The Joys of Afternoon Tea

Well, for those who have noticed my recent absence (mostly) from etsy, blog, etcetera, I've been trying to take a little computer break. I have been spending all my free time staring at the screen and I got all 'putered out. And now I'M BACK, mostly....
Today the air was so perfectly cool and wonderful that I indulged my urge to bake. I hate baking when it's hot. Jasmine and I made almond cupcakes with chocolate chips and chocolate icing (all from scratch of course), and I decided it was time to introduce her to the art of afternoon tea. I love the whole concept of teatime. In Nepal it was 10 am and most, if not all, businesses observed it. Every day we'd take recess from school and make a large pot of chea (similar to Indian chai), heavily spiced with fresh ginger and black pepper. To this day my family takes a half hour break from work and school at 10.
Two years ago fall, when I was pregnant with Jasmine I started having afternoon tea with myself most every day. I'd make a small pot of tea, get out a china cup, and something yummy (fresh baked bread, cake, cookies, or whatever was on hand), put it all on a tray and sit on the couch to watch an installment of BBC's "War and Peace." Today it was Jasmine's turn to find the fun and relaxation in tea.
I wish my camera batteries had not been dead! It was priceless to see my little 18 month old daughter with half a cupcake in one hand and sipping milky tea from demitasse English bone china in the other! She is an amazing child and did not spill any either. After her first cup she said "tea" in her little baby voice and signed for more.
As I was baking I started thinking back over all the interesting things I've made in the past. My mother has a knack for making up fantastic and interesting desserts and she's passed the fascination on to me. The one above "chocolate boxes" is something I made for a special 25th wedding anniversary party we and Adam threw for our parents during college. It was an amazing night with seven courses and a fantasy outdoor setting. I'll have to chronicle it in a future post.
This cake is something my siblings and I concocted for Adam's 24th birthday last year. His falls in November so we were going for a very unique fall theme. I think we were successful with the unique part!
If you look closely you'll discover a little mouse hidden among the mushrooms and leaves. Everything except the branch is edible!
Well, I think I've rambled on long enough. It's fun to reminisce "out loud" so to speak. I hope you are all refreshed from the weekend and ready for the new week ahead of us!