Nobody Does it Better: A Royal Wedding Fit For, Well, The Royals! The Mad Hatter Is Alive and Well in London Town

The Day
The day started for me a bit later than I'd planned. I had the alarm set for 4:00 a.m. but didn't get up until 5:30 New York time. By then, Westminster Abbey was mostly filled and Princes William and Harry were just arriving at the church. Some lesser royals were being escorted to their seats and Kate was still at the Goring Hotel. Phew! I hadn't missed much except the parade of hats which luckily would be covered throughout the day.

My first glimpse of Kate was at 5:53 as she left the hotel and discreetly entered the 1950 Rolls Royce (on loan from the Queen) accompanied by her father who I thought looked a bit like Harrison Ford. It was apparent as the car proceeded to the Abbey, that her wedding attire would not be like Diana's but a simpler, more elegant gown and veil. Her hair was down and I heard a commentator say that she wanted to look more like herself than overly 'done-up' like many brides choose to do.

Ivanka Trump

The Queen and Prince Philip left Buckingham Palace around the same time and arrived just before the bride-to-be. The Queen wore all yellow in a dress, coat and hat ensemble designed by Angela Kelly with a diamond brooch. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles were already inside. Camilla looked lovely in a light blue pleated coat with Ivory hat and dress. They walked down the aisle together and took their place at the right side of the aisle opposite but facing the Middleton family.

Julie Andrews in 

The Sound of Music

The Dress, Veil, Jewelry
Kate wore a lace topped and satin dress designed by Sarah Burton, chief creative director from the design house of Alexander McQueen. McQueen committed suicide last year. The dress was compared to Princess Grace's wedding gown by many but I also thought it looked like the wedding gown worn by Julie Andrews in 'The Sound of Music' or the dress worn by Ivanka Trump at her wedding. I've supplied the images, you can decide. The Cartier ‘halo’ tiara was also on loan from the Queen. It was given to the queen at the age of 18 by her mother, the Queen Mum who originally received it from her husband King George VI in 1936. It was delicate and looked lovely with the veil made with layers of soft, ivory silk tulle trimmed with hand-embroidered flowers. The diamond earrings by Robinson Pelham were designed to complement the tiara and contained oak leaves and an acorn suspended in the center. The earrings were a wedding gift from Kate's parents.

Princess Grace

The Attendants
There were four young bridesmaids (in the U.S. they would be called flower girls) in simple dresses with pleated skirts and crowns of flowers in their hair. Two adorable young boys in red waistcoats were the pages. They were led in by the Maid of Honor and sister of the bride, Pippa or Phillippa Middleton. When Kate arrived (on time) Pippa emerged from the church and smoothed and arranged her veil. Pippa's dress, also designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, was an ivory satin-based crepe form-fitting column dress with a cowl neck. She wore her hair down but pulled back with an ornate clip. It's the tradition in England for attendants to wear white.

Pippa and company

The Music
Very little about the wedding was disappointing to me but I will say that I didn't like the entrance and recessional music. I thought they were bit slow and not festive enough. Apparently the music was under the purview of Prince Charles. I had a hard time finding the names and composers of the main pieces but familiar hymns were sung throughout by the choirs. The choirs and music during the ceremony were traditional and perfect for the occasion.



The Ceremony
It took 4 minutes to walk down the aisle arriving at the altar at 6:08. William did not turn but Prince Harry did sneak a peek and said something to his brother with a big smile. When Prince William saw Kate, he told her she looked beautiful and then the ceremony was about to begin. I was surprised that the vows were taken almost immediately and also surprised at the length of Prince Williams name: William Arthur Philip Louis. It was a single ring ceremony and William had trouble getting the ring on her finger, not sure why! It took less than 20 minutes to announce that they were husband and wife. You could hear the crowds outside let out a roar. Kate's brother James did a reading and the Bishop of London gave the address. The bride and groom and both families went to the back of the church to sign the registry.

