BUCKINGHAM PALACE GARDEN PARTY in 1970 . . . and Sesame Seed Cake

Every year or so, all Canadian Foreign Service Officers receive an invitation to one of the Queen’s Garden Parties. 

I still remember the thrill of being in a procession of black London cabs driving through the black and gold palace gates. 

Inside the palace we were ushered along long red corridors into a vast inner courtyard with four cordoned circles.  Within each circle was one of the Royal Family and several aides.

The Queen, all in white (including shoes and purse) set off by a sparkling diamond brooch, was in one circle.  Princess Anne, in a green mini-skirted dress, looked very young and pretty in another circle. 

I would have gravitated toward one of those rings or Prince Charles's.

 

My friends pulled me along to Prince Philip’s circle.   His aide was busy scrutinizing the guests to select individuals to present to His Highness, and he came over to ask who we were.  My friend’s husband responded eagerly but we failed to impress and the aide moved on.

Off to the side, along a wall, was a tent from which one could obtain refreshments, but I don’t recall taking anything except a cup of tea.

Was it fun?  Maybe a little for us, but just imagine the royal family’s relief when it was over. 

                                                                        ****

Here is a cake that would please any Garden Party guest:  

SESAME SEED CAKE

            From THE SPICE COOKBOOK by Avanelle Day and Lillie Stuckey

2 cups sifted all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

½ cup sesame seeds (sautéed in 1 ½ tablespoons butter):  divided

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup soft butter

2 large eggs

1 cup milk

*Melt 1 ½ tbsp. butter in a skillet.  Add ½ cup sesame seeds.  Stir over moderate heat until golden.

*Grease well and flour a 9 inch square cake pan.

*Start oven preheating to 350.

*Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together.

* Add ¼ cup of the sautéed sesame seeds and set aside.

*Blend sugar and vanillas with ½ cup butter.

* Beat in eggs, one at a time.

* Add flour mixture alternately with milk.

* Beat batter ½ minute.

* Turn into cake pans.

* Bake 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

* Cool in pan 5 minutes.

* Turn onto wire rack to finish cooling.

* Spread top and sides with Sesame Seed Frosting and sprinkle with an additional tablespoon of sautéed sesame seed.

SESAME SEED FROSTING

2 tbsp butter

1 1/3 cups icing sugar

about 2 tsp milk

½ tsp vanilla

3 tbsp sautéed sesame seeds

*Heat butter until golden.

*Remove from heat and stir in sugar and enough milk to make frosting the right consistency.

*Add vanilla and sesame seed.

The birthday girl loves this cake !  When I make it again, sometime, I will include a picture.  (It's not the one in the pictures above.)

  

BEIRUT in 1971 . . . and delicious Middle Eastern Food

Sept. 4, 1971:  Travel Journal

The Priens met us at the airport.  Lebanese trucks roar by and men hang out yelling, “Wheee!”

Beirut has a lovely natural setting by the sea but the city is scarred by buildings falling into disrepair. 

  Then we drove to Byblos – the principal town of the Giblites called Gebal in the Scriptures.  It is the oldest city of Syria.  There is a beautiful Maramite church & a lovely little Roman amphitheatre.  We wandered in the narrow streets.  It was all quite charming. 

We had dinner at the Crêperie – delicious.  We sat on a balcony overlooking the sea. 

Sept. 5  

****

May 18, 2018: For our 44^th wedding anniversary, Bryan and I had a  mostly Middle Eastern dinner.

MENU

Maple Leaf Cocktail

Moroccan Chicken: from Rosso & Lukins THE NEW BASICS COOKBOOK, p. 416

Lebanese Harrak Osb'oo: from Abdnelnour's JASMINE & FIRE, p. 314

Lentils and Pasta with Cilantro

White Rice

Pickled Radishes: from CHATELAINE magazine, May/June 2018

Roasted Citrus Salad

  ****

Meghli, a Lebanese dessert 

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"I think sheets one can use all the time" and ROASTED CITRUS SALAD

“I long for the days before the Last Desolation.  The age before the Heralds abandoned us and the Knights Radiant turned against us.”

Oooh!  I can hardly wait to read it:  my Mother’s Day present along with a Ukrainian style top . . .

From Nicole in Tennessee who was told it was a perfect book for a teenager!

  Nicole had a wonderful Mother’s Day

at the Tennessee Renaissance Festival  

Here, we began celebrating with a lovely breakfast that included Scandianavian Pulla Bread . . . made by Bryan,

long walks in heavenly sunshine followed by a shady table at Starbucks with a chilled Cascara coffee,

 and a delicious dinner of Beef Pot Pie and a Roasted Citrus Salad.

******

ROASTED CITRUS SALAD

3 or 4 servings

Based on: BON APPETIT magazine: Jan. 2015

1 large orange

1 large lemon

1 tbsp canola oil

Salt & pepper

Small red onion

4 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided

Lettuce

Avocado

1.     Start oven preheating to 425.

2.     Spread 1 tbsp canola oil on rimmed baking sheet.

3.     Slice orange and lemon thinly:  1/8 inch thick.  Do not peel.  The peels taste great in this.

4.     Spread orange and lemon slices on rimmed baking sheet.

5.     Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6.     Put in oven for 10 minutes.  Then turn slices over and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes.  If some pieces are charring, remove them and continue baking until most pieces are lightly charred in spots and starting to carmelize.

7.     Cut the slices into quarters and put in large salad bowl to cool.

8.     Slice some red onion thinly.  I use less than a quarter of an onion.

9.     Combine the onion with 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice and let sit for 5 to 15 minutes.  (This is to sweeten the onion.)

10.  Cut up the avocado and mix in with the onion and lemon juice.

11.  Add enough lettuce for 4 people (about 4 handfuls) to the salad bowl with the citrus fruit. 

12.  Put in 3 tbsp olive oil and 2 more tbsp of lemon juice.

13.  Toss with the avocado and onion.

This is just EXCELLENT!

*****

But no Mother’s Day could be complete without thinking of my own mother.

So I read one of her letters and it, too, was about a gift:

   I send in for sheets for you if they come I will bring them.

                                     And so here's  a Mother's Day Toast:  

                          "To Mothers who never give up hoping for our happiness."