using your special things
Do you keep things ‘for best’? Do you have precious family treasures, special gifts or table linen you rarely or never use? Is it because these things were really expensive, very old or need washing, starching and ironing?
I really like Emma Bridgewater’s Black Toast & Marmalade design. Her brand, based in Stoke on Trent, offers china, fabrics, glassware and cutlery. I’ve collected serving pieces for the past 30 years.
We only use these pieces a few times a year when we’re entertaining . Suddenly it seemed a shame. So now I am using them! My husband particularly likes the large mug for his morning tea. Quite sturdy and mostly replaceable, I’m using some pieces from my collection. Not a lot of call for gravy dishes or milk jugs at my table most days, but other pieces are in use and being enjoyed.
Inherited cake forks, which need cleaning before use, a huge soup tureen and several very large serving platters are still in cupboards and drawers. We do use fabric serviette/napkins every meal but they are made from very thick cotton. When they’re washed, they’re pulled into shape, pegged out then brought in, smoothed into rectangles, rolled up and put back in serviette rings. The old, lovely damask ones I’ve inherited are only used a few times a year as we usually entertain quite casually. That way, the silver doesn’t need cleaning. I happily set Laguiole cutlery!
lunch in beverley
Begun in 1838 the town of Beverley is one of the earliest settlements in Western Australia, which was settled in 1829. Rich soil, good rainfall and geographically quite close to the new Swan River settlement, Beverley was considered the ‘ food bowl’ for the region. Situated along the Avon River, about an hour and a half from Perth, Beverley is now known for its sheep and wheat. My brother and sister-in-law live there and we visited during the week.
Enclosed veranda created a sitting area and a playroom.; the two windows now have wonderful works of art.
Some interesting old buildings remain, mostly renovated or well maintained. The school and post office were designed by George Temple Poole, who was appointed the as Superintendent of Public Works in Western Australia in 1885. He was responsible for the design of many public buildings throughout Western Australia. There’s town maps, wild flowers maps, suggested walking tours, information about the (Soaring) Gliding Club and brochures about natural places of interest available from the Information Centre.
We had lunch at the Freemasons Tavern. It’s on the corner of Vincent Street, the main street and Forrest Street. The original verandas are missing but inside, this pub is a surprise. A good surprise! The original, well proportioned high ceilings with deep skirting boards and ceiling roses remain. The bars and sweeping stair case are from an era of generous widths and rich timbers.
Lucky enough to be invited upstairs for a look around. The staff were installing electric blankets on the beds as they were booked out for the weekend and the nights there are cold. The rooms have high ceilings, some have fire places, there’s ceiling roses, deep skirting boards, stained glass windows and wide corridors. Although there’s still work to do upstairs, there are several areas to sit and drink or eat downstairs.
We had Louis, our dog, with us so ate out in the pavilion. Extensive menu, very comfortable and we really enjoyed our visit. The menu ranges from hamburgers to lamb rump with mash. (Dogs are not allowed inside public buildings in Australia or on trains or buses unless they are service dogs. Shame.) There’s also play equipment in a protected area plus plenty of off road parking.
chicken tagine
Chicken tagine and couscous.
Talking to a family member recently and she mentioned spicy chick peas. The seed was sown; I had to make recipetineats.com wonderful Chicken Tagine. I had chicken breasts, not chicken on the bone as recommended in the recipe but the breast meat stayed moist. The lovely mixture of cumin, ginger, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and coriander plus preserved lemon skin and soften dried apricots mingled beautifully with the chicken. You can buy Rasa el hanout but it’s just a mix of the spices mentioned above which you probably have in your pantry, anyway. The only other ingredient is chickpeas! Served on couscous, which is so quick and easy. I don’t have a tagine, a traditional Moroccan domed ceramic cooking dish but this recipe cooked well in a large Dutch oven.
No ceramic tagine but this big Dutch oven did the job!
The recipe makes six serves. They’re quite generous serves. One lot of dinner for two went into the freezer and another lot went into the fridge. I really like having a few dinners ready in the freezer for busy days.
One dinner for two into the freezer, one dinner for two into the fridge.
Now is citrus season in Western Australia and I will be preserving lemons. I used some of the lemons I preserved last season in this recipe and I often use some to add extra flavour to stews and casseroles. Recipe for Preserved Lemons (here) https://www.makecookgrow.com/2021/09/preserving-lemons-cord-storage-and-almost-instant-versatile-poached-eggs/
Preserved Lemons before I used most of them! Scrape and discard the pulp; the skins taste delicious chopped and added to so many things.
Did you know?
The biggest cattle station (ranch) in the world, Anna Creek Station in South Australia, is bigger than Israel.
I love your Emma Bridgewater serving plates, I remember those are they are really from that long ago! I was like you and used to save things for best but we just use them every day now, if they are good enough quality they last.
Hello!
You are SO right regarding quality enduring. My Mother, who will be 91 in two months, has begun using the Royal Doulton she received as a wedding present 72 years ago. Once kept ‘for best’ she sits down to her porridge in a R.D. bowl every morning. Super moon tomorrow!