The Flowers and Decor
Westminster Abbey is historic and elegant without any adornment, but for the occasion was outfitted with eight 20 feet-high trees: six English Field Maple and two Hornbeam. The trees were in planters with mini-lily's growing at the base. The flowers and plants will be left in position in Westminster Abbey for the public to view until Friday, May 6. Then some of the trees will be taken to Highgrove Gardens, where they will be planted. Many of the plants and flowers will be donated to charities or re-planted. On the altar, small green hydrangeas mixed with the tiny lilies, could be seen in the background. Overhead shots of the ceremony revealed a black and white checkered floor. Kate's bouquet contained myrtle, lily-of-the-valley, sweet William and hyacinth. The bouquet was designed by Shane Connolly with the traditions of flowers that had meaning  for both families.

Princess Beatrice

Victoria Beckham

The Hats
My first glimpse of the 'hats' came when I spotted Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie sitting behind  the Queen looking a bit like English 'tarts.' Oh my. Many of the hats were designed by Philip Treacy including a more demure one worn by Victoria Beckham whom I spotted in the crowd of church guests. The Queen, Camilla and Carol Middleton, the bride's mum, wore conservative hats. Carol's ensemble was by Catherine Walker, who was one of Princess Diana's favorite designers.

The Vehicles
1950 Rolls Royce: In 1949, Rolls Royce received an order from the Duke of Edinburgh for a limousine. The company, aware that Daimler had been the royal vehicle since 1900, wanted to make the best car possible. The royal vehicle was then hand-built on a stretched Silver Wraith chassis. When completed in July 1950 its delivery was accompanied by a public announcement thus breaking the Daimler monopoly stating the Phantom IV had been "designed to the special order of Their Royal Highness's, the Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. Kate arrived at the church in this historic car.

Aston Martin: Prince William and Kate drove away from the crowds in William’s father’s Aston Martin DB6 Volante. The DB6 was only built for a few years, in the mid to late 1960s, although the familiar grille is reminiscent of the DB4 and DB5.

1902 State Landau carriage:  This same carriage carried Prince Charles and Princess Diana, back to the palace following their wedding at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 29, 1981. Built in 1881 by Hoopers for King Edward VII's coronation. It is an open-top carriage that moves in a circular motion as it being pulled by horses.

The Kiss
There were two! Very demure and sweet. The crowd loved it!

A Scone By Any Other Name Would Smell as Sweet; I'm Content to Nibble on a Scone Whilst Prince Will Canoodles with Kate

Usually associated with British 'high tea',  the scone is actually Scottish in origin but also popular in Australia, Ireland, the United States and some Scandinavian countries. A scone is basically an unleavened 'quick' bread similar to a biscuit but slightly sweeter. Shaped as rounds or wedges, scones have been around since feudal times when they were prepared over an open grill and made with oats. In more recent times, scones come in any number of varieties and are always oven-baked and made with flour. Here's a bit of history about where the name 'scone'  possibly came from courtesy of  CourierPress.com and Wikipedia:

The origin of the name 'scone' is just as unclear as where it came from. Some say the name comes from where the Kings of Scotland were crowned, the Stone (Scone) of Destiny. History reveals that in 1296, The Stone of Destiny was seized by King Edward I of Britain and transported to London, where it was laid beneath The Coronation Chair at Westminster Abbey. However, legend has it that Pictish Monks outsmarted the King and concealed The Stone in an underground chamber. It was a Replica placed on The Hill of Belief that was seized by King Edward I. In 1996, this Stone was restored to the People of Scotland by the British Government and now resides in Edinburgh Castle. And what of the whereabouts of the true Stone of Destiny? Sadly, that Secret was Lost with the Monks…

Last week, probably in anticipation of the royal wedding, the New York Times ran the recipe below. I'd been saving a few over the years and when compared, they weren't all that different. I made these this afternoon and just out of the oven, were light and tasty....amazing with just a bit of melted butter. I couldn't find currants in my supermarket so I used raisins. I think they're a bit big but tasted fine.

I'll be getting up at 4 a.m to watch the ceremonies mostly to see Kate's dress and others, hear the music and to check out the church decor all of which promises to be spectacular. My scones with be reheated and served with English Breakfast tea, lemon and marmalade. I'll be using my 'coveted' Prince Charles and Lady Di plate purchased in Bermuda (left) in the summer of 1981, the year they were married.

