Peach Round-Up Part One

 Life is a bag of peaches. Be the juicy one.

I was happy to discover that Colorado peaches have made their summer appearance in Minnesota though it does seem a bit early. Except for a Georgia peach, nothing compares to a Colorado peach in taste, juiciness, and texture.

The colorful names given to fruit desserts are almost as much fun as eating them. Some of these terms are more universal than others, but here are the most generally accepted definitions:

Crisp: baked fruit topped with a mixture of some combination of flour, nuts, cereal (especially oatmeal), butter, and sugar. The topping ranges in texture from streusel to granola, and generally completely covers the fruit. Also sometimes called a crumble.
Cobbler: baked fruit topped with a batter or biscuit crust. The topping is often "cobbled" rather than smooth; the topping is generally dropped or spooned in small clumps over the fruit, allowing bits of the filling to show through.
Grunt or Slump: as the biscuit-topped fruit cooks on the stove, it supposedly makes a grunting noise but it's likely the result of the steam from simmering fruit escaping through the vents between the biscuits.
Buckle: The streusel topping on this moist fruit cake (usually made with blueberries) makes the top look buckled. As with the crisp, this coffee cake-like dessert is also sometimes called a crumble.

Some previously posted Every Ready Peach recipes

Peach and Blueberry Galette

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/09/peach-galette-and-peach-margarita.html

Old Fashioned Peach Pie

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2018/08/old-fashioned-peach-pie.html

Peach Blueberry Salsa

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/07/blueberry-peach-salsa.html

Grilled Peach Caprese Salad

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2014/05/fire-up-grill.html

Introducing a new Ever Ready recipe 

Peach Bliss

A summertime treat in a glass. It's refreshing, creamy, and decadent so perfect for a summertime gathering. The drink can be made ahead, chilled in the freezer until needed. I declare this a Minnesota drink. If you look closely on front of the glass there's a Minnesota state shape. The glass was a recent gift and just perfect for the drink.     

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups vanilla bean ice cream
• 1 cup fresh diced peaches
• 1 oz. rum (light or dark)
• 1 oz. peach schnapps
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• A few sprinkles of cinnamon
• Whipped cream
• Chopped peaches
• Optional serving with a cinnamon stick

 Directions:

• In a blender place all ingredients, except cinnamon stick if using. 
• Blend at high speed until smooth.
• Pour into two glasses or one tall glass. Serve immediately or store in the freezer covered lightly with wax paper until needed.  

Even Roxie thinks the air quality here is bad!

 

Italian Shrimp Salad with Cheese Tortellini and Veggies

Italian Shrimp Salad with Spinach Cheese Tortellini and Veggies

Cook's notes: This delicious, light shrimp and tortellini salad can be served as a side or main dish, perfect for summer potlucks or anytime you need a pasta salad. And the good news it's Smart Points and 366 calories. The recipe serves two and was adapted from skinnytaste.com The salad should be refrigerated for several hours to enhance the flavors.
Ingredients:

• 1-8 oz. package of cheese spinach tortellini
• 1/3 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup red onions, sliced thin
• 1 cup diced cucumbers
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry on paper towels
• Optional 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• Fresh basil, chopped

Lemon Herb Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/ 3 cup olive oil or lemon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine 
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon each dried oregano and parsley
• Zest from one small lemon

Directions:

• Cook tortellini according to package directions, al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Mix dressing ingredients in the blender.
• In a large bowl mix tortellini, shrimp, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted red peppers, and olives if using.
• Drizzle with dressing, reserving 1 tablespoon. Refrigerate for several hours. To serve drizzle with the rest of the dressing and garnish with chopped basil.
  

Strawberry -Rhubarb Cornmeal Skillet Cake

 Advice from a Loon

Spend time at the lake

Enjoy a good swim

Call your friends

Surround yourself with beauty

Enjoy time alone

Dive into life

The glorious duo of strawberries and rhubarb with a rustic touch of cornmeal makes this an irresistible skillet cake. Served piping hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream adds some sweetness to your day. You'll find the mixture of sweet and tart ties all the textures and flavors together. 

