a time for tea...

Also from the March issue of Livingetc was a feature on a “grown-up tea party”.  As I have once again started to partake in my afternoon teatime – partially in anticipation of the Tea Cup Swap sponsored by Just My Cup of Tea! – I found this feature especially beautiful and it makes me want to call my girlfriends, bake some sinfully delicious treats, and pour hot tea into delicately scalloped vintage tea cups (and sherry in pink cut-glass goblets of course.)  The menu featured in Livingetc includes handmade lollipops, chocolate and fruit scones and mini carrot cakes – yummy!

Tea6_1

cravings...

I am not a collector – I accumulate… milk glass, transferware, jewelry, handbags and books – lots and lots of books.  Cookbooks in particular are some of my favorites and I as I was flipping though the contents of several this morning looking for something to inspire me to start cooking again, I pulled an old favorite off the shelf.  Elaine Gonzalez’ The Art of Chocolate was a birthday gift from my ever-chic girlfriend, Melissa last year.  The book’s contents pour over the reader like warm fudgey chocolate sauce – the book not only offers amazing tutorials on how to create such delightful confections as truffles and butter-pecan toffee (all infused with heavy doses of chocolate, mind you!), the photography is so gorgeous you can almost taste the warm sugar on your lips!

Chocolate

The Art of Chocolate is available here!