Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Strawberries, cheese, and tea for a belated birthday

Yesterday (October 1) would have been my Grandmother's birthday. As many of you who read my blog know, my grandparents raised me from birth. My grandmother was always tiny, wearing a size 1 dress most of her life. Eventually, she gained a bit of weight and on her death, we dressed her in a size 3 dress. She never worried about her weight, but ate sensibly, never feeding my Grandfather and me packaged food. Much of what we ate during the summer months came from our garden, which my Grandfather tended and my Grandmother cooked or prepared.

Her one weakness was pie. She loved pie and baked one each Sunday. If we had company, she always learned what the person's or persons' favorite pie was, and prepared it for them. That is why I would rather have good homemade pie than any cake you could ever give me. I got that love from her, although I never learned to make the flaky pie crust she made so well. Although I have no pie today, I am celebrating with strawberries, a fruit she dearly loved. But like me, she only liked strawberries plain, never in pie or cut up and served in sugary juice or with real whipped cream over homemade shortcake, like my Grandfather preferred it.


To celebrate, I paired the strawberries with Baby Bell cheese. I love these little wax wrapped rounds of goodness with anything. I'm also celebrating this belated birthday with a cup of hot Apricot Brandy loose leaf tea I got at the Spice Merchant and sharing the day with what's left of my dear tea Tuesday friends. I think the apricot is why this tea is cloudy. Cloudy or not, I do like the orange color it produced. I think my Grandmother, who was British through and through, would have approved!

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12 thoughtful remarks:

Denise said...

I loved hearing about your Grandparents.There is something so sweet to Me about being raised by loving Grandparents-Charming.Denise

Darla said...

Pie is my favorite dessert too. October is apple pie season. Strawberries in the market here aren't very good right now.

Darla

~*~Patty S said...

Hello Dear E ... good to be back with lots of catching up to do.
Thank you for warming my heart on this rainy Virginia morning by sharing such sweet and special memories of your dear Grandmother with us.
I am sure your grandparents are always smiling down on you and very proud with how you turned out and live your life.
Thank you sharing...sending hugs your way...seems like I was gone much longer than a week :)
oxo

Rebeca Trevino said...

What a lovely way to celebrate your grandmother's memory.

SandeeNC said...

Beautiful thoughts Elizabeth, lovely memories you have of your grandparents. waving hi from the hills of North Carolina :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a sweet way to honor your grandmother. Enjoy. xox

...the yorkshire fox... said...

...such a wonderful posting to the memory of your Grandmother Elizabeth, her loVe of simple food served up with loVe & heart has had a lasting resonance...she would feel proud today knowing her legacy still lives on, for as parents as your Grandmother was, is all we hope for...Mel :)
Hope life finds you in fine fettle Elizabeth & adorable Bleubeard too...xx

Craftymoose Crafts said...

A lovely tribute to your Grandmother...I am sure she is smiling down at you!

I do like the variety of teas you brew, but I myself prefer tea with milk.

Julia Dunnit said...

An sweet memories. My mother in law makes a pie pastry that I've never been able to replicate or find elsewhere, it's melt in the mouth good. And...there's no recipe..she just takes the corner off the butter and a handful of flour..you know how it is! strawberries, utterly unadulterated are the way I like em too....at room temperature please, to vastly improve their flavour. Mmmmmmm.

Rita said...

Sweets for sweet memories!! :)

Halle said...

What a sweet memory you have shared! I'm making 2 apple pies this afternoon to go into the freezer. I'll be thinking of you and her as I make them.

JoZart Designs said...

Thanks for sharing the memory and Happy Birthday just the same for your Grandmother. It sounds as if she was as tiny as my "Nin" as we called her. She was only up to my shoulder and I'm only 5 foot tall but quite a lady.
You brought to mind that I'm missing my apples due to my old tree being felled earlier this year... I'm usually peeling and baking and freezing at this time of year. I keep buying fruit for pies in compensation but I do miss those apples.
Jo x