Category: 20th century

20th century, baking, dessert, family, settlement cookbook, summer

Devil’s cake no. 1

Abby Murphy

Yesterday I celebrated my birthday! I turned 27, just a few weeks after this blog turned 2. In between melting in the 90-degree heat and dashing through torrential rainstorms (yes, it was an eventful day, weather-wise), I enjoyed a pastry from my favorite bakery, assembled a Settlement birthday cake, and tried out a new restaurant with… Continue reading Devil’s cake no. 1

19th century, 20th century, activities, afternoon adventure, dreams, family, gardening, sister, travel

Afternoon Adventure: Longwood Gardens

Abby Murphy

A month ago my family met up in Philadelphia to celebrate my sister's graduation. We had some free time before the festivities began, so we drove about an hour outside of the city to the Brandywine Valley, former home of painter Andrew Wyeth and current location of some absolutely beautiful estates and gardens.We spent the… Continue reading Afternoon Adventure: Longwood Gardens

20th century, breakfast, britain, dessert, dining at downton, edwardians, escoffier

Dining at Downton: Gilded crust (pain perdu)

Abby Murphy

When I took French in middle school and high school, I particularly loved the words that had both literal and figurative meanings. "Petit chou," you might call your sweetheart, meaning..."little cabbage." "Pomme de terre" was on the list of grocery store vocabulary as the humble potato, but literally it meant "apple of the earth." For… Continue reading Dining at Downton: Gilded crust (pain perdu)