It's really all just 'too-too.'

English Scones
Makes 12 large

Ingredients
3 cups self rising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 ounces cool unsalted butter
1 cup plus 1tablespoon milk
1 cup dried currants ( I substituted raisins)
1 egg yolk

Directions

• Sift flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Add sugar.
• Cut butter into small pieces and work into dry ingredients with hands or pastry blender.
• Gradually add milk and the currants.
• Knead by hand to make a smooth dough then refrigerate wrapped in plastic for twenty minutes.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees.
• Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment.
• Roll dough to 3/4 inch thickness and cut with fluted cutter until used up.
• Beat the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon milk and brush scones lightly. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until risen and lightly browned.

Jolly Good British Royal Trivia

British Trivia: How Much Do You Know?

1. The Longest-Reigning Sovereign in British history was Queen Victoria (1837-1901), pictured at right. She reigned for just over 63 years.

2. The Shortest-Reigning Sovereign in British history was Lady Jane Grey (1537 - 1554). She ruled for only nine days and was executed in 1554 at the age of seventeen.

3. Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of the Second World War to raise the morale of the British public in the event of invasion. The poster was rediscovered in 2000. There are only two known surviving examples of the poster outside of government archives.

4. William and Kate's wedding day Friday will be a bank holiday in Britain. The nation gets a day off from work.

5. Queen Elizabeth II, born in 1926, is the oldest royal ruler. 

6. The late Queen Mother and widow of King George VI (The King's Speech) was the oldest member of the Royal family. She died in 2002, at the age of 101.

7. The Oldest Royal to come to the Throne in Britain was the Duke of St. Andrews, who became King William IV at the age of 64 in 1830.

8. The Youngest Royal to come to the Throne anywhere in the British Isles was Mary, Queen of Scots (1542 - 1587), who became reigning Queen of Scotland at the age of just six days old, following the sudden death of her father, King James V.

9. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie are the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.

10. Two of Henry VIII wives were beheaded: Anne Boleyn (right) and Katherine Howard.

11. At a royal wedding, the groomsmen are known as "supporters."

12. The Biggest Royal Divorce Settlement was granted in 1540 to Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) fourth wife of King Henry VIII.


13. Balmoral (left) is the name of the Queen's home in Scotland.

14.  Kate Middleton will become an HRH— Her Royal Highness.

15. Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199) spent the least amount of time in in England. He was either on Crusade to the Holy Land or fighting to protect English colonial interests in France.

16. Catherine (Kate) Middleton will one day become England's sixth Queen Catherine. The others were Catherine of Valois, Catherine of Aragon, Katherine Howard, Katherine Parr and Catherine of Braganza.

17. The first televised royal wedding was when Princess Margaret, younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II, married Antony Armstrong-Jones on May 6, 1960. 20 million viewers tuned in. Their wedding photo is at left.

18. Royals don't use last names.

19. There is some debate over who was the youngest member of the Royal Family to be executed, but historians believe it was probably Queen Catherine Howard (?1525 - 1542), fifth wife of King Henry VIII.

20. There is no rule that says the king has to marry someone royal. King Henry VIII who was married six times, chose four commoners as his brides.

21. The king cannot marry a Catholic, specified under the 1701 Act of Settlement.

22. Eight is the preferred number of bridesmaids at royal weddings. Pippa Middleton (right) will be her sister's Maid of Honor.

23. The last foreign princess to marry into the British royal family was Princess Marina of Greece, who died in 1968.

24. Prince William and Kate Middleton met at St. Andrews University in Scotland.

25. The wife of the British king automatically becomes the queen.

26. The tallest British monarch was King Edward I, who ruled from 1272 to 1307 and who stood at 6ft 3in in height.

27. When Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005, the palace ruled that she would be known as the Duchess of Cornwall, rather than Princess of Wales.

28. Windsor has been the surname of the monarchy since 1917. Before that it was The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. 

29. Queen Elizabeth R was the daughter of Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn. 

30. King Edward VIII abdicated the Crown to marry Wallace Simpson, above left.

31. Queen Victoria was married to Prince Albert. When he died she went into deep mourning and wore black for the rest of her life.

