Cold Cold Cold

I don't know about there, but here it is already hot. How hot? It reached 104 on Wednesday and it isn't even May. I know, I know: "it's a dry heat." That does make a difference, but it is still hot! So my thoughts turn to ice and cold drinks and refreshing cocktails. My top five for summer?

1. Wild Sweet Orange, cold brewed and iced.
2. Pimm's Cup, my go-to summer cocktail.
3. My favorite sangria recipe.
4. Mojitos for a crowd.
5. A Tincho, effervescent New Age white wine served over ice with a squeeze of lime.

What are you going to serve them in? Here are some great drink servers for summer...

West Elm has a recycled glass container that is generous in size and has a metal spout.

CB2's beverage dispenser has a sweet organic shape that would look great on any table.

Maybe you already a dispenser, but this cute little stand from

Crate and Barrel could make it more counter friendly.

Or get this dispenser from Williams-Sonoma which has a built-in stand!

Now, get your summer drink on!

A Butter Dish for Captain Ahab

Last week in Wichita, I finally had the opportunity to stop by my friend Emily’s fabulous store, Frank & Margaret. Her lovely space is filled with some of the best things you could want for your table or home, plus those unique gifts everyone is looking for this time of year. If you’re in Wichita, I suggest you make a trip, because I know you’ll find something you love.

As part of her eclectic inventory, Emily has a wonderful selection of whimsical offerings from Jonathan Adler, ceramicist and provocateur. Adler has a fun style which he offers up on TV, in his stores and his fantastic book, My Prescription for Anti-Depressive Living. I love his designs, especially to give as gifts…but hadn’t seen the new, mod butter dish in the shape of whale. It was like we were meant to be together. And when I saw the matching pitcher on his web site (Do I need another pitcher? Who cares!), I knew we were all three meant to be together. Of course, the butter dish couldn’t be used for everyday. And I don’t really serve bread at meals that often, but it doesn’t matter because it will look great in my china cabinet. Or yours, ne serait-il pas?

Friday Night Fun

Jennie and Paul came over Friday for what is my latest entertaining recipe of choice, so don't be surprised if you come over and I make it for you too: lemon gnocchi with spinach and peas from the December issue of Gourmet. It's terrific served with a big salad and chocolate cake from Central Market's bakery for dessert. Who could ask for an easier and more delicious evening with friends?

Since it's the holidays, I did decide to throw a little bit of a table together....even though we were being super casual. I got out the winter dishes (They're not Christmas or Holiday dishes, since the poinsettia is appropriate during all of the winter months. Ask Emily Post if you don't believe me.) which are from Martha Stewart's Everyday line at K-mart a couple of years back. I dressed them up with my grandmother's silver plate (which I had to polish) and used some vintage elves, with pine cone bodies, to hold the place cards. My mam-ma's kissing Santa and Mrs. Claus salt and pepper shaker were also on the table, as was her little Star of David pitcher. It's nice to remember those who aren't with us during the holiday season and I enjoyed using their things for dinner.

I even enjoy the little bit of hand washing that follows a small gathering--as opposed to the loads and loads involved for a big event. I'm not shy about putting things in the dishwasher, but there are certain items I just won't trust it with. I find the sight of the dishes inverted on the counter amusing. I'm not sure why?

It was a lovely evening with clever conversation and good wine. Have people over for dinner!

Recipe: Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

1 cup frozen baby peas (not thawed)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 cups packed baby spinach (3 ounces)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 pound dried gnocchi
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Simmer peas with cream, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add spinach and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring, until wilted. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest and juice.

Meanwhile, cook gnocchi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain gnocchi.

Add gnocchi to sauce with cheese and some of reserved cooking water and stir to coat. Thin with additional cooking water if necessary.

Serves 4. More like, serves two hungry people. I doubled it for the four of us!

Time to Entertain?

It's that time of the year again, when all the cooking magazines on the newsstands are covered with turkeys, cakes and other holiday treats. How are you doing on serving pieces? Do you have enough platters, bowls and accoutrement to handle your guests and hosting obligations?

If not, can I make a few suggestions? (I promise I won't subject you to a parade of all of my serving pieces, which could take all day...)

Williams-Sonoma (not Williams and Sonoma...) has some great new platters available. They come in two different sizes and are very flat, with just the tiniest lip on the edge. Since these don't curve up on the sides, service space is maximized allowing you to pile hors d'ouevres, cookies or candy as high as you like.

The Leo all-purpose glass from Crate and Barrel is affordable and slightly different than many of the wine glasses on the market. These would be perfect for your holiday bar, but also for serving dessert. Think: individual trifles, piles of chocolate mouse or scoops of ice cream. Multiple uses means you can easily justify the purchase, but at $1.95 per glass you don't really need to!

