Handpainted Tea Pots for the Tea Garden
Good morning, dear bloggers. Today I have officially become a blogger by pushing through the computer-phobic firewall that I have erected since I first bought this computer into my home. Its initial purpose was to simply gather information and send e-mails to friends but now I have come to learn that it has become an essential part of promoting my business and to inform people of recent happenings and happenings-to-be
And so I would like to tell you that all this winter I have been in the process of starting up a tea garden in Moscow, Vermont. Moscow is a part of Stowe but the slower side, the side where tourists rarely go, the side that has an alpaca farm up the road, where Jasper the donkey shares his barn with several horses at the top of the hill and where people have chickens and ducks and goats. I have lived here for 7 years, a transplant from Manhattan and Woodstock, NY...and I have fallen in love with the mountains and the style of life here where many people have created lives that center around stewardship of the land, the creation of small progressive farms and sustainable living. When I first arrived, I started up a garden and the Inky Dinky Oinkink Organic Farmstand was created where I sold herbs, bouquets of flowers and lots of vegetables and edible flowers. This venture evolved into the Moscow Co-op last year. If you were to visit this coming season, you would find all sorts of hand-made and home-grown items produced by my neighbors here in Moscow....granola, maple syrup, fresh eggs, dog biscuits, alpaca wool, goat cheese, birdhouses, handknit hats , baked items, local chicken, beef and pork, and of course, all sorts of organic vegetables, flowers and herbs. I also transformed a battered outbuilding into a colorful gallery/gift shop where I exhibit and sell my artwork and lastly, have created a cozy B&B in part of the farmhouse which is my home. Here, rooms are decorated with my artwork and I serve hearty Vermont breakfasts and afternoon tea made with produce from my garden...a very nice synthesis of garden and art and food..(the food is the part I just might love too much!) And so up to this point, Inky Dinky Oinkink has been comprised of a gallery/giftshop, a bed and breakfast and farmstand. You can visit at http://www.oinkink.com/
Inside the Inky Dinky Oinkink Gallery/Giftshop
It is not surprising that the next step would be the creation of a tea garden. And here is where we begin.......
I have no photos to show you of the tea garden ....not yet...there is still snow on the ground...but the tea garden will be open for the first time on Mother's Day...at the same time that the flowers that I planted around the patio will be starting to bloom. Seating will be on the patio and on the side porch where sweets and savories ( made with freshly picked produce from the garden and local products) will be served to guests who will be surrounded by the sight and scents of flowers. Guests are welcome to visit the gallery and Co-op and stroll through the gardens and greenhouse. The Tea Garden will be open Thursday-Sunday from 11:30-4:30...no reservations necessary unless you are planning tea for a large gathering. It will close for the season after Labor Day.
The Gallery/Giftshop
I have been busy testing new recipes.. My tried and true ones are my death by chocolate cake with pink pig sprinkles, carrot cake, apple crumb pie, orange poppyseed cake, almond cookies, raspberry tart with whipped cream, chive and lavender scones, stuffed grape leaves, salmon mousse, ginger snaps, rugalech...and many new ones still to be discovered. I have also just purchased a small greenhouse that is lying in pieces on the side porch and waiting to be put together after the thaw. I plan to propagate scented geraniums in the greenhouse and John, owner of the Vermont Liberty Tea Company in Waterbury has given me a wonderful recipe for making jellies using geranium leaves...wonderful with scones !
Organic Farmstand expanded into the Moscow C0-op
John's Recipe:
Ingredients: several scented geranium leaves ( rose, mint..etc. I like rose)
jar of apple jelly
Heat the apple jelly in a saucepan until it becomes liquid. Cool slightly and place in a container with the leaves. Close container and refrigerate..What could be simpler !
You are looking at Hundie's memorial garden
in the shape of a dog biscuit. Hundie was a very handsome but rather chunky black English Cocker who was a true gourmutt. He was particularly fond of dog biscuits.
Bistro tables and chairs have been bought, flowery table cloths sewn, plates, cups and saucers have been stashed and I am now busy painting teapots that guests will be able to purchase. I am really enjoying all of this..It brings together everything that I love to do... bake, cook, eat, paint, garden, feed people and create beautiful places where people feel comfortable and happy.
I will be telling you more as time goes on.. Thank you for reading my blog.
Here's to Spring !!
Liz