32. When Prince Albert Victor died in 1892, his younger brother George inherited both his place in the succession and his fiancee, Princess Mary of Teck. The couple went on to become King George V and Queen Mary, the grandparents of Queen Elizabeth II.

33. Prince Harry's on/off girlfriend is Chelsy Davy from South Africa, pictured above right. 

34. The oldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II is Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.

35. The designer of Kate Middleton's wedding gown is......I wish I knew!!

I'll be watching the Royal Wedding early Friday morning eating homemade scones that will be the subject of tomorrow's post.

The British Are Coming, The British Are Coming; A Dozen Trivia Questions to Ponder in Advance of the Royal Wedding

British Royalty: A Quiz

1.  How long was Lady Jane Grey on the throne?

2.  Who was Bloody Mary's father?

3.  How many children 

does Queen Elizabeth 

the 2nd have?

4. What town is Kate Middleton from?

5. Who inherited the throne after Queen Elizabeth 

     the 'Virgin Queen?'

6. Who executed Mary Queen of Scots?

7. What is Queen Elizabeth II's last name?

8.  What was Edward I’s nickname?

9. William Wallace of Scotland opposed which king of England?

10.  What was Princess Diana's maiden name?

11. Which British royal bride's wedding dress included anchors in its elaborate design?

12. Out of the present Royal Family who is the Duke of Cornwall?

Answers: 

1. 9 days 

2. Henry the eighth 

3. 4 

4. Bucklebury

5. James I 

6. Elizabeth 

7. Windsor 

8. Longshanks 

9.  King Edward 

10. Spencer

11. Sarah, Duchess of York

12. The current Prince Charles, Will's father

Check Your Vocabulary Skills: Five Words From the Pages of Today's Wall Street Journal and New York Times

I came across a few words in Monday's paper that I read often but am not quite sure of their exact meaning. I thought I'd teach myself a few things while posting my fourth vocabulary test. Here are 5 to test your word power skills on...Good luck!

1. Pluralism
A. The act of adding things to a list
B. Dealing with more than one item
C. Belief in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society.

2. Kirchnerista (Spanish)
A. Member of a political movement in Argentina
B. Argentinian lover of a popular soft drink
C. An Argentinian outdoorsman

3. Bete noire
A. Person intensely disliked
B. A woman of the evening
C. A French lawyer

4. Paradigm
A. A shape with 10 sides
B. Confusing riddle
C. Serves as a pattern or model.

5. Polemic
A. Opposite sides of the world
B. Involved in controversy
C. Style of dancing, notably in a strip club

Answers
1. c
2. a
3. a
4. c
5. b

Waiting For The Plumber Who Didn't Show Up Is Draining; Making Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies Save Me From A Day of Petulance

What do you do while waiting for a plumber who doesn't show up? Pacing, cleaning and catching up on reading lasts just so long. My out-of-house long 'to-do' list was undone and hanging over my head as I waited patiently and optimistically for the no-show repair crew.  To wrench me from my restlessness I decided to bake chocolate chip cookies.

A few years ago while working in New York City, our office was lucky enough to get some samples of a cookie made by restaurateur David Chang whose restaurant called Momofuku, has several eateries in the city. But it is his 'Milk Bar' where the bakery items are made. The cookie, called the 'compost', was the best I'd ever had. Back then, I made a vain attempt to imitate it using a recipe I found online. I failed miserably.

But today was a new day so while I waited I got out my collection of cookbooks. I found what sounded like a 'luxe' cookie in a book called 'Chocolate Snowball'. The recipes are from the Deer Valley Resort in Utah. Letty Halloran Flatt is the Executive Pastry Chef and deserves all the credit for a cookie recipe that rivals my memory of the Momofuku masterpiece.

I called the plumbing store toward the end of the day after waiting for four hours and was told they were coming in about two hours. We had plans for the evening so I angrily cancelled the appointment and decided to deal with it on another day. I was actually on a chocolate high, having just taste tested my first batch of the cookie whose recipe follows. Clogged shower? Not a problem. Double chocolate chip cookies? Priceless!

