Sandwiched

I am between seasons.
I've done some work towards the reopening in March but am still in the joy of my Winter rest and enjoying sitting and reading during the day - something I see as decadent and almost slovenly especially when my house looks the way it does.
Still, one of the books I'm reading may count as work.
It's called The Dudley Book of Cookery and Household Recipes collected and arranged by Georgiana, Countess of Dudley, who lived at Witley Court. My copy is the third impression from 1909.
In it she details how to make a sandwich. Well more than one. She describes how to make all sorts of different types including "Egg sandwiches for tea or travelling" and "Sandwiches of pounded ham for tea or luncheon baskets". I'm not sure, given what I know of large country houses with staff (see Downton Abbey) that Lady Georgiana would actually have made any of the food herself....
What I have learnt is that they did make a meal out of making a sarnie. Georgiana's lot didn't butter the bread, they mashed up whatever was going in the sandwich with the butter and then spread it. Minimal chewing seems to be the aim. Ham, tongue, shrimps, cheese, game and anchovies are all beaten to a pulp with a pestle and mortar then squished through a sieve. I thought chewing was probably seen as vulgar but someone suggested their teeth couldn't handle it.
So, given that we are the Court tea rooms, in my Lady's own garden, should I get a job lot of pestles and mortars from ebay and radically change the menu?
And what would the regulars say if faced with a special of "Sheep's Trotters Maitre D'Hotel"?
Oh if there's anyone who needs to know how to remove iron stains from white marble mantelpieces, that's in there too.

Limbering up.

That's it for another season then.
The weather has been exceptionally kind and has no doubt helped us to have a very good run. All those bright, sunny, hot Bank Holidays back in April, our first wedding in June, tweaks to the menu, the introduction of the Afternoon Tea for Two, serving raspberries and strawberries in china teacups, the early asparagus season, a lady having a wee in the garden. Ah, the memories.
We reopen March 23rd 2012, but before then I have a lot to plan, to do. It's all a bit daunting - how can I make next season even better? And will I make the Olympic team?

Living in the Future

Now it's a proper November.
Saturday was fine, and we had a lovely lot of visitors eating their way through quiche and cake. Yesterday was cold, grey and foggy which made for a very quiet day and made me think that if next year's November is cold and wet I shall think twice about opening.

Another large party of 40 has booked in for tea in July 2012.

What's in a name?

A good day. Another coach booking, this time for July - 50+ for tea and scones.
Plenty of cake eaters and coffee drinkers and a group of 16 friends at 3 o'clock for afternoon teas.
I'm intrigued by a spam artist who's choosing to approach me using the name "Margeret Higginbottom" presumably because it sounds so terribly English and harmless. But would "Margeret" really spell her name in that way? Oh do come on.

Twenty Twelve

In the past week I've taken bookings for a coach party in May, another in June and a 40-strong group visit for afternoon tea in September.
I've had to buy a diary for next year.
This has prompted me to scratch my head about what we should be doing for a] the Diamond Jubilee and b] the Olympics.
And we haven't even closed for the Winter yet.

Sunday was busier than Saturday. Much.
It was one of those perfect bright, crisp autumn days. It's rained ever since but it looks like it might dry up for the weekend. How lucky?

Remember, remember.

Today went well. A dozen or so photographers wanted teacakes and coffee, then a few regulars and some first timers came for lunch. Whole place empty by 3.15.
Not too much leftover cake, and no staff panic.
Here's to tomorrow.

Into the unknown

I'm off to the tea rooms now to de-halloween it.
Tomorrow is the new dawn: a November opening.
It could be disastrous and noone will come. Bright side: lots of leftover cake.
It could be brilliant and really busy. Downside: not enough staff, not enough milk, bread, cake, ham, quiche.
I won't know til I've tried it.


I've remembered another tale from my Speed Awareness Course earlier this week. This one from Australia.
A driver doing less than the speed limit was flashed by a mobile camera in a layby. He was incensed, knowing he hadn't been speeding. He turned the car round and went past again, still below the limit. Another flash. More anger. So he turned the car and did it again. Same outcome. After the fourth time he pulled over and went to speak to the man in the van to ask why he'd been flashed when he wasn't speeding? "You weren't wearing your seatbelt," came the reply. And he lost his licence.