Tag: “Hostess Tableware”

Charity Vintage: Dolly Days coffee set

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Dolly Days coffee set for sale on eBay for Charity by & in support of Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice(ends 18 May, 2014 21:06:47 BST)

We’ve been lucky enough to have had a couple of these Dolly Days coffee sets since we’ve been trading. We picked up the first one in a charity shop in Bexhill-on-Sea about 8 years ago – before we even had a shop! We sold it in 2008 to a lovely lady who bought it as a present. Here’s the lovely story she told us:

“It was the first set that my grandparents bought when they got married, unfortunately over time, many pieces have been broken so I am buying this set (which is the only one I have found) as a 50th wedding anniversary gift for them.”

This Dolly Days set is being sold on eBay for Charity by & on behalf of Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice*. The starting bid is £49.99 and surprisingly there’ve been no bids yet. Dolly Days was manufactured by Hostess Tableware in 1960s. The pattern designed by John Russell, who was also designed the Black Velvet range.

*The Hospice provides specialist palliative care to those suffering with a life threatening illness via in-patient support, day care, various clinics including Lymphodema and breathlessness along with bereavement support, at no charge to the patient or carers.



Piece of Cake

slice of chocolate sponge cake with dessicated coconut topping on vintage John Russell Black Velvet plate with coffee in matching cup & saucer | H is for Home

A new cake has been made for the tin by the kettle – a rather nice chocolate sponge cake with a coconut chocolate topping.

The recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Cookery Course Part Two book. It’s based on her quick & easy ‘All-in-one sponge’ recipe:

  • 4oz/110g self raising flour, sifted
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 4oz/110g soft margarine, at room temperature
  • 4oz/110g caster sugar
  • 2tbs cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2-3 drops vanilla extract

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3/325ºF/170ºC

Lightly grease a 7-inch/18cm sponge tin and line its base with greaseproof paper (also greased) or silicone paper.

Take a large, roomy mixing bowl, and sift flour and baking powder into it, holding the sieve high to give the flour a good airing. Then simply add all the other ingredients to the bowl, and whisk them – preferably with an electric hand whisk – till thoroughly combined. If the mixture doesn’t drop off a wooden spoon easily when tapped on the side of the bowl, then add 1 or 2 teaspoonfuls of tap-warm water, and whisk again.

Add to the prepared tin, level off and bake on the centre shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes. When cooked, leave it in the tin for only about 30 seconds, then loosen the edge by sliding a palette knife all round and turn it out onto a wire cooling rack.

To finish:

Melt 100g milk chocolate in a bowl over hot water (bain marie). Add 1tbs dessicated coconut to the chocolate and spread over the top. Finish with a further sprinkle.

It can be tweaked with all kinds of other flavours, fillings & toppings – vanilla, ginger, dried fruit etc. We also like the look of this new version that Delia has on her own website

If you prefer a thicker cake with a middle layer of butter cream, jam etc, just double the quantities, and use two tins.

close up of chocolate sponge cake on vintage John Russell Black Velvet plate with vintage Joseph Rogers cake fork

It’s delicious – give it a go next time you have a few minutes to spare – and enjoy it with a nice cuppa!