March 21, 2017

Snow may still be on the ground here in the Green Mountains but the first day of spring was warm and sunny. Soon the snow will melt and it will be mud-season. Before we know it the world will be in bloom and Easter will be upon us.

Making perfectly personalized Easter baskets for family and loved ones is one of the many delights of Spring! Today we are going to share some ideas for creating Tasha Tudor themed Easter Baskets. Whether you’re preparing a more traditional Easter Basket or a themed basket for a corgi lover, a kitchen maven, or an avid gardener we have something for you!

Tasha Tudor always made Hot Crossed Buns to serve at tea on Good Friday. This recipe comes from The Tasha Tudor Cookbook. In it, Tasha writes, "This receipt came from the 1861 edition of Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management. It was modified at least sixty years ago, to its present delectable state, by my Scottish nanny, Mary Burnett ("Dady"). Absolutely no other hot cross buns can compare. Just try them and you will agree. Just be careful not to add the butter when it is too hot, as it will kill the yeast.

Double the receipt if you desire more than twelve buns. I always do, as these have a tendancy to disappear when guests or family are about! Also, when I double the receipt I use a total of three packets of yeast for twentry-four buns; the extra yeast thems them lighter."

March 14, 2017
Tasha Tudor is known for her charming illustrations that depict the friendship and love between children and animals. Her watercolors of little boys and girls ambling through fields of flowers in the company of corgis, lambs, and chicks radiate innocence and the magic of a childhood spent living close to nature. 
 
With rosy cheeks and bright eyes Ellie Tudor, the 7 year old great granddaughter of Tasha Tudor, looks like she walked right out of one of her great granny’s illustrations. Though Ellie was born after Tasha passed away, it is clear that her great granny’s spirit lives on in her, and in more ways than one. 
 
 

March 9, 2017

With great delight, we introduce you to Taproot Magazine, a quarterly publication "celebrating food, farm, family and craft through writing, photography and the arts, both fine and domestic." Our very own Amy Tudor (Tasha's granddaughter-in-law) had the pleasure of writing a piece about the Tudor Family's way of life titled "At Home with Tasha Tudor" for their twenty-first issue Weave.  

March 1, 2017
Every year in the Northeast the return of spring feels nothing short of miraculous. The sight of tender purple crocuses pushing through white snow can set even the heaviest heart a-flutter. The vibrant green of new leaves delights the eye after months of the muted palette of winter. Birds newly returned from their migration back North fill the air with their lovely chatter and even a chilly wind carries with it the sweet scent of new life, full of hope. 
 

Tasha loved baking, especially for special occasions like Valentine's Day! Here is the recipe for her beloved heart-shaped Valentine Cake so you can taste the magic yourself!

February 2, 2017

One of the most exciting things about February 14th is making and exchanging paper valentines. A Valentine Mobile makes a creative and unique substitution for a card, and also serves as a re-usable decoration for February 14th. 

In the wonderful book Tasha Tudor's Old-Fashioned Gifts, Tasha Tudor and Linda Allen include instructions for making Valentine Mobiles and today we are going to show you how to make our own, somewhat simplified, version!

January 26, 2017

On a cool autumn day you might find the Tudor family gathered outside around a large cauldron, the sweet honeyed smell of beeswax in the air. Winslow Tudor leads the candle dipping, having learned the art from his grandmother, Tasha Tudor. Winslow's daughters, Ellie, 7, and Katie, 3 are quite as involved in the process as the adults.  It warms the heart to see the Tudor family gathered together, carrying on the tradition of making candles that will bring light to the family during afternoon tea, on holidays and during the dark nights of winter.   

January 12, 2017

"The customs and traditions that evolved in the Tudor family were sometimes rather unique, but the theme was universal: To be loved, by one another or by life itself, one must love first."  

-Tasha Tudor, All for Love

Valentine's Day in the Tudor family was a highly anticipated event each year. As soon as Christmas was over Tasha and her children got to work making hand crafted decorations (such as the Valentine Mobile we'll teach you to make next week!), paper valentines, baked treats and gifts for each other, their friends, and even their dolls!

January 7, 2017

“It may come as a surprise that I am a romantic. This trait sometimes puts me at odds with my practical side, but I have, over the years, attempted to meld the two. Being a romantic, or at least admitting it, is a practical way to enjoy life--it frees one to make the most of everything.”-Tasha Tudor, All for Love

After the excitement and activity of Christmas, the stillness and quiet of midwinter brings a welcome peace. When the weather outside is harsh the magical warmth of home, family, and friends is such a comfort.  And for the Tudor Family, the chill of January and February has always been wonderfully offset by the eager anticipation and preparation that leads up to Valentine’s Day.