Inside the March Issue:
 » Editor's Note

  1... Tea News Bits
  2... Cornwall, My Home - Part 2 with Jon Coe
  3... I Don't Half Fancy You - What'd they say?
  4... Tea Advisor: Questions Answered
  5... Mystery of the Month
  6... England's Calendar of Events: March
  7... Tea Times Travel Tips
  8... Memories of Mothering Sunday with Jon Coe
  9... Recipe: Simnel Cake
10... Afternoon Teaisms

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Editor's Note

Tea Times is Growing; New Look

Although winter in Maryland has been easy this year, we know all of you as well as all of us are eager to welcome spring on March 20. The days are getting longer and the birds have actually begun to serenade us as we make our way to work. It won't be long before we see the new green growth from all the foliage.

The Tea Times is growing too. We hope all of you enjoyed our new look that we presented in honor of our first birthday. Congratulations to our Web Master, Mr. Sullivan for doing such a fine job.

In this edition you will read that we are looking for story writers. If you are a writer, be sure to check out the Tea News Bits to get more details. Also in the Tea News Bits, you'll read about the return of May to December and about how to vote for programs during Your Favorites Week.

Of course, Jon Coe is back with his memories of England. We tie into one of England's dates of interest with a recipe for Simnel Cake. And if you have a little trouble understanding some of the conversation on the Brit Coms, perhaps What'd They Say will help a little bit.

So read and enjoy. We are happy to report there are 6,100 of you doing so from 33 states and the U.K. Happy spring everyone!

Sue G, Editor
Heather, Tea Lady
Mr. Sullivan, Web Master
Bobby Showe, ATT Reporter

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Tea News Bits

Afternoon Tea's Latest News

May to December

Good news! May to December returns on March 6 at 3 pm. The BBC has successfully closed-captioned the episodes so MPT is able to air the program once again.

More to Laugh About

Be sure to tune in on Thursday, March 2 at 9:00 pm. to watch The Funny Blokes of British Comedy. Enjoy John Cleese, Geofrrey Palmer, and others in clips from their British comedies. On Saturday, March 11 at 8:00 pm The Funny Ladies of British Comedy will share their humor. Laugh along with Judi Dench, Mollie Sugden, Patricia Rutledge and others. These are two nights guaranteed to put a smile in your day!

For the Monty Python Fans

On Wednesday, March 1 at 10:00 pm, join us for Monthy Python's Personal Best. Which will higlight John Clesse. On Thursday, March 2, at 10:15 pm, Monty Python's Personal Best will bring you Terry Gilliam and his antics. Both are must see for any Python fan!

Your Favorites Week

From March 26 - March 31 is Your Favorites Week on prime time at MPT. Be sure to check your Program Guides for the ballot. Voting is also available online at www.mpt.org. Votes will be taken through March 20. The As Time Goes By Reunion Special is one of the selections so all of you Tea Goers be sure to cast your vote!

Calling All Writers!

Would you like to have your work in the Tea Times? The staff of Afternoon Tea is accepting tea-themed fiction or non-fiction stories that you have written to include in the newsletter. Submissions will be screened for appropriateness and the Tea staff has final approval on which stories get published. Writers will not be paid but selected stories will be read by over 6,000 people. If you are an aspiring writer and want to be considered, send your submissions to Sue G, Tea Times, Maryland Public Television, 11767 Owings Mills Blvd, Owings Mills, Md. 21117.

Smashing, I'd Say

A top official at Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England says some of its best-known artifacts "are in very, very small pieces," after a visitor tripped on his shoelace and fell down the stairway.

The three Chinese vases had been sitting proudly on a window beside the staircases for 40 years before the man's spill knocked them off and shattered them. The museum's director says he's glad the visitor wasn't hurt, but the accident is "most unfortunate and regrettable." The vases date from the late 17th or early 18th century. They were donated to the museum in Cambridge in 1948.

The museum's assistant director says officials are "determined to put them back together." No word on the value of the vases.

FOXNews.com | Associated Press

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Cornwall, My Home - Part 2

by Jon Coe

Jon tells us more about his county of Cornwall and the story of Saint Piran.
- Editor.

In or around the 7th century, a man from the island of Cape Clear off County Cork, Ireland, ventured to Rome. After studying scriptures, he returned to Ireland and was made a Bishop at his monastic settlement Saighir Kieran in the County of Ossary, which is now Kilkenny.

