Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Someone's absconding with pies


Are your pies safe? Are you sure? Have you checked them recently? Because the only way to be completely certain is put them in––you guessed it––a pie safe. 

Don't you just love that someone crafted a piece of furniture to keep pies safe? I do. I don't even know them but I love them already. And I wish I had one of these lovely pieces of furniture. The one to the left is a reproduction made by an Amish gentleman. Lovely, huh? Below are pie safes from the 1800s. Be still my beating heart...

I love the detail work on the tin panels...




Here are some quick historical facts on pie safes:

  • Long before refrigerators and ice boxes, pie safes stored baked goods, flour and other kitchen items.
  • Pie safes are constructed of wood native to that area of the country (pine was especially popular in the South), and they vary in size and shape. But they all have holes or shelves with small air holes.
  • The pie cabinet (or safe) most likely originated in 16th century Europe and was introduced to the U.S. by German immigrants who came to Pennsylvania in the 1800s and soon became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.
  • The pie safe was generally kept as far from the wood stove as possible to keep the food safe from too much heat. In some homes, it might have been kept on the back porch next to the dry sink (to benefit from the cooler air circulating).
  • Pie safes have screening or punched tin designs in the top, sides, doors, or a combination of these. The screen allowed the baked goods to have ventilation while keeping rodents, flies, and hungry youngsters at bay. The ventilation also helped the food stay cooler and kept it from molding as easily.


  • The punched tin started with each hole being punched by the craftsman individually, then moved to nails put in boards in certain patterns and used to punch the holes, then on to "punching the tin" mechanically, all at one time.
  • Some of the "tin patterns" were fashioned in the likeness of well known people at the time, such as presidents of the country––or a beloved favorite author (not really).
  • Some kitchen safes have tops that open upward while others have a combination of doors and drawers.
  • There were even pie safes that were combination safes (that's what I'm talkin' about!) and that also included a jelly cupboard (because you must have jelly with your pie!)
  • Owning an antique pie safe can mean rolling out some major dough (you knew that was coming, right?), but there are many places selling reproductions for much less.

And now...what would a pie safe be without a pie? It's yummy time! Here's a pie I made recently, along with the recipe. Hope you enjoy! Let me know if you make it and how it turns out.


Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie
(oh, so good!)

1 baked 9-inch Pie Crust
1 Cup Sugar
4 Tablespoons plain flour 
Dash of Salt
3 Tablespoons Baking Cocoa
2 Cups Milk
1/3 cup Milk
3 Eggs, Separated (yolks well beaten, keep the whites for the meringue)
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Butter


Preheat Oven to 350. Bake pie crust till golden brown. Prick the bottom and sides (and use pie weights, if you want, to keep the crust from shrinking). 

Heat 2 cups milk to almost boiling. Mix sugar, flour, salt, and cocoa. Stir dry mixture into 1/3 cup cold milk until moistened. Add beaten egg yolks. Add entire mixture to hot milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and the butter. Remove from burner and let cool while you prepare the meringue. Oh yum! Honestly, this pudding is good enough to eat right now. Straight from the pan! 

Basic Meringue

3 egg whites (from above)
Dash of salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
6 Tablespoons sugar

Beat egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar; beat after each addition until sugar is partially dissolved. Add pudding to cooled pie shell and top with meringue making sure the meringue touches the sides of the pie crust to prevent shrinking. Broil in 325 degree oven until lightly golden brown (5-10 minutes).

So tell me, do you own a pie safe? I'd love to hear about it, if you do. And quick! What's the last kind of pie you ate? Mine was...Chocolate Cream Pie, of course.

Tammy
P.S. I cross posted this on Writes of Passage too. So for more comments (snarky AND sweet), visit there.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Congrats to the 2012 RITA Finalists

Congrats to the RITA Award Finalists for this year! What is the RITA Award, you ask?  Here's a quick description of the award from Romance Writers of America's website:

The purpose of the RITA® contest is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas. The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for excellence in published romance fiction.



2012 RITA Finalists for Inspirational Romance
The Christmas Child by Linda Goodnight (Harlequin Love Inspired; Allison Lyons, editor) 
Deadly Pursuit by Irene Hannon (Revell; Jennifer Leep, editor)
Katie's Way by Marta Perry (Berkley Publishing Group; Ellen Edwards, editor)
The Ladies' Room by Carolyn Brown (Avalon Books; Lia Brown, editor)
Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist (Bethany House Publishers; David Long and Julie Klassen, editors)
The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena Miller (Revell; Vicki Crumpton, editor)
My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren (Tyndale House Publishers; Karen Watson, editor)
Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones (Thomas Nelson; Natalie Hanemann and Jamie Chavez, editors)
To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer (Bethany House Publishers; Karen Schurrer, editor)

If you're looking for something new to read, you might want to check out the 2012 finalists! You won't be disappointed, I'm sure.

~Tamera

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Name that 70's tune

Good morning! Here's a quick vlog to test your memory skills. And yes! Being "a tad" older is definitely a plus in this game. Good luck! And be sure to list your answers below in the comment field.

