Easter Recap

I'm sure you all had a busy Easter Sunday. Mine was busy too. It started with Sunday morning Mass then we had Easter Brunch at the condo.

I had the good folks at Pondview Florist in Winchester fill my Harney Tea tin with a spring arrangement to match the tablecloth. White tulips with one blue hydrangea. They did a great job!

The tablecloth was a recent purchase at an estate sale. The photo doesn't do it justice.  It is a lovely shade of pink and definitely from the 50's

My sister made a couscous salad with tomatoes, garlic, basil, and lemon juice.  It was yummy!

I made overnight baked french toast. I make it for Easter and my Wimbledon Breakfast.

A mix of old and new at each place setting. New plates used as chargers and the smaller plate is vintage and was purchased at Brissonte in North Reading.

For dessert, we had a chocolate Easter Egg cake.  It was filled with chocolate cake and chocolate mousse layers. Delish!

Next, my sister and I went to the nursing home to visit my Mom and to take her to the dessert buffet. We didn't eat much. I had a few chocolate dipped strawberries.

They do a really nice job with variety and presentation. The residents at the nursing home looked like  they enjoyed it.

Too bad I wasn't hungry. I would have enjoyed the key lime pie or the caramel cheesecake.

I changed the entire tablesetting for the evening crowd.  I had friends coming over for dessert and coffee and tea.  This time I used a white tablecloth with the lavender table runner with the little LED lights running down the center.

Everyone got a Lindt chocolate bunny to take home. I am so OCD that I replaced all the ribbons on the bunnies' necks.  They came with red ribbons but that would clash with the purples and pastels of the tablescape.  So I used white and pastel colored ribbons instead.

Here's another view of the floral arrangement with tea tin. The beautiful sugar pot was a gift from my friends Mary and Don.

Yes, I did stand on a chair for this shot. I wanted you to have an aerial view of the table and of the lit runner. I wasn't sure I would like it but I do like the white plates on the white tablecloth. Another estate sale find.

Linen napkins from Pier One and violet china was purchased at various antique stores.

Petit fours in pastel colors. These would be so beautiful on a tea tray. I found these at La Patisserie in Winchester.

My friends all brought desserts.  Mary made a cream cheese pie and lemon cookies. Ellie brought brownies on a 100 year old plate that was her mother's. Debbi brought pistachio salad and flowers.

I also made up a fruit and cheese plate to offset all the sweets.  We had multigrain flatbread, water crackers and Triscuits plus red and green grapes for color and herbed goat cheese, a sharp white cheddar and a wedge of brie.

With all that entertaining yesterday, it was tough to get up for work this morning. I was a little tired but it was worth it. I had such a wonderful time with friends and family.

Easter Festivities

Today I had my Father and Sister over for brunch. First, there was church and then we went to my condo for Easter Brunch. We started with a salad of baby spinach, goat cheese, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges, and slivered almonds with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.



Orange juice was served from my hydrangea pitcher.



A daytime view of the table setting.



I made the same french toast recipe I used for last year's Wimbledon Breakfast. It's an overnight baked french toast with maple syrup and cream cheese. So yummy and so easy. I got the recipe from the Angel of the Sea Bed and Breakfast cookbook.

My Sister made a Swedish Apple Pie and we had it for dessert.



In the evening, I invited my Sister and 4 friends over for dessert. Everyone brought something. We had fruit salad with blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries and a sweet cream dip. Also, brownies, lemon cookies, more Swedish apple pie and a chocolate mousse layer cake. That's it pictured above.



It really was quite spectacular looking. We couldn't wait to cut into it.



It was just as spectacular on the inside. And delicious too!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter.

Looking back at Easter

Did you have a nice Easter? I did, so I thought I would share some memories of the day.

We went to Mass and then had Easter Brunch at my condo.



A chocolate bunny and a card at each placesetting.



This Easter colored cheesecake is from Junior's in Brooklyn. I had it on display for brunch but we were too stuffed to eat it for dessert!



We had fruit cup to start.



Mary made an Easter bread, an annual tradition.



I made overnight french toast. Make it the day before and bake it the next morning.



My sister made a Swedish Apple Pie.



Molly had an angel on her shoulder.



I decided rather impulsively to invite some friends over for dessert. After all, we hadn't even touched the cheesecake!



That's Oscar in the window. He thought it was more interesting outside. Yes, I did stand on a chair to get this shot. I took the photo before the guests arrived, although I am sure they would not have been fazed by me standing on a chair to get this photo. They always say, "blog shot!".




There's one of my Salvation Army teacups.



I love this cake pedestal. It's from Home Goods of course!




Another view of the tablescape.




We finally cut the cheesecake! It was so good, creamy cheesecake on the inside,
chocolate cookie crumb crust on the outside. And that topping, a Madras Plaid linen look layer with a little chocolate ganache thrown in.

I think after yesterday's feast I shall not eat for days!

Sunday Brunch at Aroma Cafe

Today was a gorgoeus Spring day. Actually it seemed more like Summer. It has been abnormally warm for the past two days.

My sister and I decided to go to Sunday brunch. One of our favorite places for brunch is the Aroma Cafe in Reading, Massachusetts. It's located right in the downtown area at 607 Main St.

I love the decor in the place. The color purple is predominant. The wood color plays off the shades of purple. Isn't the floor cool?

Here's my breakfast. My sister got the same thing. It's our favorite, even Linda, our server knows it. She said next time she won't even bring us menus. So it's called Eggs in the Hearts. It's two eggs over easy inside herb buttered toast. The cutout hearts make the dish visually pleasing. The lacy potatoes, delicious. Some of them are browned to perfection. And nice colorful fruit salad gives the plate color. You wouldn't want too much beige would you?

Great food at this place and excellent service. Linda is the best! Weekdays, I sometimes go there for a Vermont Goat Cheese Salad. The salad has mixed greens, roasted red peppers, toasted pecans, red onions, goat cheese, and ranch dressing. Yum!!

On the ride home, my sister commented that just the other day there were no flowers in bloom and now we have blossoms everywhere. Since she was driving, I was able to take a photo of this blue house with pretty white blossoming tree.

Here's a closer look at the delicate flowers on the tree. Spring is here, indeed!