The story goes he was cast out by heathens who were jealous of his powers of healing and his ability to work miracles. From a cliff, they threw him into the sea below with a giant black millstone around his neck. Suddenly there was a clap of thunder, a bolt of lightening and there sat Saint Piran peacefully floating on the millstone in the Atlantic.

Saint Piran made his way across the sea to Cornwall and landed between Newquay and Peranporth at a place which is now called Perranzabuloe. The legend states that he lit a fire upon his giant black millstone and the heat caused smelting to take place. Tin rose to the top forming a white cross. Interestingly, the Cornish flag is a black background with a white cross.

There he built a tin Oratory on the beach in the Irish style of heads of a man, woman and beast around the arched doorway. Legend states that his first disciples were a fox, a badger and a bear. Worshipping took place there until an actual church was built in the 10th century because of the gradual invasion of the sea and sand on the small chapel. The Oratory was excavated in 1835 and throughout the 19th century. Many relics and bones were discovered. Eventually the sea and sand took the church as well. The priest's house continues to stand in the graveyard.

I have fond memories of being a child and visiting a beach with a church on it. When I visited Cornwall two years ago, I was sad to see the church was gone. I've recently discovered that the church is being excavated. Because of my memories of visiting there with my parents, I find happiness in this.

There are many records that Saint Piran did exist and lived to be 206 years of age. (That's right, 206.) There are possible records of his birth in Ireland starting around 506 AD and there is evidence of his activity up into the 8th century.

March 5th, in Cornwall, is the celebration for Saint Piran, the Patron Saint of Tin Miners and the Patron Saint of Cornwall. Saint Piran's Day is also celebrated in two communities in Ireland.

Within an hour drive up the coast from Saint Piran's church is a little town called Tintagel. Here is what is believed to be the ruins of King Arthur's castle where you can clearly see Merlin's cave, dark and ominous, on the beach below. King Arthur existed in the same time frame as Piran. Both men were on a spiritual and holy quest.

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I Don't Half Fancy You' - What'd They Say?

British Slang and Expressions from A to Zed

Huh? What? I can't understand what they are saying. That is oft-times the response from new watchers of Britcoms. In fact, it can be a major frustration for newcomers trying to get "the knack." When combined with the rapid-fire delivery that accompanies the dialog, it can be a challenge.

The following is a look at the humor behind the humor in the form of decoding the meanings of some common, and not so common, British slang words and phrases. For some of us, these terms are well known, for newbies, not so well. Once understood, these terms make the art and joy of British comedies even more entertaining.

Common Words or Terms

Quid, bob - a slang term for money, "this cost me 20 quid." (pounds) Bird - a woman, e.g. "I was dating this bird." Bloke - a man, e.g. "He is an honest bloke." Toffee-nosed - higher class, stuck-up person, e.g. "She's quite the Toffee-nosed bird." Cockney - a common English accent, e.g. think East London. Lorry - a truck, e.g. milkman's lorry. Belt up - shut up, e.g. "Belt up you lot!" Bickie - slang for biscuit, a cookie or cracker, e.g. "I prefer to dip my bickie in my tea." Bog - loo, karzi, lavatory - restroom, e.g. "You will have to use the staff bog." Braces - suspenders Bubble and squeak - food, consisting of leftover greens and potatoes and then fried. Caravan - house trailer or mobile home. Chips - French-fried potatoes. Crisps - potato chips. C. of E. - Church of England. Conk - slang for beak or nose, also head. Crumpet - what we call an English muffin, slang word for a desirable woman. Cuppa - a cup of tea. Dead cert - slang for a sure thing, e.g. "The sun rising is a dead cert." Deaf aid - hearing aid. Debag - to cut someone down to size, literally to pull pants down. Digestives - a cookie or cracker similar to our Graham crackers. Dodgy - touch and go, risky, uncertain, e.g. "He is a dodgy character. Dustbin - garbage can, dustman - garbage man. Electric fire - an electric heater. Elevenses - morning coffee or tea break. Fairy cake - cupcake, derogatory when called one. Flick knife - a switchblade knife. Fortnight - two weeks time. Frock - a woman's dress. Fruit machine - a slot machine, e.g. in Las Vegas. Commonly found in pubs throughout UK. Gearbox - vehicle's transmission. Git - slang for twit, or someone who is incompetent. Haberdashery - a shop or department that sells pins, thread, needles, tape and a little of this and that. High Street - their version of our Main Street, usually referring to the middle of the town or village. Ices - ice cream novelties, popsicles. Industrial action - union protest activities. Invalid carriage - an electric tricycle issued by the Ministry of Health for the disabled. Knackered - tired, worn out. Knacker's yard is where animal carcasses are rendered into various products. Knickers - woman's under garment. Lacquer - hair spray. Ladder - a run, as in panty hose, e.g. "I have laddered my tights." Larder - pantry, as in a kitchen. Lavatory roll - roll of toilet paper. Layabout - a loafer, lazy person. Leaving gift or present - a retirement present. Lie in - to sleep late. Lodger - someone who rents a room, usually in a private residence.

