The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe Tea Party/Book Club: Zuppa Toscana

So last October, every Wednesday, I have been a part of a Tea Party/Bible Study/Book Club. We started on The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis, and when we finished moved on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is different from my book club and the Book Club Picks I have been reviewing (and desperately need to catch up on). 

Party time!

The second week we were inspired by the time Edmund spends with the White Witch. 

“Perhaps something hot to drink?” said the Queen. “Should you like that?”

Yes please, your Majesty,” said Edmund, whose teeth were chattering.

The Queen took from somewhere among her wrappings a very small bottle which looked as if it were made of copper. Then, holding out her arm, she let one drop fall from it on to the snow beside the sledge. Edmund saw the drop for a second in mid-air, shining like a diamond. But the moment it touched the snow there was a hissing sound and there stood a jewelled cup full of something that steamed. The Dwarf immediately took this and handed it to Edmund with a bow and a smile; not a very nice smile. Edmund felt much better as he began to sip the hot drink. It was something he had never tasted before, very sweet and foamy and creamy, and it warmed him right down to his toes.

‘It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating,” said the Queen presently. “What would you like best to eat?”

‘Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty,” said Edmund.

The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very centre and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious. He was quite warm now, and very comfortable.

Of course as that only mentions one thing to eat, we ended up adding other recipes that sounded good. We decided to go with: Rose Petal and Green Tea, Rose Petal Earl Grey Tea, Blueberry Rose Petal Scones, Radish Ruffle Canapés, Zuppa Toscana Soup, Meatloaf, and Turkish Delight.

One thing I will be doing differently here than in my earlier posts, is that I will be sharing discussion questions that your group can discuss as you read and eat. I didn’t post discussion questions in the previous posts on The Magician’s Nephew, as I wasn’t in charge of that book. For discussion questions, click on this link.The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Discussion Questions Chapter 4-6.pdfDownload

This recipe comes from Slow Cooker Gourmet.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Italian Sausage
• ½ pound Yukon gold potatoes
• ½ sweet yellow onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
• 1 cup frozen kale
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 pieces thick cut cooked bacon, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Add ground sausage to skillet over medium high heat and cook through.
2. Transfer to slow cooker.
3. Scrub and dice potatoes and add to slow cooker along with diced onion, garlic and red pepper flakes
4. Add kale and chicken broth and cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8
5. Stir in cream, cooked bacon and salt and pepper to taste

This soup was soooo good! I ate several bowls!

For more from our The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe teas, go to Radish Ruffle Canapés

For more recipes, go to Blueberry Rose Scones

For more soup recipes, go to Baked Potato Soup

For more tea posts, go to Honey French Toast

Baked Potato Soup

Who likes to eat?

Me too. I don’t really post recipes on her, leaving that to my sister blog Mysterious Eats.

Weeeeeeeeeeelll…with one exception. If it has to do with Jane Austen or a tea party, I review and post it.

Last year I helped put on a tea, and fashioned it after a teahouse I used to go to when I lived near Santa Rosa. They would always serve scones (I did the Cheddar-Thyme Scones and the Harvest Pumpkin Scones) and tea sandwiches. You could also add on tarts, little turnovers, salad, or soup.

This soup may not be a real “tea soup”, but I thought it was tasty, easy to make, and fancy looking.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tablespoons of Onion, finely chopped
• 5 Tablespoons of Butter
• 5 Tablespoons of Flour
• 1 14-oz can of Chicken Broth
• 1/3 Cup of Cheddar Cheese, grated
• 1 Baked Potato (6-7 inch baker), cold, cut into bite-sized pieces.
• 2 Cups of Half-and-Half
• 1 Cup of Milk
• 1/2 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
• 6 Slices of Bacon, cooked, broken into bits (Or use Bacon Bits)
• Cheddar Cheese, to go on top

Directions:

1. Sauté the onions in butter.
2. While stirring, slowly add the flour and then the chicken broth.
3. Cook until it thickens.
4. Add the cheddar cheese, stirring until it melts.
5. Then add the potato, leaving the skin on the pieces.
6. Finally stir in the half-and-half and the milk.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Top each serving with crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese.

It is a fantastic tasting soup, and having cooked the potatoes it takes like no time at all.

Yay!

The only thing is that you have to be careful when adding the milk or half-and-half. The lactose sugar in them can burn and ruin the dish, so you have to keep stirring. The more you stir the less likely it will burn.

One time I had my niece hep me and I felt like that scene in Goodfellas when Henry Hill keeps telling his brother to watch the sauce. Just like Michael she didn’t enjoy the stirring.

No more stirring.

But it was easy, delicious, and will be a great addition to any future tea parties or dinners.

For more recipes, go to Triple Berry Salad