Cook's Notes: I did not have a 10-inch oven-safe skillet so I substituted a 10-inch quiche pan which worked just fine. Recipe adapted from Food and Wine May 2021 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour 
• ½ cup fine yellow cornmeal 
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup plus 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature, divided
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla 
• 1 ounce softened cream cheese
• 1 cup halved fresh strawberries
• ¾ cup sliced fresh rhubarb (1/2-inch pieces) 
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, place in oven, and warm pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the hot skillet from oven, and add 1 teaspoon butter. Swirl skillet until butter is melted. If using another oven-safe pan grease pan and proceed with the recipe.  
• Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cornmeal, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl until combined; set aside. 
• Place 3/4 cup butter in bowl beat on high speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of the bowl, until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
• Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on high speed and stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of the bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer running on low speed, beat in cream cheese until just combined, about 30 seconds. 
• Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 1 minute. Add buttermilk and vanilla beating until just combined, about 1 minute.
•  Arrange strawberries and rhubarb in an even layer on batter; sprinkle with turbinado sugar or sparkling sugar.
• Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Serve cake warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. 
  
  Wine and Cheese Day

The weather was perfect to mark the day with an informal last-minute get-together with neighbors. 

Pigs in the Blanket-with Honey Mustard Sauce is a no-fuss recipe sure to please your guests made with chicken apple sausages and puff pastry.  

The recipe was previously posted. https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/08/another-pig-in-blanket-little-bit-of.html

National Wine and Cheese Day

Add some pizzaz to your Sunday and celebrate the day with friends. Pair your wine offerings with cheese, and maybe even create a charcuterie board. 

Cabernet and Aged Gouda
Gouda has a nutty flavor so perfect with a bold glass of cabernet.

Rose and Feta
The crisp flavors of a Rose pair well with tangy flavors of feta cheese. Prepare the feta with olive oil and herbs, serve with fresh warm bread.

Chardonnay and Cheddar
The dryness of Chardonnay with its apple and pear notes will enhance the flavor of mild cheddar.

Pinot Noir and Brie
Brie needs a wine that will go with its distinct nutty flavor. It's a match made in heaven with Brie cheese.

Pinot Grigio and Mozzarella
Pinot Grigio is a light-bodied wine with refreshing pear and melon flavors. A soft mild cheese like mozzarella will help enhance its earthy mineral flavors.

Sauvignon Blanc and Goat Cheese
Sauvignon Blanc is light-bodied wine, dry full of citrus and grassy notes. It pairs well with the tangy flavor of goat cheese.


Prosecco and Parmesan Cheese
This pairing was made for each other. Both come from Italy and the bubbles in Prosecco cut through the saltiness of Parmesan making it a tasty combination.

Vintage Port and Bleu Cheese
Port is full-bodied and sweet with tannins, It needs a powerful cheese to stand up to its strong taste and crumbly bleu cheese makes the perfect pairing.

Charcuterie board can be scaled back for a smaller group

Adding Color and Texture

• When you are selecting items for your board, make sure to choose some that will “pop” on your board. Bright reds (strawberries, cherries, tomatoes), bright greens (grapes, apple slices, herb garnish), etc. There are too many brown foods out there and if you’re not careful, your board will look bland, not brilliant.
• Make sure you’re not placing too many like colors directly next to each other. This will help with the presentation.
• The same goes for texture. Variety is key. You want some smooth, shiny surfaces like dates. You want some rough, edgy surfaces like the Triscuit crackers pictured above. Some should look wet or moist like the jams and spreads, and others super dry, like the pistachios and almonds.

Looking for wine recommendations? Some personal favorites

Cline Cashmere-Red Wine (blend)

Kim Crawford-Sauvignon Blanc  

Daou (Cabernet Sauvigon) 

Enjoy your Sunday!

Summer Sizzle

Put some sizzle into your cooking with this easy grilled entree.