Aluminum serving pieces from West Elm would brighten up any holiday table. Each of these pieces would mix in well with just about any table setting and could be used to stack bon bons, sweets or creme puffs to majestic heights.

Ever affordable, IKEA has a variety of bowls that would be perfect for mashed potatoes, salads and side dishes. Mix and match colors, textures and styles loosely for a table that is warm, welcome-y and homey.

One of my ugliest predilictions is for salad servers, I can't stop buying them! How many sets is too many? I have several vintage sets, in addition to ones I've picked up at Crate and Barrel, Bloomingdale's Home and elsewhere. This olivewood set from Sur la Table is truly covetable, though, and if you don't have a nice set of servers I suggest you splurge on these. They are made in Fraaaaance.

Happy Holidays!

Looking for a new Creamer/Sugar?

I'm not, I have creamer and sugar sets coming out my ears. Colorful plastic fifties ones. A silver-plated deco set. A Russel Wright set. Sets in both of my china patterns. A spare set I picked up at the thrift store that has a bowl and platter to match. Odd cream pitchers that don't match any sugar bowls, but still look great, especially the one from Rosenthal (My only piece, so I treasure it. Pronounce it 'ro zen tall' if you want to be snooty, like me.) If you don't have that perfect creamer and sugar set, that one that really says something about who you are and where you fit into the world, might I suggest the following?

This bunny service, adorned with roses, could really mix in with any china or silver service easily. Traditional, modern, simple, or ornate. It would convey to your guests (or reiterate to yourself, if you're using it for toast and tea at a solitary repast) that you are a positive person, with a bright outlook on the world. Likewise, the adorable guys definitely assert confidence in a design aesthetic on the part of the owner. They really SAY something...

And now, a PARADE OF SUGARS AND CREAMERS for your pleasure and amusement!

This wonderful design by Russel Wright is ingenious, with the creamer acting as the lid of the sugar bowl, nesting neatly on top.

This set says: I have a small table and need something economical, space wise. Plus I revere classic, American design.

A similar design and thrift store find, this piece is a silver-plated deco set by Napier.

This set says: I'm traditional, yet slightly funky. My walls are covered with Erté prints.

Temporama by Canonsburg. My favorite pattern. The dishes I use in all of my dreams. The accent pieces in this set are that wonderful robin's egg blue that I love, but the under plate shown here is actually something new from Crate and Barrel. Perfect Match!

This set says: I'm funky. I wear vintage, fifties glasses. Atomic forever!

The 'good' china, some of what I own was a thrifted gift from the playwright and actress Helena Hale, who is no longer with us. The pattern is Shoreline by Metlox and all of the colors were named for the California coast. The color I collect is called wet sand. So dramatic.

This set says: Simple, elegant design is timeless and without compare. California pottery has no equl in the world of vintage china.

This set sat at the thrift store forever, so I finally picked them up for a song along with a matching bowl and platter. They are by Studio Nova from the very 80s Color Threads line. I would consider this to be my 'everyday' creamer and sugar, the one that is on the kitchen table.

This set says: I will never get over the passing of the 80s.

Finally, a mismatched ménage à trois. From the left, a rustic creamer that was a gift from Danette who has no use for creamers as she doesn't drink coffee and rarely entertains (never on a grand scale); the adored Rosenthal, with odd wings on the lid that make it very sculptural; and lastly, a petite creamer by Frankoma, pottery of the promised land--Oklahoma.

These say, from left to right: I make my own pottery. I'm a hippy; My grandmother was a minor, German aristocrat who lost everything in the war and this is the only piece she escaped Europe with; I'm from Oklahoma.

Have you tried...

The poach pod? I haven't yet, but I might pick one up just to see how it works. According to the instructions, you simply crack an egg into each pod, then float them in simmering water until the eggs are done. It seems these would work well and give you a pefectly poached egg, but I'm unsure if the rounded shape would be ideal for preparing Benedicts, etc.

Yes, that's right. They went ahead and made your life a living hell by creating this awful product. What is it? Munchies. One bag of chips that contains a mixture of Doritos, Cheetos, Rold Gold Pretzels and SunChips. In one bag. Apparently, there is a cheese fix mixture (note the use of the word fix), a flaming hot mixture and a ranch mixture. Of course, you could buy four bags of chips and make this yourself, or you could buy this one bag and eat the entire thing in one sitting. That is what I would do if I were stupid enough to buy a bag. Which I'm not.

Punch! POW!

There are lots of babies coming our way right now. Our friend's Anna and Chris just gave birth to little Otto in Wichita month or so ago and here in Austin, Kay and Joel are the proud parents of a new little boy. Saturday, Catherine and Shannon threw a baby shower for the upcoming birth of our mutual friends TJ and Heather's little boy. I offered to bring the punch, both an alcoholic and non-alcoholic (for the mom-to-be and other non-drinking guests).

Punch at a shower is a longstanding tradition and when I was growing up at Plainview Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK there were a couple women in the fellowship who had THE punch bowl. (My Mam-ma was one of them and now mom has the bowl, and more cups than you can imagine, to loan out.) I love the idea of THE punch bowl, because its very communal. It's one of those things that not everyone has to own, but is passed around for special events. If you are having a shower or party that necessitates punch, you just call up the person with THE punch bowl and ask to borrow it. That person bring THE punch bowl and everyone enjoys the punch. In the Southern Baptist Church tradition, you would expect some mints and mixed nuts to accompany the punch at a wedding and perhaps some simple tea sandwiches for a shower. Or maybe just cake.

Several years ago, I bought a punch bowl at the Salvation Army for a song. It's white glass, has a stand and is decorated with a grape motif. My punch cups are cut glass, but white, so they coordinate without being too much of a standard set. Although I only use THE punch bowl about once a year for my own purposes, I'm always happy to have the opportunity to lend it for special occasions. And happier still to bring the punch! Next time you're having a party, try one of these recipes instead of making a mixed drink or serving wine and beer. I think your guests will enjoy your thoughtfulness and you'll appreciate doing something different and special. And call me, I'll lend you THE punch bowl.

If you're interested in buying a punch bowl and being one of the people with THE punch bowl, I suggest searching thrift stores and antique malls. I found the following while just out an about:
I encountered this last bowl when out shopping at an antique mall in Ft. Worth with my brother Eric and his wife Becca. It's actually the same pattern as some of the crystal my parents received for their wedding, with an unusual coin motif. The shape is fantastic and it would be a dramatic piece to use for service.


Want a new punch bowl? Look no further than your friends Crate and Barrel store, which always has a couple that would work perfectly. They recently added the Virginia punch set (above and here) and I think with it's nice elevated shape, is the best of the recent offerings.


Recipe: Angel Punch
This simple non-alcoholic punch is flavored with green tea. If you wanted to add a little punch to your punch, you could substitute a dry sparkling wine for the club soda and maybe a little lemon-flavored vodka.

1 cup sugar syrup (1 cup sugar, 1 cup water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Chill.)
1 pint lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 quart strong green tea
2 quarts white grape juice
2 quarts chilled club soda

Combine all ingredients except soda and refrigerate until well chilled. Pour into punch bowl and add soda. To keep the punch cold, freeze slices of lemon or some of the punch mixture in ice cube trays. Using ice can dilute the flavor.

Makes about 45 4 -ounce servings.


Recipe: Planter's Punch
A classic southern recipe constructed from fresh fruit juices, rum and club soda, it's perfect for any season.

1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (4 to 5 oranges)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5-6 limes)
2/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-5 lemons)
1 1/2 cups dark rum
46 ounces of pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp bitters
1 liter club soda

Combine juices in a large container, add rum, sugar and bitter. Stir to combine. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, add mixture to punch bowl along with chilled pineapple juice and soda. Use frozen slices of the fruit to keep your punch nice and cold.

Salut!

Shopping for Your Kitchen

Real Simple published a nice on-line shopping guides for various aspects of your home. The list for the kitchen has some great sources, if for nothing else besides browsing and dreaming.

Also, Japan's Muji (a super-stylish and affordable store featuring a wide array of items) is opening two branches in New York. While this isn't necessarily convenient for me, I'm hoping this means there will be a branch of the web store for the States. That way, we can all get some of their wonderful stuff for our kitchen.

Happy shopping!

Made to be Broken

Honestly, I have always purchased wine glasses with the idea that they were made to be broken. Why would you spend $20 for a stem that some clumsy, yet beloved, dinner guest is just going to let slip through their fingers and smash into a million tiny pieces onto your kitchen floor? I will admit that in the last couple of years, I have been know to spend upwards of $3 on a stem, but there are perfectly great ones available out there for cheap.

Crate and Barrel has their Everyday Wine Glass on sale right now for $11.95 for a dozen. It's a bargain! When one breaks, just laugh it off and pull another from the cabinet. Buy TWO sets and live a happy and carefree life for years. They also have their Six Grand Wine Glass set for $8.95. While not quite as good of a bargain, it's still dirt cheap. That's $1.49 per glass for those of you without calculators or math skills. Again, you can afford to stock up AND to break a few.

If you want totally dirt cheap, say you want everyone to throw their wine glass into your fireplace after each course, then the IKEA Hejsan is for you. At only $2.99 for a set of six, they are unbelievably affordable. You can't get them on-line, but there's a store opening here this fall so you can just pick some up on your next visit. While the stemless goblet concept is a little overdone, they do have these little tumbles which would be perfect for a casual look.

Mind you, I'm not saying only have cheap, simple stemware. I'm just saying glasses like this are perfect for parties, but it's a good idea to have something nicer to use at the table where things are less likely to get broken. Multiple sets of stemware? But of course.

Mangez!