I mentioned before that Tasha Tudor is one of my great inspirations. I just love her old-fashioned charm, her feminine ways, her skill as a gardener, and most of all how her life exemplifies that a woman was created to give life in all its forms. Though I know she was an imperfect woman and her spiritual beliefs seem to have been misguided, her simple life inspires me. The life which she shares through her beautiful illustrations always makes me think that her children and grandchildren had glorious memories--from her marionette theaters that sound like something from "The Sound of Music" to the luminary-lit Christmas Eve walks to her creche in the woods. If I had unlimited time and such a piece of property, I would love to re-create such memories for my own dear ones.
I am unsure who declared the tradition of "Tasha Tudor Day," but I believe it's been marked ever since her death in 2008. This year I actually remembered it, so I decided to hold our own little commemoration of the day. I pulled out some of my favorite titles from the bookshelf and read them aloud. Then I took out my "Victoria" magazine that featured her antique dress collection. We ooohed-and-aaahed over the beautiful frocks.
Baking something special was a must for this occasion. Though I do not have a wood cookstove, I baked up some recipes from this cookbook of some of her favorite recipes. I made the cheese souffle for dinner (with a few adaptations), challah bread, a simple caprese salad with my garden tomatoes (they're finally here!) and for dessert the English Toffee Bars. The only thing that would have rounded this out perfectly was to brew a pot of tea. But I settled for iced tea instead.
I didn't have time to sit and peruse all of my favorite Tudor books, but I enjoyed my very small remembrance of a woman whose life reminds me to take joy in the beauty of small moments and that every effort to create precious memories is worth it!
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