First person to correctly guess all song titles (and list them in the right order), wins a "Tamera book" of your choice. Enjoy! And now step with me back into the 70s...




Here are the answers... And congrats to Cindy B who is our winner!


Monday, March 19, 2012

"Three Diminutive Swine"

What would the Three Little Pigs sound like if told 200 years ago? Oh so funny! This is impressive! And showcases how the choice of a word (or words, LOTS of them) changes everything...

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Favorite Things

It's that time again...

I snapped some pics of my favorite things and want to share! Get ready, because at the end, I want you to tell me if we have any favorite things in common, and I want to know what some of yours are too! 



Monday, March 12, 2012

Leg Wrestling Over Antiques

Late one night last weekend, my daughter Kelsey called me and said, "I've found the prettiest antique desk!" So I quickly got online to La Vie En Rose Cottage's Facebook Page and viewed it, and it was a beautiful little desk!



Next day, Kels and I went to look at it. And while the above desk is lovely, it was a tad small for her needs. But when we turned around, we saw this one! 




An 1850s restored desk with hutch with original drawer pulls and hardware, and it was love at first sight. For us both! I thought about challenging her to a leg wrestling match in the parking lot, but the loving mother in me won out––though just barely––and she bought the desk!

You can't see it in this picture but it's got some pretty antiquing on it and has some wonderful little cubbies. The desk is being delivered to Kelsey's house tonight, and I can't wait to see it again, and then after she has all of her "pretty things" inside.

There's something special about owning a piece of furniture or item that's seen some years and that's touched so many lives. This desk was originally in a seed store up in New England, the Connecticut area, for about sixty years then went home with the owner when the store finally closed and was sold. It stayed in their family for many years. Then the desk "somehow" made its way South, then just recently, the desk found its way (thanks to Jenny Light, the owner of La Vie En Rose Cottage) to a beautiful little antique boutique in Nashville, and––tonight––is finding its way to the home of a young woman who plans on taking great care of it and passing it down to someone else some day.

Here are some glimpses of other items at La Vie En Rose Cottage....

Don't you love these kind of old doors? (That's Kelsey snapping a pic, btw.) They had several old windows, too, that have been restored and can be used to hang necklaces or other jewelry. People can think of such clever things!


They have LOTS of jewelry too. Both antique and "newly old."





I found a couple of vintage books while there...

A romance from the 1800s. Have you read this one about the red-haired, hot tempered doc? It's actually free on Kindle.

I read this Nancy Drew mystery as a young girl and it's fun to have a 1930s copy.


Allison, wherever you are, if you're ever reading this and you want your book back, tough noogies, gal! Just kidding! Well, sort of.  : )

Also, if you're looking for a specific antique item, Jenny Light is willing to take note of that, and––as she's visiting estate sales and rummaging antique shops––if she finds that item, she'll take a pic and send it to you, then you can discuss whether you want her to buy it for you. Pretty nice deal! You can contact Jenny here:


So, please share... What special pieces of furniture do you own? and what fun stories are behind them? I'd love to know!


Tammy
Me with my sweet daughter,  Kelsey

Sunday, March 11, 2012

A video hello...

Just posted this to FB and thought I'd share here. Hope you're having a wonderful Sunday!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

A Grand Trip, all in all

Me with Alicia (and Chip and Cougar)
Last Monday, Joe and I made a very quick trip up to Grand Rapids, Michigan where we met with the folks at Zondervan who are publishing my Belle Meade Plantation series. It was great to see both friends I'd made before and to meet some new ones.

Alicia Mey, the Marketing Director, lives at Dream Acres (don't you love the name!) and has horses on her property. So of course, we had to feed and love on them. I'd forgotten what it feels like to have a horse eat from your hand. A very "nubby" feeling, like they're gumming you to death.

Joe with Cougar

Chip and Cougar, the horses, were very gentle, and I was surprised to learn that Chip's lineage can be traced back to Belle Meade. Cool!

We had dinner that night at a wonderful place called Brewery Vivant, but of course I forgot to take pictures of that delicious meal. I was too busy chatting, I guess. But not to worry (Judy), I enjoyed something equally delicious the next day!

Joe and me (it was really fun to have some 
extra time with him)

The next morning, I had the honor of speaking to the entire sales staff, and I really enjoyed the time to share with them about what God has been teaching me––and continues to––about surrendering to Him. Considering how long the two of us have been working on this theme in my life, you'd think I'd be farther along by now. But I'm fairly sure that has more to do with me than with Him. : {





With Sue Brower,
my editor at Zondervan 

Becky Philpott (Associate Acquisitions Editor), Andrea Lyons (Director, Digital Marketing),
 Michelle Lenger (Art/Cover Design), and me at the Twisted Rooster for lunch


Becky, me, Michelle, and Andrea again


And this fabulous bowl of warm, gushy love is a signature dish at the Twisted Rooster...
Lobster Mac & Cheese with Fried Parmesan (Oh. My. Gracious. De-licious!!) 


Joyce and me
And last, but certainly not least, is Joyce Ondersma who helped shuttle us around while we were there and got us to the airport on time! She's the Director of Author Care at Zondervan, and let me tell ya... The woman is good at what she does! She's been with Zondervan for twenty-seven years, and I'm fairly certain the place could not run without her.

