Dear Subscriber,
Surely this is some sort of record! It's the first week of November, and... The November issue of Victorian Times is ready!
Starting this issue, I'm going to try something a little different. The issue is posted online, as always, so you can go to the link I'll provide below and download it. But I'm also going to pop a copy into DropBox. Some people have had difficulty downloading the issue from the web, so I'm hoping this will offer a useful alternative.
If you're already a DropBox customer, this will be a cinch. If you're not, when you click the link I'll provide below, you'll be invited to sign up for their free service. That's what I'm using, and so far, I have not been bombarded with ads or otherwise given cause to regret it. I also want to make it clear that I'm not pushing or promoting DropBox in any way - but it does seem to be an effective way to transfer large files, like this one.
The current issue of Victorian Times will remain in DropBox until the next issue is released; then it will be removed, but will continue to be available through the regular web-link. Please let me know if you have any problems downloading from either source!
And now, here's what we have in the November issue:
- A Tenderfoot in Texas (Windsor Magazine, 1897)Delightful account of a British artist who visits a Texas ranch.
- English Surnames (GOP, 1890)Where some well-known British names come from...
- On Various Book-Markers (GOP, 1894)A bit of the history of bookmarks, and some charming examples to make yourself (lovely Christmas gifts!).
- The Englishman at Home in Paris (CFM, 1882)Amongst other tips, the author advises on the importance of getting along well with one's concierge -- who just might be a police or political spy!
- A Nice Little Dinner (CFM, 1881)Tips on recreating the Lord Mayor of London's annual November feast (the main course includes Turkey, "roasted English fashion", partridges, pheasants, golden plover, and goslings or "green geese").
- Home-Made Sweetmeats (GOP, 1890)How to make toffee, marzipan, barley sugar and fig rock.
- He Wrote to the Rats (St. Nicholas, 1889)How does one get rid of the rats overrunning the cellar? Write them a letter -- but do it correctly!
- Will It Rain Tomorrow? (CFM, 1886)A mist at evening means no; smoke descending to the ground means (probably) yes.
- Country Customs: Guy Fawkes Day (Illustrated London Almanack, 1849)It appears that by 1849, the custom of this day has begun to shift from burning the Guy to setting off fireworks - which would have been thought "treasonous" by all good men a few years earlier!
- Some Hints on Economy in Dress (CFM, 1885)How to make the best appearance at the least cost!
- Modern Dinner Tables (CFM, 1886)Interesting tips on how to decorate one's dinner-table, using mirrors, flowers, plus, tinted cards and more.
- Dinner Tables of the Past (CFM, 1876)And as a nice contrast... a look at how dinner tables were furbished "in olden times."
- My School Days, Part 11 (The Girl's Own Paper, 1897)Get up close and personal with famous children's author E. Nesbit as she recalls her own childhood in this charming 12-part serial!
- Chronicles of an Anglo-Californian Ranch, Part 12 (GOP, 1899)A British family sallies forth into the New World to seek its fortune in southern California, not far from the "busy and enterprising town of Los Angeles." (Still not quite politically correct...)
Visit http://www.victorianvoices.net/VT/issues/VT-1511.shtml to download this issue!
Download it from DropBox: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ti1jhridb5edd7w/VT-1511-E.pdf?dl=0
Time for Tea...
It's here! Time for Tea: Victorian Tea-Time Treats & Decadent Desserts is perhaps the most tempting book you're likely to encounter. It brings you more than 600 authentic Victorian recipes - for cakes, puddings, scones, cookies, biscuits, custards, and more!
A Victorian tea was more than just a meal. It was a special time, a time of quiet celebration. It was a moment to be shared with friends, or with your loved ones... and sometimes, just a chance to be alone to relax with your thoughts and dreams.
It was also, to be honest, a time to nibble on some truly delicious, sinfully sweet delicacies. Many of the tea-time treats and desserts that made their debut in Victorian times remain so popular that you'll still find them in British tearooms today -- and now you can bring them to your own table!
In Time for Tea, you'll find:
- More than 130 different cakes...
- Over 75 delicious puddings...
- Scones, soufflés, creams, custards, cheesecakes, muffins, tarts, buns, fruit salads, fools, moulds, compotes and bonbons...
- International treats, including Swiss cakes, German sweet breads, French chestnuts, American cakes and more!
- Savoury sandwiches designed for the perfect afternoon tea...
- Plus detailed preparation tips, and hints on how to adapt Victorian methods to the modern kitchen!
Time for Tea brings you nearly 650 authentic Victorian recipes perfect for afternoon tea or evening dessert. Charm your family and friends with old-fashioned deliciousness -- no mixes, no chemicals, just the pleasure of good food and good company!
Find out more at http://www.victorianvoices.net/books/tea.shtml
Or order it directly from Amazon! (Also available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.ca)
It's Never Too Early to Think About Christmas...
Well, actually, in my book any time before Halloween is "too early" to think about Christmas, but now that Halloween is behind us, Christmas is coming, faster than we might like to think! If you'd like to celebrate a truly Victorian-style Christmas, you won't find a better source of inspiration than our Victorian Christmas Treasury.
A Victorian Christmas Treasury brings you over 250 pages of holiday magic from the Victorian magazines of Britain and America. You'll discover Christmas history and folklore, and discover how Christmas was actually celebrated in Victorian homes--as well as in other parts of the world in Victorian days. (I'm particularly fond of the amazing article on Christmas in Provence.) Find new ways to "deck the halls" in Victorian style (though, honestly, we don't recommend using ground glass to give your garlands that snowy sparkle--a Victorian alternative was Epsom salts!). Discover new (old?) Christmas carols, along with some delightful holiday poems, including The Strand's version of "A Vision of St. Nicholas". And, of course, be tempted by a host of mouthwatering Victorian holiday recipes--who knew there were so many different ways to make plum pudding?
And speaking of Christmas, the December issue of Victorian Times is nearly complete, so we hope to be able to bring you the next volume of Victorian Times Quarterly by the beginning of December!
Your Intrepid Editor,
Moira Allen
