Ode to Autumn!

'Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods,

And day by day the dead leaves fall and melt.

And night by night the monitory blast

Wails in the key-hole, telling how it pass'd

O'er empty fields or unpland solitudes

Or grim, wide wave; and now the power is felt

Of meloncholy, tenderer in its moods,

Than any joy indulgent summer dealt.'

--William Allingham

Time Management

I find Mrs. Beeton's Everyday Cookery and Housekeeping an indispensible guide. Sure, it's filled with antiquated philosophies and chauvinist sentiments, but it also provides some pretty valuable advice on how to run a household. While I do not have a host of maids and cooks to accomplish the various tasks mentioned by Mrs. Beeton, most of the duties she mentions still need to be looked after one way or another--even today.

I love the following selection. I'm going to try to stick with it over the next week and see if it works!

33. As it is good for the maids to have a settled plan of their work, so it is good for the mistress to arrange her day, by rule, as far as possible. Interruptions will occur from time to time, but a resolute woman will generally carry out her plans for the week satisfactorily.

34. It is impossible to arrange the time of any individual. The following work the mistress should do. Two hours devoted to the house and morning duties brings one to eleven o'clock; on Monday the mending must be carefully executed up lunch time. A daily walk should be taken, weather permitting, and the lady should first go and order anything required for the house, then return visits, or take a good constitutional until four o'clock. From four to five write letters, or read for an hour (serious reading, leaving light reading for evening). At five, when necessary, go downstairs to speak to cook, glance round to see all preparations are getting forward for the six o'clock dinner ; then go upstairs, inspect the housemaid's performance of needlework, always laid in your room for that purpose, and dress for dinner. Go into the dining-room, and see all is ready, put out the wine, arrange dessert and flowers. Then be ready at a quarter to six to receive le mari, and see that he has his hot water, slippers, &c. At six, dinner, after which coffee and amusements of music, reading, cards, or needlework of a light nature.

So the basic idea is:
9am-11 am or noon morning duites (for me, this means dishes and laundry or housecleaning) 12am-4pm luncheon and afternoon walk with some work thrown in (for me that means writing) 4pm-5pm write letters or read (I always have lots of letters to write, so this is important)--and I also have get ready to receive le mari at this time, since I have no cook!
5pm to 6pm make dinner After dinner, tv, needlework and other amusements!

Linens

I received some of these Williams Sonoma toile napkins for my wedding shower. They are durable and lovely and come in both blue and claret. I've had a hard time finding everyday napkins to use with my Spode Blue Italian China and these are just perfect. You can order them online at: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/l890/index.cfm?pkey=cLINPRNI

Cute kitchen gloves!

Aren't these cute? They're "Gloveables" and come in a huge variety of colours and patterns. I've seen them on a few tv shows--Bree Van De Camp was wearing them in an episode of Desperate Housewives a while back. Does anybody know where they can be purchased in Canada?

Victoria Magazine

Victoria Magazine is coming back! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. I was so sad when they quit publishing it a few years ago.

I was actually visiting my mom the other day and when we went to check the mail...surprise! An invitation to subscribe to Victoria! At first my mom thought I'd put it in her mailbox as a joke--she could hardly believe it. I've been a Victoria reader since it started up in 1989 (I was 7 years old!!). My mom was a charter subscriber and would read through the magazine with me each month when it arrived. I consider my stack of Victorias one of my mom's most generous gifts--I adore each and every issue.

There is no doubt that the magazine majorly influenced my life. The romantic style of Victoria magazine is very much a part of my personal aesthetic and probably was a major factor in my decision to study victorian history and culture. I was even introduced to the Arts and Crafts movement through Victoria! My fiance sometimes teases me that Victoria is partly responsible for my preoccupation with old fashioned things and ideas, and he's right. Parents, your kids will absorb the information and ideas found in the books and magazines you have in your home.

To find out more about the magazine, visit: http://magazine-directory.com/Victoria.htm

My only fear is that the publishers will make the same mistake that led the magazine to fail a few years ago: tinkering with the message of the magazine (a return to loveliness) and morphing into a composite of Vogue, Better Homes and Gardens and Town and Country. They also messed with the classic Victoria font and stunning visuals in order to attract advertisers--which turned of subscribers.

I ran across a blog with a fabulous post on the demise of Victoria http://laniersbooks.com/2006/02/10/a-lament/

Let's hope they don't make the same mistake with the relaunch of the magazine!

Indochine

On a whim, my mom and I decided to visit Indochine restaurant in Tacoma, Washington yesterday http://indochinedowntown.com/. It was a lovely experience. I strongly recommend the restaurant to anyone who enjoys asian fusion cuisine.

We started off with several "Blue Mermaid" cocktails, which we'd eyed enviously at other tables. A delicious combination of coconut vodka, curacoa, alize, limoncello and lime juice, they were topped with a fresh orchid. At $8.50 a piece for doubles, I felt they were fairly priced, at least by Canadian standards!

We weren't feeling quite hungry enough for dinner, so we shared several appetizers instead. First came the curry chicken satay skewers with peanut sauce and green papya salad on the side ($8). They were incredibly moist and lightly seasoned. The sauce was smoothly textured and had the perfect amount of spice without being overly hot. Next we tried the toasted seseme chicken wrap ($12). Although I wouldn't have called the dish a "wrap" (it came served with a pastry-like flat bread on which you could place the chicken--asian fusion tostada would be more accurate), it was deliciously seasoned and presented beautifully. The chicken was seasoned with peanuts, roasted cashew nuts, mango and basil in a tangy soy-based sauce.

What attracted us to the restaurant initially were the lovely orchids that lined the windows facing the street. The interior was positively breathtaking. The cherry wood, blown glass and brushed aluminum instantly give off a chic yet exotic vibe that marries perfectly with the aesthetic of the cuisine. While I am always wary of restaurants that appear to have invested all their energy in creating an urban chic dining environment at the expense of great food, this place seems to have struck a happy balance between the two without sacrificing comptetitive flavour to their dishes or creative flair in their architecture.

For a feast for both eyes and palate, be sure to visit Indochine while you're near Tacoma Washington.

Banana Bread

One of my favourite creations-I'm quite proud of it!

I've always felt that healthy food should be delicious. This banana bread is more flavourful than the original and far more nutritious. You can use all wheat if you would prefer, but as whole wheat absorbs a great deal of liquid when it cooks, your bread will be somewhat more dry (I would suggest adding another banana if you use all whole wheat).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together:
1 3/4 cup flour (for additional texture, use a combination of whole wheat and unbleached)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Add in:
1/3 cup olive oil (use extra virgin if you like the flavour)
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
dash of lemon juice
1 beaten egg
1 1/4 cups ripe banana pulp (2-3 ripe bananas)


Bake in a greased bread pan for 1 hour or till done.

By using olive oil in place of butter and maple syrup rather than sugar, you get an incredibly moist, delicious bread.