What I'm reading Wednesday...

 I hardly read at all this week.  Just a few chapters.  But today was Book Club, so I thought I'd share how it went.  

The group really got into the spirit of Victorian England, since our selection of this month was The Picture of Dorian Gray.  We had Finger Sandwiches, Treacle Pie, Sourdough Bread, and fruit and cheeses.

One club member came with Scotch Eggs and a story about the upper classes getting hampers from Fortnum and Mason for picnics and train travel, in which Scotch Eggs was a portable and popular food for travel.  I was really impressed by hers, as I tried to make them one time (decades ago) and found them to be a LOT of work, and mine didn't turn out very well.  Hers were beautiful and delicious.

The Beef Wellington Bites did fine from frozen.  I moved them from the freezer to the refrigerator yesterday morning to thaw.  This morning I brushed them with egg and baked.  They were great, and it was so nice to have the majority of the work done last week.  

I also did Green Bean Bundles wrapped in bacon, brushed with a glaze and baked.  Last time I made them, I baked them in my upper oven which is small and I think they were too near the element, because they burned.  This time I roasted them in my lower, larger oven and they did great.

Somehow I can't see jalapeńo poppers on a Victorian buffet, but they are welcome anytime on mine!  Delicious.  Hers were topped with a large shrimp and a piece of bacon.  Yum!

The Treacle Pie (top right) was really good.  I would describe it as somewhere between a Buttermilk Pie (my favorite) and the filling of a pecan pie.  The other two desserts were flaky, crusty pastry with fruit and cream cheese filling.  So yummy.  

I am still SO full.  And ready to go to bed and read a few more chapters.  I may stay in bed and read all day tomorrow!  :)