Lolly - dough, money. Mac - raincoat. Mend - to repair something. Muck - mess, e.g. "He mucked up his room." Nappy - a baby's diaper. Naturist - a nudist. Nick - jail or police station. Also means to steal something. Nicker - slang for currency, e.g. "That cost me 20 nicker!" (pounds) Notecase - billfold or wallet. Nutter - a crazy character. Off license - a package store, a license to sell alcohol. on appro - on approval, e.g. "I have this new coat on appro." Outgoings - expenses. Pantomime - panto for short - a variety show during the Christmas season, predominately for children. Pavement - sidewalk. Pensioner - a senior citizen. Petrol - gasoline. Pillar-box - mailbox. Pinny - an apron. Pint - beer. Pissed - blindingly drunk. Pram - a baby carriage. Prawn - a small shrimp. Preggers - pregnant, with child. Poof - a footstool, derogatory term for effeminate. Queer - queasy, not feeling well. Queue - to form a line, to wait in line for one's turn. Rise - an increase in salary. Roundabout - a traffic circle, child's merry-go-round. Rubber - an eraser, as in pencil eraser. Season ticket - a commuter ticket, like on a bus line or commuter train. Sellotape - scotch tape. Semi-detached - a two family dwelling. Shepherd's pie - a food, remainder of a roast, minced, covered with a layer of mashed potatoes and baked in the oven. Sister - a nurse, not necessarily of religious origin. Skint - broke, with no money. Snog - passionate kiss, to make out. Solicitor - lawyer or attorney. Stout - strong beer. Sultana - a white raisin. Take-away - food to go, a place to pick up food and take home. Tart - a pie, or in a derogatory fashion: a loose woman. Telly - television, also called goggle box. Toad in the hole - a food, consisting of sausage in a batter. Torch - a flashlight. Transport café - truck divers' all night diner. Tube - the underground, subway. Tuck - eats, to eat, e.g. "To have a tuck in." V.A.T - sales or value added tax. Wellingtons - rubber boots, wellies for short. Whip-round - passing the hat, as in taking up donations. Wide boy - a shady character. Windscreen - the windshield of a car. Wireless - a radio.

Some Common Slang Phrases

Get knotted - stop bugging me. Get your cards - to resign or be fired from a job. Cop the lolly - to inherit a large sum of money, e.g. "when he goes, she will cop the lolly and all." Have it off - to have an affair, more directly, to have relations with a partner. In aid of - what is that for, e.g. "What's this in aid of?" Keep your eyes skinned - pay close attention, be on the lookout for. Get your knickers in a twist - to be upset, animated or irritated. To "nip round" - to stop by, or come over, e.g. "I think I will nip round to the pub for a pint." Off the peg - ready to wear, off the rack. Pack it in - to retire, to desist.

Pull one's socks up - to shape up or get going. Put a bung in it - shut up. To rabbit on - to jabber, or talk incessantly about. Ready for the off - ready to leave or go somewhere. To send to Coventry - to ignore socially, give cold shoulder to. Set the Thames on fire - to set the world on fire, as in achievement. To spend a penny - to go to the restroom. To tart something or someone up - to doll up, make prettier. Tear a strip off - to bawl someone out, dress down or put in one's place

The Insider

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Tea Advisor

Questions Answered

Oolong teas

Oolong teas are treated in much the same way as black teas, but withering and fermentation times are minimized. While black teas are fully fermented, oolongs are only 75 percent fermented. This results in a deliciously fruity tea that evokes the qualities of both black and green teas.

