along for the ride, beginning here.
I can't say exactly why I chose what I did for this table. It was more of a feeling than anything finite. I wanted pattern over color, with neutrals and a pop of green. The centerpiece is actually one of the vignettes from atop the living room mantle over the fireplace.
 

This napkin fold is called Fleur de Lis. I absolutely love it for its ease of assembly and the very elegant way that it looks. With his Belgian background, I knew that Poirot would approve.
The placemats are some that Mr. O-P picked up.  He had no interest in the pattern, just the flat style because he seems to think that most of my placemats are too lumpy (imagine!).  I loved the pattern, knowing they would look wonderful with these dishes, so commandeered them immediately.
  



Runner – Pottery Barn
Placemats – Tuesday Morning
Round woven placemats – Pier One
Brown dinner plate – Pier One
Leaf salad Plates – Fitx & Floyd
Flatware – Oneida
Crystal - Mikasa

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Thursday, February 26, 2015

Eccles Cakes & a Poirot Tisane




Revisiting a charming post from 2011 for Throwback Thursday.  Join me for some Eccles Cakes, a puzzling mystery, and a cup of tea.   

The little Belgian with the egg-shaped head who is always in full command of his little grey cells (particularly when it comes to solving a mystery) was fond of his daily tisane.  In fact, Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot often accounts this as being the reason why his little grey cells are superior to others.  My guess is, judging by his rotund frame, that he liked his sweets equally as well, and Londoner that he eventually became, he undoubtedly indulged in the Eccles Cakes available at Fortnum & Mason.
  This recipe is one I've been using for years.  It's from Bon Appetit's November 2002 issue, and is, thus far, the best one I've found for both taste and authenticity.

Eccles Cakes

 3/4 cup dried currants
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped candied orange peel
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half of 17.3-ounce package), thawed
1 egg, beaten to blend (for glaze)
2 teaspoons sugar

Mix first 8 ingredients in medium bowl until well blended. Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before continuing.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out four 6-inch-diameter rounds. Place filling on half of each round, dividing equally. Brush edges of rounds with beaten egg. Fold pastry over filling, creating semicircle and enclosing filling completely. Press edges firmly to seal. Transfer to heavy large baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake pastries until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to rack and cool pastries 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, carefully remove pastries from baking sheet.  Cool.



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