Both cookbooks are linked below. I made a few changes to the recipe highlighted in bold.

http://www.amazon.com/Momofuku-David-Chang/dp/030745195X

http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Snowball-Fabulous-Pastries-Valley/dp/1560448288







Jumbo Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter softened
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant expresso coffee powder (I left this out, not being a coffee lover) 
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
 (I also added a smashed Heath Bar, a half cup of crushed walnuts and a half cup of raisins.)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees
• In large bowl with electric mixer, cream butter, sugar until light and fluffy
• Add eggs and vanilla
• Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.
• Add to the butter mix, scraping sides.
• Add chips and other fillings
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use canola oil
• Scoop dough into 1/2 cup mounds at least 3 inches apart.
• Bake until flat about 25 -30 minutes.

Praising the Cupcake; American in Character, Numerous in Variety, These Small 'Heavenly' Cakes Are Always in Good Taste

What singular food item seems to make everyone happy? There are many of course depending on your tastes, age or locale but I'd venture to guess that the cupcake will bring a smile to anyone's face no matter who you are or where you're from. One only needs to stand on line at Magnolia Bakery in New York's Greenwich Village to experience the universality of the small cake phenomena.


But I think the real popularity of the cupcake is it's simplicity with so many options available for the creative baker. I remember my mother making cupcakes from a small box ( I think it was Jiffy's Golden Yellow Cake Mix) but she never cheated when it came to the icing always using the recipe on the back of the Domino Confectioners Sugar box. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm....a happy memory!

Not surprisingly, cupcakes do have a bit of history and it is decidedly American. Back in 1796  a 'cake to be made in small cups' was mentioned in a book called 'American Cookery' and the first time the actual term 'cupcake' was documented was in a book published in 1828 called “Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats”. The actual term comes from a cake that would fit into a tea cup and before muffin tins were available, cupcakes were baked in small pottery or ramekin-style baking cups. The tins, also called gem pans, became popular around the turn of the 20th century. Now, there are not only cupcake tins that come in small, medium and large, but cupcake cake pans, Christmas tree ornaments, cupcake-themed fabrics for aprons or kitchen decor, cupcake stands, pillows, cookie jars....well, you get the picture.

In the last ten years at least, cupcakes have had a renaissance. Popularized by HBO's 'Sex and the City' and cookbooks by Martha Stewart and many others devoted to the subject, cupcake bakeries have sprung up towns and cities all over the world with varieties unimaginable just a couple of years ago.

My daughter has a thriving cake business and cupcakes are one of the most requested items. I'm using her fabulous photos as illustrations here and will attach her website. I'm also including a basic cupcake recipe (for vanilla only) but using boxed cake mixes are perfectly acceptable in my world. The icing recipe is the original from the Domino's Sugar Box mentioned above. For nostalgia or just for fun, bake a batch for you and your family to enjoy!

http://www.heavenlybitescakes.com/#!

Basic Vanilla Cupcakes
Makes about a dozen regular size 
Ingredients:
3 cups cake flour sifted
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups milk

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom of two 8-inch round cake pans and line with waxed paper or parchment paper. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Cream sugar and butter together until light. Add eggs and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on rack; remove and cool completely before decorating.

Cupcake toppers for a new baby

Domino's Butter Cream Frosting
Ingredients
3 3/4 cup - (1 lb. box) Domino® Confectioners Sugar
1/4 teaspoon - salt
1/4 cup - milk
1 teaspoon - vanilla extract
1/3 cup - butter or margarine (2/3 stick), softened

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer or with heavy spoon until smooth and creamy; scrape bowl often. If too stiff to spread easily, beat in a few drops of milk.

Not a cupcake but a popular cake 

from Heavenly Bites!

Variations:

• Peanut Butter Crunch—substitute peanut butter for butter, sprinkle either candy peanut butter pieces or chopped peanuts over frosting.
• Chocolate—add ½ cup cocoa, top with chocolate curls, if desired.
• Orange—substitute fresh orange juice for milk, add 1 tsp. orange rind, top with thin strips of orange peel. 
• Cherry—substitute 3 tbsp. maraschino cherry juice for milk, add in 1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries.