Ted Kennedy Watson
An entry table can be a chance to entice your guests as well as yourself when first coming into your home. A fresh bloom, a bowl full of citrus or nuts, a book to peruse—all things that are highly visual. Any random assortment of ‘things’ that make you happy goes to the top of the list.
The bursting red amaryllis going strong cozying up next to the paper geranium by Livia Cetti is our Flower Friday duo. This is the second stalk that is giving us a second act of the amaryllis show. My, my, my, they are such spectacular blooms. Major flower happiness.
I am in the midst of a several week total immersion of working on my next book and it is heaven. A big fan of multitasking, I also love to fully focus on one project. Getting into the zone, if you will. A term used often from my old tennis days. Editing photos and narrowing down which ones to use from the thousands of images I have already shot. Gaining inspiration from the vignette and then writing away. The above photo on my iPad where I can enlarge the images with my fingers to examine every little detail. The kitchen table has become my office, where everything gets spread out. The view from the table looking out to the Hawthorne Valley, quite a treat. Bailey snoozing away on her bed right next to me. It is really a joy to see the book start to take shape. Entertaining has always been hugely important in my life, from very early on. My parents loved to entertain and that tradition has carried on as it holds very special meaning in our household to this day. Sharing stories of some of the gathering over the years bringing back incredibly fond memories. The basis for the book is to not let perfection hold you back from entertaining. It is the number one reason I hear from folks why they don’t host guests in their home often. My goal is to show page after page of making entertaining fun, easy and doable. Table settings, flowers, recipes, tips—an entertaining guide. My hope is that it becomes a go-to source for inspiration for when you are planning your next dinner or party. Oh my gosh, remember dinners and parties? Can’t wait for Covid to be behind us and we can all entertain again!
From Hawthorne. Sending tons of love as a small flurry of snow falls at this moment. X, T
Mister Sive is at the helm today with his ‘Braised Slaw’ on this Wine & Dine Wednesday. It is so tasty. He made it to go alongside a pork chop and mashed potatoes, along with a lovely red. Take it away TPS!
Ted and I both love cabbage. I grew up with it as a staple of winter diet, and I turn to it often as a hearty vegetable in both raw and cooked forms. This version is a particularly yummy accompaniment to pork dishes, with a pleasant tang mixing well with the deep savory of the meat and the sweet and salty mashed potatoes. This dish can be made with either white or red cabbage, or, as we did last tonight, a mixture of both! As with most all of my recipes, proportions can vary widely, to your taste. These proportions here will feed four folk a healthy-sized serving.
Trim the outer leaves and halve a head of cabbage (or two quarters). Slice the cabbage on the long dimension into thin strips, a titch less than a ¼ inch wide, for a total of 4 cups or so. Place your heaviest pot or skillet over high heat, and pour ¼ cup of olive oil into the pan. Just as the oil is hot and starting to spatter, add in a tablespoon of fennel or caraway seed. Heat the seeds for 30-60 seconds, until just browning, and then add the cabbage. Immediately, and continually, stir the cabbage to cook evenly and “pull up” the seeds into the cabbage so they don’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
Sauté the cabbage until wilted and just starting to turn color, maybe 2-3 minutes. Add several good glugs of balsamic vinegar, and continue to turn and mix with your long set of tongs. The vinegar will immediately steam and reduce; cook until the cabbage and balsamic start to caramelize, perhaps another 1-2 minutes, and serve immediately.
Here’s to hearty and heart-warming winter meals!
A new year, a new round of ‘The Classics’ by artist Mindy Carpenter. They are scheduled to arrive at the shop any day and will be up on our website shortly. These original paintings have been a major hit. Whether it is one or many, they make any room they grace sing. For those of you who have ever been lucky enough to meet Mindy, that could also describe her. She makes any room she graces sing. Her artwork is truly a reflection of her happy inner spirit.