Abby Murphy

I'm counting down the days until the premiere of Season 3 of Downton Abbey in the U.S. this Sunday night. I've been steadfast, refusing to watch uploaded episodes from the U.K. or to search down spoilers. And yesterday my excitement reached epic proportions: while I was driving to work, NPR's Morning Edition interviewed the actors who… Continue reading Dining at Downton: What to eat while watching Season 3

adventure, baking, britain, dessert, dining at downton, disaster, edwardians, escoffier, family, fruit, holidays, victorians, winter

Dining at Downton: How to serve plum pudding

December 27, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

We had a relatively quiet Christmas here in Ohio, seeing family and telling funny stories and going for long, snowy walks and eating good food. As per tradition, we served plum pudding for dessert on Christmas night, along with a lot of other treats (frosted cookies, red velvet cake, petit fours...). We don't mess around… Continue reading Dining at Downton: How to serve plum pudding

adventure, baking, britain, dessert, dining at downton, edwardians, escoffier, family, fruit, holidays, victorians, winter

Dining at Downton: How to steam plum pudding

December 24, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

On Saturday we talked about how to make your own plum pudding, the most classic of British holiday desserts. (Yes, I am still wondering where the plums are in the recipe.) Today we'll discuss the cooking process, which is a rather elaborate steaming method. It requires parchment paper, cooking twine, a water bath, and lots… Continue reading Dining at Downton: How to steam plum pudding

adventure, baking, britain, dessert, dining at downton, edwardians, escoffier, family, fruit, holidays, victorians, winter

Dining at Downton: How to make plum pudding

December 22, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

This time of year, my family is all about tradition. Previously I wrote about the Brunswick stew we've kept from my mom's side of the family, though I tested out a Williamsburg variation of the recipe. That's still on the menu this year. My sister and I maintain important traditions like decorating the tree while… Continue reading Dining at Downton: How to make plum pudding

beverages, dining at downton, edwardians, escoffier, fruit, holidays, winter

Dining at Downton: Mulled wine

December 18, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

It's getting to be that time when I start glancing at the calendar to see how many days are left. Not before Christmas (though that's another kind of concern) but before the premiere.Yes, you know. The U.S. premiere of Downton Abbey Season Three.January 6! That's less than a month away!Josh and my sister and I can… Continue reading Dining at Downton: Mulled wine

canning, homesteading, thrift

5 ways to reuse Mason jars

December 11, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

Over the weekend Nina came over and we had another canning extravaganza (Cabernet Sauvignon jelly and pear & ginger preserves, for the curious). It's much more fun, and efficient, to can with another person, especially if you both prep your mixtures in advance. That way you can just reheat the jelly/preserves/jam on the stove while… Continue reading 5 ways to reuse Mason jars

honesty, pancakes, potatoes, settlement cookbook, vegetables

How I blog (plus potato pancakes)

December 6, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

I'd like to pretend all my blog posts and series spill out onto the computer fully-formed. But like most of my writing, creating blog content is a slow, careful process. There's a lot of planning, rewriting, deleting, and then some more rewriting. Sometimes it's painful. Sometimes I'd rather take pretty pictures or read other people's… Continue reading How I blog (plus potato pancakes)

candy, dessert, family, fruit, holidays, settlement cookbook, winter

Candied orange peel (with chocolate)

November 28, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

Thanksgiving is over. The turkey's been roasted and eaten (or perhaps you tried a duck?), the festive harvest plates have been washed and put away for another year. And now everything in America is telling us it's time for the winter holidays: the pharmacies selling mechanical Santas, the radios playing nothing but Elvis, the twinkle… Continue reading Candied orange peel (with chocolate)

baking, fall, history lesson, holidays

The "First" Thanksgiving (III)

November 21, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

Last week we looked at some of the myths surrounding the original Thanksgiving. We've explored how the Pilgrims were not, in fact, Pilgrims, and how the First Thanksgiving wasn't the homey, pastoral scene we're taught in school. Today we'll look at the final piece of the puzzle: the idea that the Native Americans and the English… Continue reading The "First" Thanksgiving (III)

fall, history lesson, holidays, meat

The "First" Thanksgiving (II)

November 17, 2012February 16, 2014 Abby Murphy

This week and next, I'm exploring some of the myths about the First Thanksgiving. We've discussed how the Pilgrims were not, in fact, Pilgrims (they had much fancier terms for themselves back in 1621). We've looked at a bizarre recipe for sour stewed pumpkin. Today let's talk about the biggest myth of all: the story… Continue reading The "First" Thanksgiving (II)