Cook's Notes: Make use of all those fresh summer vegetables with this light and flavorful Grilled Summer Vegetable Pasta Salad with Lemon-Basil Vinaigrette. I’ve used zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, and red onion, but you can pretty much use any vegetable you have in your garden or your refrigerator. Eggplant and broccoli would also work well as would some corn.
Recipe adapted from spicysouthernkitchen.com
Ingredients:

• 1 yellow squash
• 1 zucchini
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound corkscrew pasta or penne
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• ¼ cup julienned fresh basil
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese and/or small pearls mozzarella balls

Directions:

• Cut yellow squash and zucchini in half lengthwise and then into half moon shapes. Cut red bell pepper and red onion into approximately 2-inch chunks. Place together in a medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot add vegetables. Grill veggies until they develop nice grill marks and then flip over and continue to cook until softened. Place in a large bowl.
• While vegetables are grilling, bring a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente. Drain pasta and rinse with water and add to bowl with grilled vegetables.
• In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and thyme. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup olive oil and add in basil.
• Pour dressing over pasta and vegetables. Add in tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Refrigerate for an hour for flavors to meld.
  
  Cool down with a refreshing Peach Pirate

Cook's Notes: Anytime that you can find juicy peaches in season, try to incorporate them into a cocktail. Their distinctive flavor lends another level of tastiness to any drink. Even as a garnish, they can take a drink to the next level. This cocktail is sort of a modified version of a fuzzy navel as it blends Peach Schnapps and O.J., along with the Pirate himself, Captain Morgan, and his Spiced Rum. The recipe makes one drink in a tall glass.

Peach Pirate

Ingredients:
2 ounces Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum
2 ounces Peach Schnapps
4 ounces Orange Juice, cold
Slice of fresh peach and cherry for garnish

Optional: Add a drizzle of grenadine down the side of the glass

Directions:

• Into an ice-filled tall glass adds the Schnapps, Rum, and O.J.
• Shake and serve. 

Our Divide:Two Sides of Locked-In Syndrome

 "Our Divide: Two Sides of  Locked-In-Syndrome" A Memoir

Meet author LaDonna Harrison, a Minnesota native. 

Book signing event by Blue Cottage Agency. 

CatTales Books and Gifts

609 Laurel Street

Brainerd MN

11:00 AM

Book Review

 A prognosis of a rare neurological disorder Locked In Syndrome creates a divide between a newly married young couple. “Our Divide: Two Sides of Locked-In Syndrome” by LaDonna Harrison is an emotionally captivating memoir told with courage and honesty. As the author tells the two sides of Cleve and LaDonna's (Donnie) life story we find her struggling through trauma, depression, and unbearable loneliness. But being the survivor she is Harrison takes the “lifeline” offered by her father and turns her life around finding unexpected success in the academic world and joy in motherhood.

Harrison's story begins in northern Minnesota in the early '70s where her family borders on poverty and lives off the land for food. Fresh out of high school, Donnie meets Cleve, a 27-year-old Vietnam Vet. They find love and the commonalities of living a carefree life of fishing, snowmobiling, partying, and the enjoyment of friends. Several bouts of physical abuse spiral Donnie into confusion and sadness with Cleve's unexpected temper. An impulsive marriage followed by an unplanned pregnancy and a traumatic health diagnosis turns their lives upside down. Cleve suddenly falls victim to an obstruction in the brain stem pushing him into a comatose state.

Donnie finds herself overwhelmed dealing with his illness, medical staff, financial issues, and the early stages of pregnancy. With the purchase of a journal, she finds writing becomes a compulsion. It provides some solace offering her a place to be with Cleve again easing her anxiety. Donnie's daily entries imagine Cleve reading the letters when he wakes up. She keeps him updated on baby development, weather, her loneliness, and the frustrations of running a household being inexperienced along with confusing, contradicting medical opinions. At times she truly believed he'd wake up and read her letters. Plus writing these letters made her feel fine and strong. After a few months, Cleve emerges from a comatose state to a new state called “locked-in syndrome.” As hours became days and days became weeks, Donnie's despondency grows with little or no visible change in Cleve. The realization he will never improve spurs her on to take her father's offer to pay tuition to a local community college for 3 months. Donnie desperately needs to escape her own locked-in state. Education becomes her salvation. Eventually, she manages to move forward making healthy decisions about how to live her life.

Harrison's writing is mesmerizing and hard to put down. To jump back into a life of decades ago, reopening emotions must be a soul-stirring and harrowing experience. Harrison's story demonstrates resilience in the face of adversity. Despite the fact her family could be labeled dysfunctional, it was their loyalty and support that kept Donnie moving after each crisis.

“Our Divide: Two Sides of Locked-In Syndrome” will appeal to readers who find stories of hope and life reclaimed inspirational. It is a beautifully written story sure to stir your soul.

Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts with Italian Sasauge

Puff Pastry Tomato Tarts with Caramelized Onions is a delicious way to use all those garden tomatoes or ones from the Farmer's Market.

Unfortunately, deer have ravaged my plants as of late and now I have to rely on the farmers market. They've been relentless presence every night foraging. Nothing seems to stop their continual grazing. Such a disappointment!

Cook's Notes:
Any type of tomatoes works well for this recipe. Comets (yellow cherry tomatoes) make a nice contrast to the red ones. Depending on the pastry size these versatile tarts can stand in as an appetizer, brunch item, or a light lunch. The recipe makes 6 tarts (4-1/2 inches). The recipe can easily be halved using only one pastry sheet and half of the filling ingredients.
Ingredients:

• 1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, thawed
• 1 tablespoon each olive oil and butter
• 2 cups thinly diced sweet onions
• 1/2 cup diced yellow mini sweet peppers
• 3 garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese or 1/2 cup grated white cheddar cheese
• 1 large tomato, cut into four 1/4-inch-thick slices or slice smaller tomatoes to cover the tart space
• Optional 3/4 cup crumbled Italian sausage
• Sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, parsley, Italian seasoning
• Garnish 3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions:

• Slice tomatoes and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt.
• Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 4 inch wide glass or another round object as a guide, martini glass works well, cut 3 circles from one sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat steps with the second pastry sheet to make 6 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  
• Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic, saute for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp, nicely browned and almost no moisture remains in the skillet. Remove from the heat.
• Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork, and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.
• Place 1 tablespoon onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumbled sausage can be added in this step if using, divide among pastry rounds. Add crumbled 1 ounce of goat cheese or shredded white cheddar cheese on top of the onion/meat mixtures. Place a slice of drained tomato in the center of each tart or chopped tomatoes, sprinkle with spices and grate more Parmesan cheese over the top of each tart.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Summer in a Bowl

True wisdom lies in

gathering the precious things

out of each day as it goes by:

E.S. Bouton

 

Summer in a Bowl

Watermelon-Heirloom Tomato Peach Salad

This summer salad features seasonal tomatoes, watermelon, and peaches to create a sensationally delicious side dish This salad is vibrant in color and explodes with juiciness. Since tomatoes and watermelon both release a lot of moisture yellow cherry tomatoes were used. They have less moisture than the larger variety.

Cook’s notes: Advance prep: Cut melon into cubes, sprinkle with a little sugar to draw out moisture and drain in a colander. Halve tomatoes, sprinkle with salt to draw out moisture, and set out on paper towels for 10 minutes. Proceed with recipe directions. Salad serves 3-4.
Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups red seedless watermelon, cubed
• 2 cups peaches, diced
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup red grapes,halved
• 1/3 cup vertically sliced red onion
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese balls (pearls) 
• Fresh basil or 1 tablespoon mixed herbs (parsley and basil)

Salad Directions:

• Mix salted tomatoes, watermelon, peaches, herbs, and red onion; toss to coat. Add in dressing and chill in refrigerator 30 minutes.
• Drain salad mixture in a colander, stir in cheese; toss gently.

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or lemon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs (parsley and basil) or 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 1-1/2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar or Lemongrass Mint Balsamic
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon honey

Dressing Directions:

In a screw-top jar mix ingredients. Shake well. 

FIRE UP THE GRILL    

Add a hamburger to the salad and serve a 4 Point Puff Pastry Strawberry Tart 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2021/07/4-point-puff-pastry-strawberry-tart.html

4 Point Puff Pastry Strawberry Tart

 

Puff Pastry Strawberry 4 Point Tart

These tarts ooze summer made with fresh juicy strawberries. Using puff pastry gives them a bakery taste. One sheet equals 4 tarts.   

Ingredients: 

•  1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets(1 sheet), thawed
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup strawberry jam
• 1 teaspoon dark good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/4 cups large fresh strawberries cut into quarters
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the thawed pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 10-inch square. Cut the pastry sheet into 4 (5-inch) squares. Place the pastry squares onto a baking sheet. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
• Stir the jam and vinegar in a medium bowl with a fork or whisk. Add the strawberries and black pepper and toss to coat. Spoon about 1/4 cup strawberry mixture in the center of each pastry square. Fold the pastry corners over the filling to the center and twist the points firmly to seal. Be sure to pinch all four corners so the filling does not run out. 
  
