leftovers

This is the exact moment at which the Sleeping Beauty, the King, the Queen and all their courtiers fell asleep.

Well, not quite. But when Phoebe came out to survey the tea table after everyone had left on Saturday, she thought the whole thing looked strangely unreal, as if suspended in time. I knew what she meant; it just doesn't seem normal to walk away from all that lovely baking.

Unless, of course, you are Miss Havisham. When I see a scene like this, I think of Great Expectations and the dusty, dried-out wedding feast which was never touched. I had to read the book at school when I was 12; I barely understood a word but I was absolutely terrified by Miss Havisham. I know now that it was this bad-witch fairytale element, the sense of a malevolent enchantment, that frightened me. Since then I've come to love Dickens and I realise that he wrote some of the best fairy-tales ever for adults.   

Unlike Miss Havisham, however, we did go back to the leftovers. For the rest the day, and the next, with Simon making a valiant effort to make sure nothing was wasted (and cycling for hours and hours to work it all off).

And there were some floral leftovers that lasted just a little bit longer - lovely pink snapdragons and huge, floppy, petally peonies.

I wouldn't have minded a Sleeping Beauty-type deep sleep after the weekend, but I couldn't find a fairy to grant my wish. 

Comments

[Boo]

The Queen of Tarts looks like she's been busy! How wonderful and beatiful and peaceful looking---lovely! I cann't wait for the US edition of your book to become available! :)

[muffin]

those buns look good but I'm on a diet ... how many calories do you think they'll have?

[Hazel]

Shame you are so far away from most of your commenters - I am sure we would have 'helped' with the leftovers ;)

[Sue H]

Oh everything looks yummy! What is in the second picture? (Plate on right with strawberries on something white??)

[elizabeth]

I must know - what is in that teacup?!?! I haven't seen chocolate that rich since Angelina's!

[Rebecca]

Gosh Jane, I am groaning lustfully at that groaning table, perfect. The new website is beautiful, so very in keeping and such a lovely explosion of colour and vitality.

[Kathe Kramer]

Wow! Eye popping! I loved the frozen in time Miss Haversham effect.

Recently I turned a luminous pair of ancient golden brown pink silk drapes into a dressing table skirt. My immediate reaction, once "in place" was how did Miss Haversham's dressing table end up in my guest room? I think she haunts many of us!

Please save me a slice of cherry cake with a ladle of peony petals on the side. Everything is exquisite.

[Kristina (and Sam and Sara)]

Both dreamlike and mouthwatering! I think we'll skip supper tonight and go straight to dessert.

[Barbara]

I'd love to help with leftovers that look that delicious! I'd also love to know what you have in that teacup.

[katie]

oh everything looks so delicious!

[Meg]

An impressive camera and a really impressive table. How lovely!

[blair]

I love that you have your pineapple cozy and all that lovely baking out for a proper tea, it looks just amazing. I, for one, could not turn it down for a second!

[Bianca]

yum, everything looks so delicious...and pretty and colourful!

[Mary Smith]

What appealing photos! Love those peonies. An attractive window makes a house beautiful!

[lizbon]

Oh what a lovely, dreamy post.

[Serenknitity]

I know that feeling of 'Oh dear, I've eaten too much cake' so well - but I'd pass on the bike ride and go for a nice lie down. Beautiful pictures - we have to have a fast shutter speed to capture the English summer, don't we?

[Jen]

Ohhhhh saffron loaf!

And rock buns...

How you make me long for a proper oven and a fast metabolism ;-)

[wren]

I thought it was an inviting "come and eat" photo setup, not the aftermath of indulgence - could you see the fear of cake in their eyes?

[Cara]

Oh my - those wonderful pictures are seriously making me hungry! I'm delighted to see your pink and yellow cake stand make an appearance. I have the Sophie Conran bowl too - in blue - one of my favourites. Argh, I'm having to resist the urge to jump right up and go and bake something - I still have 150 A-level essays to mark. Boo. After that, though, you are definitely on for lunch! Cx

[Teena]

I have been baking all day with the lovely green gooseberry harvest - but I'm off now to make meringues! Those strawberry meringues are just what I need to eat this weekend! Mmmm. (those snap-dragons are wonderfully pink!)

[Neena]

Hi Jane,
I would just like to say how amazing your blog is! I can't believe you've written two books aswell! Keep up the good work Jane, you rock my world

Neena
xxxxx

[AlisonH]

Glorious!

[Rachel]

What a beautiful party! Everything looks delicious!

[catherine]

Yum!
The light in the last photo is simply beautiful.

[Dorothy]

What a delicious picnic type tea. I don't think I could have walked away it all looks so good.

[trashalou]

Those fairies! They never quite get it right, do they?

[Milly]

you have a lot of talent, you make every day events look like something out of a book.

[mindfulbeader]

Oh, Jane! I've been having my own Domestic Goddess day and now I simply have to go and bake some rock cakes for when my daughter gets home from school. And the cakestand too!!! Oooh!

[Mona]

You set such a pretty table I am going to have to pick up your books that my sister keeps talking about.