Unlike black teas, oolongs are graded only according to their quality. The best is called Choice, followed by Finest to Choice, Finest, Fine to Finest, and so on, a bewildering array of superlatives that ends in Standard. Since there can be many crops in one year, the quality of an oolong refers not only to the character of the leaf and how it was handled but also to the time of year it was harvested and the part of the plant that was plucked. For example, the best Formosa Oolongs are harvested in the summer months. They usually carry the Finest grade, while the grades of the winter harvest, when the weather can be quite unstable, are usually Good to Standard.

Oolong tea originated in the Fukien province of China, where it is still manufactured today. Among tea specialists, Formosa Oolong, which is grown in Taiwan, is considered the best. Oolong tea accounts for less than 2 percent of the world's yearly consumption of tea.

You also may encounter two other categories of tea: pouching tea, which is lightly oxidized and is classified between a green and an oolong tea, and white tea, a rare and expensive unoxidized tea that is similar to green tea.

The New Tea Book | By Sara Perry

Tea in Tombs

Tea has been unearthed from several Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) tombs. In one a celadon tea container is clearly labeled with the character ch'a. Emperor Qi Wudi (AD 479-502) stipulated in his will that he should receive posthumous offerings of tea. To this day tea is used by some Chinese as a gift to the dead - a ball of red paper containing leaf tea is left between the corpse's lips.

Tea | By Roy Moxham

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What Is Your Guess? Mystery Trivia

Case One

It was April and the sun was shining. Tens of thousands of people arrived before noon to watch the nine young men battle the monster. The uniformed employees also fought against a group of out-of-towners. While all in attendance were truly excited, they knew that they would find deep despair during the coming fall.

The Mystery
Who are the employees and where are they battling the monster?

Clues
The event took place in a New England city.
The employees were professional athletes.
The monster was green and very tall.
The young men haven't been victorious in more than 50 years of trying.
The monster lives in a Boston, Massachusetts park.
The young men played baseball.

Case Two

A British subject takes a nasty tumble and is never quite the same afterwards. The subject's story is chronicled by a female poet - and becomes one of her most famous works.

The Mystery
Who is the subject and what is the poet's name?

Clues
Numerous books have been published in the poet's name.
The subject is male.
The subject cracked under pressure.
The poet is old and may never have existed.
The poet is known to be maternal.
The subject fell off a wall.

Be sure to check the April 2006 edition of the Tea Times for the answers.

Answer to February mysteries:

Case One: Jack traded his family's cow for a handful of magic beans.

Case Two: Vinnie's wife took out the contract. Vinnie isn't worried because it's a life insurance contract.

30 Second Mysteries, © University Games

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Crufts Dog Show

March 9-12
Lights, cameras and lots of action will fill five halls of the National Exhibition Center, Birmingham as the 103rd Crufts - the world's largest dog show - is brought to you by the Kennel Club.

Cheltenham National Hunt Festival

March 14- 17
Four days of the best steeplechase and hurdle racing on the planet bring the season to a climax as 450 horses complete for £2.8m ($4,859,120 USD) in prize money.

The four major Championship races are backed up by another six Grade 1 contests and a whole host of Handicaps that set racegoers the challenge of picking a winner that can bring high return. Over £1m ($1,735,400 USD), will be bet on-course on every race.

For the three hours before racing and the hour and half after, there is time to enjoy The Festival atmosphere amongst the trade stands, parades, music and entertainment. Each day closes with a party in the Centaur.

In response to reaction to the new four day format, crowd levels on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be kept to around 55,000 compared with capacity of 65,000 on Friday for the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Festival Highlights
Tuesday - Smurfit Champion Hurdle
Wednesday - Queen Mother Champion Chase
Thursday - Ladbrokes World Hurdle
Friday - Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup

St. Patrick's Day

March 17
St. Patrick's Day is a big to-do in London, which has the third-largest Irish population after New York and Dublin. Parades and plenty of general merriment.

England For Dummies | Donald Olson

Rigoletto at ENO

London, England
March 2006 - Various Dates
One of the most famous productions in English National Opera's repertoire, Jonathan Miller's malfioso take on Rigoletto returns to the London Coliseum due to overwhelming public demand and supported by the Peter Moores Foundation, which has done so much to promote opera in English. Alan Opie returns to sing Rigoletto (a role he sang first at the last ENO revival), while the updating from Renaissance Mantua to 1950s New York (with the Duke's famous aria La Donna e mobile accompanied by a Jukebox!) will once again crackle with tension and drama.

www.whatsonwhen.com

Related Links:

 Crufts Dog Show - NEC Birmingham UK
 Cheltenham Racecourse - The Festival
 Rigoletto at ENO

March Dates of Interest in England

March 1
Saint David's Day, Patron Saint of Wales

March 3
Kissing Friday. English school boys were allowed to kiss the girls without fear of punishment. This custom lasted into the 1940s. In a town called Sileby, Leicestershire, this day was known as "Nippy Hug Day." The men were allowed to kiss the woman of their choice, but if they were rejected they were allowed to pinch her posterior.

March 5
Saint Piran's Day, Patron Saint of Cornwall

March 15
The Ides of March. The anniversary of the death of Julius Caesar and on the Roman calendar it marked the central point of March being divided into two equal parts.

March 17
Saint Patrick's Day, Patron Saint of Ireland

March 25
Lady Day. Over eight hundred years ago, lived a generous woman called Lady Mabela. She was very rich, but due to custom, when a lady married her wealth automatically belonged to her husband. She married Sir Roger de Tichborne who was not a very nice man. Lady Maybela had to beg for everything. Most of the things she had she gave to the poor. When she was ill and lay dying, she asked her husband if he would be kind to the poor after she was dead. She wanted him to give bread to the poor once a year. Sir Roger wasn't happy. He wouldn't give up the flour he made from the wheat he grew.

March 25
Christian Festival of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Until 1752, it was the beginning of the legal new year in England, and is still a quarter day - the date for the payment of quarterly rates and dues.

March 25
the 58th anniversary of Heathrow Airport being opened in 1948.

March 26
Simnel Sunday. The fourth Sunday in Lent when Simnel cakes are eaten.

March 31
Oranges and Lemons Day. In the days when the River Thames in London was wider than it is now, barges carrying oranges and lemons would land in front of a churchyard called St. Clement Dane. On the last day of March, primary school children gather at the church and sing a famous nursery rhyme and play the tune on hand bells. The rhyme begins, "Oranges and lemons say the bells of St. Clement's..."

By Jon Coe

7 

Travel Tips

March Weather

The average temperature in London in March is 44 degrees Fahrenheit with an average rainfall of 1.5 inches.

A Walk Through a Classical Painting

Stourton, Wiltshire, England
Inspired by the paintings of Claude Lorrain and Gaspard Poussin, Stourhead is arguably England's most fabled garden, and one that has long elicited superlatives. It is the most celebrated example of 18th-century English landscape gardening, confirmation that no country holds a candle to England's horticultural expertise.

Stourhead's poetic vistas and landscapes punctuated with architectural highlights such as a neoclassical Pantheon, a grotto, and temples built to Flora and Apollo create a classical effect that is the finest of its genre in England, the prototype much mimicked around the world in private and public gardens alike. The 18th-century Palladian-inspired house, whose beautiful interior is also open to the public, was the home of a wealthy local banking family. "Henry the Magnificent" Hoare, inspired by a Grand Tour of the Mediterranean, decided to relandscape his estate's 100-acre grounds upon his return home.

Although Stourhead is a garden for all seasons, perhaps among its most romantic walks would be one in early fall along the footpaths that wind around a chain of small manmade lakes, or in summer when its famous dells of rhododendrons and camellias are in full bloom. Within strolling distance of the gardens' main gate, the Spread Eagle Inn is a local institution, known for its Sunday lunches and leisurely dinners of simple, traditional cooking. Better yet, stop by on your way into the gardens: the inn packs a great box lunch for a picnic on the bucolic grounds, in a shady corner of your choice.

1,000 Places To See Before You Die | By Patricia Schultz

Applying for a U.S. Passport

Apply for your passport at least a month, preferably two, before you plan to leave on your trip. The processing takes an average of three weeks, but can run longer during busy periods (especially in spring). For people older than age 15, a passport is valid for ten years; for those 15 and under, a passport is valid for five years.

If you are a U.S. citizen applying for a first-time passport and are 14 or older, you need to apply in person. Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 for the addresses of the offices.

England for Dummies | by Donald Olson

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Memories of Mothering Sunday

by Jon Coe

Mother's Day in England is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent. This year it falls on March 26. The English actually call it Mothering Sunday.

Mothering Sunday is a traditional holiday with history coming from years ago when children, mainly daughters of poor families, were sent to work as domestic servants. They were given the day off to be with their mother and given flowers and cake to take home.

When I was a little boy I lived in the country. On the morning of Mothering Sunday I would get up early and roam around the country lanes and farm land, picking primroses from the hedgerows. I will never forget the flowers and the hedgerows of those winding country roads, all those years ago. I would bring them back to our cottage where my father stood burning the bacon and toast for my mother's breakfast. I would make a card for her from both my father and me, the tradition in England, while my mother would still be in bed. My father and I would "climb the wooden hill" as they say, and present her with gifts of flowers, cards and food. It was always a very special day. We either went to my grandmother's house or she came to ours.

Since my father and I couldn't cook, my mother would prepare a very nice tea about five or six o'clock as is the custom in England. Six o'clock though is considered late and bordering on supper. The entire house would be teaming with posy jars filled with either primroses or daffodils. The smell of pastries and mint sauce would waft from room to room.

Every piece of bone china would be pulled out of places where we never thought possible. My mother loved her china tea sets and her cutlery that had been passed down from generation to generation. This was her day and all the stops were pulled out.

A pot of hot tea would sit like an island in the center of the dining table surrounded by the china and cutlery. The main course would consist of new potatoes boiled with sprigs of mint from our garden, lamb with mint sauce and runner beans or garden peas. Dessert would be treacle pudding with custard. If anyone wanted to pour a cup of tea, it had to be offered to everyone else. And, if you did that, you had to say, "It's my turn to be mother now." We would all laugh.

Another log was thrown on the fire and out of the corner of my eye I would see the sparks fly up the chimney. The log would catch fire and I'd see an earwig or a grammersnail (pill bug) run for its life across the smoking bark which had been its home for the past several weeks.

My grandmother loved to play cards so to round out the evening we would play a game called Matrimony. It involved buying dried peas for pennies and placing bets. At the end of the evening you cashed in your peas and picked up your winnings.

Living in the United States, it took many years for me to coordinate the two celebrations. With my mother still living in England, it was very difficult at first for me to send her a Mother' Day card as we celebrate that day here in May. Eventually, I learned to buy her card in May, store it somewhere safe, and relocate it in March and send it in time to arrive for Mothering Sunday. With the help of a British calendar, I was reminded of the proper day.

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Simnel Cake

Keeping in tradition with the English, this month we offer a recipe for the season of Lent, and a traditional Mothering Day cake. The eleven balls on top of the cake represent the eleven faithful disciples of Christ. The word Simnel is derived from the Latin word "Simila" meaning a fine wheat flour from which the cake is made. The cake originated from around the Wiltshire, England area.

Cake 1 1/2 cups of butter 4 cups of flour 4 eggs 1 teaspoon of salt 4 cups of sugar 2/3 cups of grated orange and lemon peel 2 cups of currants 8 oz (or more) of almond paste 2 tablespoons apricot jam 1 egg, beaten

Almond Paste 4 oz. sugar 4 oz. almonds ground 1 egg, beaten 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract

1. To make the almond paste: place the sugar and ground almonds in a bowl. Add enough beaten egg to give a fairly soft consistency. Add the almond extract and knead for a minute until the paste is smooth and pliable. Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle 7in in diameter and reserve the remainder for topping of the cake.

2. Preheat oven to 275F. To make the cake: cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until well incorporated and then sift in the flour and salt a little at a time. Finally, add the currants and the peel and mix into the mixture well.

3. Put half the mixture in a greased and lined 7in cake tin. Smooth the top and cover with the circle of almond paste. Add the rest of the cake mixture and smooth the top leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the preheated oven for 11/2 hours. Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

4. When you are ready to decorate the cake, preheat the oven to 350F. Brush the top of the cooled cake with the apricot jam. Divide the remainder of the almond paste into two; roll out a circle to cover the top of the cake with one half and form 11 small balls with the other half.

5. Place the circle of paste on the jam and set the balls round the edge. Brush the entire top with a little beaten egg.

6. Return the cake to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or long enough for the almond paste to brown.

10 

Afternoon Teaisms

Rhymes and Wits

One of the flowers most associated with March is a Narcissus and is called the "Lent Lilly." This is the main daffodil species in England, blooming in early spring and dropping before Easter. The daffodil inspired most but one was William Wordsworth.

William Wordsworth

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd;
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

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