partying...

so, here's something fun to do, if your husband hates all dairy but ice cream: have your friends over for a cream tea. then you can pretend to be british, and yet, you don't have to fly 12 hours to experience it. 

not working has allowed me to cook and bake massive, massive quantities of things that are not good for me. this is very dangerous

ok, so it's not clotted cream, but all the clotted cream you can get in america is ridiculously expensive, doesn't taste like the real thing, and freaks me out because how can you get cream in a jar on the shelf??? so i just made regular whipped cream, sans sugar. healthier. yes. 

yes yes, tea sandwiches are so good. and it's easy to make a bunch of kinds, and then it looks so lavish, without much more effort/cost. and my black tea tray is from cost plus, $15, holla!

ps, all the lovely dishes, placemats and serving pieces are wedding presents from our generous, tasteful friends. you should so get married. 

caramelized shallots, goat cheese and watercress on dark rye; apple, black forest ham and cheddar on sour rye, grilled. 

 egg salad, so yummy.

raspberry and vanilla eclairs. i used to make desserts for the restaurant i barista'd at in baltimore, and eclairs, profiteroles,  and other pate choux pastries were easy, a big hit, and lasted 2-3 days (the trick is don't fill them more than 3-4 hours before you eat).