A glimpse out the window on our way home. So pretty...

Jack
Finally, this was the sweet little face waiting for us when we got home. It was great to get back and quickly jump into the swing of things again.

I'm writing basically 24/7 these days, but I'm grateful to have the opportunity to write, and I'm thrilled to share my next cover with you (albeit, it's a cover still in progress). To Whisper Her Name releases in November…






I'm off to VOTE this morning. I hope you'll do the same too, if you're able, and that you'll join me in praying for our country today.

Blessings on your Tuesday, 
Tammy

Monday, March 5, 2012

Sarai by Jill Eileen Smith


Blessings on your Monday morning! I'm already well into my writing day, cranking out words, with my glass of sweet iced tea with lemon––*in a wine glass, of course*––beside me and with my Diet DP nearly drained. Hey, during allergy season I need all the liquids I can get!

To kick off our week, here's a new release from author and friend Jill Eileen Smith. Hope you enjoy!


Back tomorrow with pics from a trip I took last week,
Tammy
_______________________________


He promised her his heart. She promised him a son. But how long must they wait?
Sarai, the last child of her aged father, is beautiful, spoiled, and used to getting her own way. Even as a young girl, she is aware of the way men look at her, including her half brother Abram. When Abram finally requests Sarai’s hand, she asks one thing–that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Even her father thinks the demand is restrictive and agrees to the union only if Sarai makes a promise in return–to give Abram a son and heir. Certain she can easily do that, Sarai agrees.
But as the years stretch on and Sarai’s womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain–lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram’s patience last?
From PW (Publisher’s Weekly):
“Smith is at her best in handling the triangulated relationship between Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar…Smith breathes new imaginative life into a well-known sacred story.”
Here's a brief excerpt:

Ur, 2051 BC
Sarai glanced across the courtyard, catching Abram’s gaze. His half smile and the twinkle in his eye warmed her more than the wine she had tasted at the start of the ceremony. Music drifted around them as the bridal couple—their nephew Lot and his new wife, Melah—took their seats on the bench beneath the canopy and accepted rich foods from the hands of the servants.
“This whole wedding is a disgrace, you know.” Sarai’s sister-in-law Milcah stood at her elbow and leaned close to her ear. “Why her father agreed to the marriage after Lot had already humbled the girl . . . Though I suppose he didn’t have much choice. Who else would want her after she’d already given in to Lot’s charms?” Milcah batted at a fly, sending it away. “I can’t imagine why Lot couldn’t wait with such a one. It’s not as though she’s a beauty or a temptress. It seems like he could have done better.” The last words came out in a whisper as Milcah moved in close again.
Sarai turned from watching the bridal couple to meet Milcah’s pinched gaze. “If it is true that a babe is already on the way, it is better they marry.” She had wearied of the heated debate and shame Lot had brought down on her household, particularly on Abram.
“Abi Terah seems pleased with the arrangement.” Milcah touched Sarai’s shoulder and pointed toward their father. “Though his conditions did seem a little harsh toward Lot, while Melah came away already with child and married to a man who can never put her aside or take another. I might have given in to Nahor before our betrothal for such a promise.” She laughed at that, then shifted her ample bulk, bursting with child herself, to face Sarai once more.
To read the rest of the chapter, visit Jill’s website. For links to purchase the book online visit hereor visit your favorite local bookstore.
_______________________________
Jill Eileen Smith is the bestselling author of Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba, all part of the the Wives of King David series. Her research into the lives of David's wives has taken her from the Bible to Israel, and she particularly enjoys learning how women lived in Old Testament times. She lives with her family in southeast Michigan.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Sneak Peek at my next release...

Here's a quick peek at the "still in progress" cover from my Fall release with Zondervan, To Whisper Her Name. It's the first of three books in a brand new series––The Belle Meade Plantation series–– that will intertwine with the Belmont Mansion series. I am LOVING writing these Southern historicals, and hope you'll enjoy them too. To Whisper Her Name releases November 2012, followed by the next Belmont Mansion novel in 2013.

Olivia Aberdeen, destitute widow of a murdered carpetbagger, gratefully accepts an invitation from “Aunt” Elizabeth Harding, mistress of Belle Meade Plantation and the dearest friend of Olivia’s late mother. Expecting to be the Harding’s housekeeper, Olivia is disillusioned once again when she learns the real reason why Elizabeth’s husband, Confederate General William Giles Harding, agreed to her coming. Caring for an ill Aunt Elizabeth, Olivia is caught off guard by her feelings for Ridley Adam Cooper, a southern-born son who—unbeknownst to her and everyone else—fought for the Union. 

Determined to learn “the gift” that Belle Meade’s head horse trainer, Bob Green, possesses, Ridley is a man desperate to end the war still raging inside him while harboring secrets that threaten his life. As Ridley seeks to make peace within himself for “betraying” the South he loved, Olivia is determined to never be betrayed again… Set within the remarkable history of Nashville’s historic Belle Meade Plantation, comes a story about enslavement and freedom, arrogance and humility, and the power of love to heal even the deepest of wounds.

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