Friday, January 9, 2015

Teacups and blueberry pie

Because most of my visits to Corgi Cottage came during winter months, Tasha often spent time baking various savory treats, from a scrumptious poppy seed coffee cake to her trademark brownies. One time after the wind had blown out the pilot on her gas water heater located in the space outside her greenhouse, Tasha was going to call Seth to assist her in relighting the appliance. But together, she and I managed to restart the pilot and Tasha declared that we must celebrate our female victory with a tea. So she stoked her stove and rolled out biscuit dough laced with shredded Vermont sharp cheddar cheese and set the rounds to baking. As Tasha measured tea into her teapot, she explained why she preferred the Mark T Wendell blends.
“If you open up a teabag from a grocery store, most of its contents look like dust. But you can see full leaves in these blends, and that is why they taste superior.”
  Soon, Tasha placed golden-brown biscuits dotted with melted cheese on a blue and white plate, and I brought the teacups and saucers to the hearth where the teapot was steeping. We munched away while continuing a discussion about tea, and why Tasha believed in adding warm milk to her tea also improved the tea’s flavor.
On another afternoon when Tasha expected additional guests for tea, she sculpted a blueberry pie. In many ways, baking could display her skills to weave a flaky pie crust into lattice work that resembled one of the baskets she had created. Or she might draw a wren in the top of the crust and carefully cut the image in order to release steam and bubbling juices.

Tasha blended together art and daily life in everything, because she longed to bring beauty to simple moments and to her friends.
Tasha crafting her pie with the wall of notes, signatures and dates behind her

10 comments:

  1. Mmmmm! Now I am in the mood for tea and biscuits!!! ;-)
    ( On this Blowing Chilling Cold NY day brrrrrrrrr )!
    Thank you Joan for sharing this cozy story!
    I just loved a celebration of "female victories" Hee!
    Many Blessings and warmth, Linnie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you, Linnie...the moments were small, but the impact of Tasha's wisdom will bless me for the rest of my life!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love that she "blended together art and daily life into everything" as you put it. This is why I love Tasha so much--the little things that make life even more precious when we take the time to notice them or to do them. Thank you, Joan, for sharing this memory.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much, Joan, for sharing these tender moments shared between two friends. Those of us who also love Tasha but have never had the privilege of meeting her hang on your every word! :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. It gives me great joy to share. I used to pinch myself when I visited Tasha, like Becky in The Little Princess, I couldn't believe that Tasha welcomed me into her life

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, Joan I loved this story. The fact that you got to actually visit with her and have Tea
    and biscuits...was such a treasure to your heart and soul I am sure. What a blessing
    to get to know this wonderful, earthy, artistic woman.

    blessings and hugs,
    Farmgirl PeggyAnn Smith

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for sharing ~ I truly love hearing how your friendship with Tasha didn't involve the big, showy things in life, but rather the simple, more memorable snippets of daily life.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the posts about your visits with Tasha Tudor. The last line on this one is wonderful and something to always keep in mind.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Joan!! Oh I so agree with Karen!! These entries are such a sweet treat for those of us that love Tasha and her everyday life. So looking forward to hearing more from you!!

    ReplyDelete