Checking in

My mother was in town for a visit this past week so I had little chance to check in on my blog.

We had a great visit. Mom and Rik heard me sing at Folklife. We went shopping at the Nordstrom half yearly sale. We got that excellent news from Dr G. We talked, we ate, we talked and we ate.

I think the highlight of her visit might have been the tea party I hosted in Mom's honor. Some ladies wore hats; I loaned others from my hat collection and Rik took a group portrait. We pulled out the china tea cups and silver tea service I received from Rik's mother a few years ago.

The set table

Closeup of the goodies

Here's what I made:

Assorted teas

Egg salad tea sandwiches

Lox and cream cheese tea sandwiches (at a Jewish tea, you have to eat lox...)

Blueberry-cherry scones served with butter, jam and clotted cream

Rhubarb-strawberry tarts

Grown-up S'mores (recipe below)

Red grapes

Everyone brought cookies, fruit, or chocolate. We ate and talked our way through the afternoon. It was a wonderful party and the perfect way to end Mom's visit.

Grownup S'mores

(Thanks to Camp Solomon Schechter's head chef Dani Knapstad, who served these at the recent Women's Retreat. The concept is hers, the quantities below are mine.)

Serves 10 grownups

Melt 8 ounces dark chocolate over low heat and let cool.

Cut 8 marshmallows into quarters.

Break 2-3 whole graham crackers into small pieces.

Stir marshmallow and graham cracker pieces into warm chocolate.

Line a shallow pan with wax paper, tin foil or baking parchment. Pour chocolate mixture into pan and cool in freezer until firm.
Peel liner from s'mores and break into pieces. Enjoy!
If you have any left over, store them in the refrigerator.