• Brush the pastries with the egg mixture.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown. Serve the pastries with whipped cream or ice cream. Best eaten the same day they are made. 
  

These Strawberry Tarts would be perfect for the tea party.

Reread Chapter 7 

Mad Hatter Tea Party https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/alice/section7/
Alice approaches a large table set under the tree outside the March Hare’s house and comes across the Mad Hatter and the March Hare taking tea. They rest their elbows on a sleeping Dormouse who sits between them. They tell Alice that there is no room for her at the table, but Alice sits anyway. 

Alice in Wonderland

Original Book Cover

Children's classics are fun to experience when we're young, but revisiting them when we are older brings some additional surprises. My book group picked the children's classic "Alice in Wonderland" to revisit. It is one of the most popular and quoted books in English history. The book was the creation of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-1898) written in 1865. He was a distinguished scholar, mathematician, and author who wrote under the pseudonym, Lewis Carroll. The book was written for young readers but has been enjoyed equally by adults. This tale has been credited with revolutionizing children's literature. As an adult reader, you may find Lewis Carroll's Wonderland characters a little stranger and perhaps more philosophical at a second glance.

The text doesn’t really have a thread but is more a series of strange encounters like in a dream. It tells the tale of a young girl named Alice with a lot of spunk, who falls through a rabbit hole into a subterranean fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. It's considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. 

A mathematician himself, Carroll had a keen sense of logic and order. He also had a sense of the absurd and saw many of the intellectual trends of his day in the latter light. In contrast to the mock intellectualism of adults, Carroll seems to prefer the innocent common sense of children, who therefore became, like Alice, the heroines of most of his stories. Alice’s greatest challenge in Wonderland often seems not to be how to return to the aboveground world, as might be expected, but to remain uninfected by the dangerous and surreal logic of the “adult” wonderlanders she encounters. A grinning Cheshire cat, an absurd tea party with the Mad Hatter, Dormouse, and March Hare, an astute Caterpillar, a curious and strange croquet match, a thieving knave, and a queen with an attitude add to the hilarity of the story with events often not making any logical sense at all.

DID YOU KNOW
"Alices Adventures in Wonderland" is a literary work that has never been out of print and has been translated into at least 97 languages. Its ongoing impressive legacy encompasses many adaptations of the story for the stage, screen, radio, art, ballet, theme parks, board games, and video games. On the flip side, "Alice in Wonderland" was banned in China's Hunan province by the Governor as far back as 1931. The primary reason for the ban was because the censor general believed attribution of animals acting like humans with the same complexity was an “insult”.

I found the backstory to Alice in Wonderland as intriguing as the story itself. Alice Pleasance Liddell (1852 – 1934) was the little girl who inspired Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass." Carroll developed a very close relationship with three Liddell sisters, Alice, Lorina and Edith. He became infatuated with the couple's daughters, especially, Alice. His relationship with Alice abruptly ended in 1863 when something happened between Dodgson and the Liddells that severed their relationship. Prior to that, he saw the children nearly every day.

Another interesting point to mention is the Alice in Wonderland Syndrome.
It is also known as Todd’s syndrome, a rare condition of temporary episodes of distorted perception of body size that was first described in the 1950s. During these episodes, those with Alice in Wonderland Syndrome feel that their body is either larger or smaller than normal, and/or objects and people around them appear larger or smaller than usual — much like the well-known character Alice experiences in Carroll’s stories. In fact, Carroll himself suffered from migraines, and it has been suggested that some of his own experiences may have been the inspiration for his writing.

Many might consider these points speculative in nature but I did read them in several places giving me pause.

I loved the story for its absurdities, its endearing characters, and memorable quotes. And who doesn't love a tea party?  Especially a Mad Hatter Tea Party. 

Just in case you want to throw a tea party 

Some links to tea party ideas and recipes used by Ever Ready. 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2015/08/diy-mad-hatter-tea-party-ideas.html

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2020/03/dispense-with-dinner-and-serve-high-tea.html

Looking for book quotes? Check out this link. https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/8164.Lewis_Carroll