Food & Entertaining

You Say To-may-to, I Say To-mah-to

June 15, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Recipes

“And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food”
‭Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭29

Early girl. Better boy. Celebrity. If you’re from the south, these words are ringin’ a bell. Here in Alabama, we gauge our summer’s beginning by the day that we spot these little red beauties in our gardens! Last Thursday, much to my surprise, (ten days prior to summer’s official start) I picked our first tomatoes! This is the earliest we have had these guys make their debut…and you won’t hear me complaining! We love our homegrown tomatoes, and no store-bought imitation will do! The tried and true southern meal and the one that takes me back to my childhood like no other is fresh cut-from-the-cob sweet corn, the crispiest fresh fried okra, fresh pink eyed peas cooked with streak o’ lean, cast iron skillet baked cornbread, and home grown sliced tomatoes from the back yard!

Butch’s favorite way to enjoy a tomato is-a warm-from-the-sun tomato sliced and placed between two pieces of “white” bread, slathered with Hellman’s mayo and a heavy sprinkling of salt and pepper. I, on the other hand, (being the foodie that I am) love them sliced with a splash of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, topped with Belle Chevre, fresh basil from my garden, fleur de sel, and cracked black pepper! He says to-may-toh, I say to-mah-to! Anyway you slice it, we love our maters!

Making the exciting discovery of our first tomatoes in our garden prompted me to bombard Pinterest to find some new, as well as age-old recipes to share with you, our readers! You can click each picture for the recipe and you can follow my Pinterest board here: Sweet and Savory.

Home-grown tomatoes from our garden last summer! Chef Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham offers his famous tomato salad on his summer menu with peas, corn, okra, and applewood smoked bacon! Several years ago, I attended a cooking class where he prepared this amazing salad! It taste as good as it looks! Tomato, watermelon, and peach salsa!! Tomato, watermelon, and feta skewers with mint and lime! Great summer appetizer! Who doesn’t like a BLT sandwich?? Fresh tomato bruschetta, another delicious summer appetizer! Tomato, cheddar, and bacon pie…definitely worth the time and effort to prepare! Tomato and cheese tart! Perfect for a summer luncheon! Panzanella with summer vegetables! This is great for an al fresco summer supper! Greek orzo salad with olives! Hot bacon caprese salad I enjoy making home-made pizza with fresh farm to table ingredients! Our homegrown tomatoes with Belle chèvre, basil, and a light splash of balsamic!

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato”
Lewis Grizzard

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Tablescape Tuesday: English Country

June 9, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him”
James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬

Welcome back to our dining table where we love having family, friends, and you…our readers! English country has long been a style that I have embraced and often replicated through my years as a decorator. The look emphasizes coziness and function while exuding warmth and comfort! Furniture is usually traditional and rooms are full of color, pulling hues from nature. The color palette usually features three or four colors with plenty of patterns, especially floral! I admire that the English are more interested in a room showing its age, rather than the latest fad! Nancy Lancaster, the doyenne of English country, said it this way:
“If every piece is perfect the room becomes a museum and lifeless.”
I would definitely describe today’s tablescape as English country…with its floral tablecloth, abundance of color, and warmth! The vintage style floral tablecloth was the inspiration for setting this vibrant table! As you all know…I love mixing patterns…paisley salad plate juxtaposed with a floral cloth! I gathered Queen Anne’s Lace from our pasture before it was cut for hay – and snipped lilies to add cheerful color to the trio of vintage mason jars!! How simple and easy is this little floral arrangement! The water hyacinth placemats are a new purchase. I couldn’t resist a bargain! The placemats add texture…napkins bring out the yellow in the floral cloth! The stemware, mason jars, and votives are the same color and are perfect for the vintage-look tablescape! The pair of English porcelain figures complement the cream dinner plates!
A cheerful setting on a very cloudy day! “There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.”
Jane Austen This tablescape could move outdoors to my garden! “It’s the sense of what family is at the dinner table. It was the joy of knowing mother was in the kitchen making our favorite dish. I wish more people would do this and recall the joy of life.”
Paul Prudhomme Some of life’s greatest pleasures are shared around the table!

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬

The Details:
Indian cotton tablecloth/napkins – April Cornell from TJ Maxx (last year)
Water hyacinth place mats – Tuesday Morning (recent)
Dinner plates – American Atelier “Baroque”. Horchow.com
Salad plates – Tracy Porter “The Artesian Road” Horchow.com
Stemware – Tuesday Morning (a few years ago)
Flatware – Reed and Barton stainless

Tablescape Tuesday: Seashells & Lanterns

June 2, 2015~ Food & Entertaining, Tablescape Tuesday

“God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good”
Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬

Since our visit to the beach a couple of weeks ago, I have had the colors of the sea and its landscape on my mind. It seems that we are in a daily rain pattern and these bright colors add a little sunshine to the otherwise gray weather! Hope you enjoy!! The inspiration for the table was the older tablecloth with its white background and coral pattern! The white lanterns are a new purchase! They will serve inside and outside for candles and it will be fun to find other uses for them! I placed a candle in the center lantern and a collection of seashells in the other two! I always like to layer a table…so there are coral colored placemats on top of the tablecloth! The place settings contain many of my regulars, but by mixing in a different color scheme it appears new and fresh! Two of the lanterns have a diamond pattern! The center lantern is a rectangle pattern. I can’t wait to use the lanterns in my new garden when it is finished. So much rain is holding up progress! Seashells provide interest with their colors, shapes, and texture! The color of coral speaks summer season and the addition of cobalt adds a burst of unexpected color! “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
Jacques Cousteau “All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again”
Ecclesiastes‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ Butch surprised me many years ago with these beautiful glasses! He has excellent taste!! “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
Mother Teresa “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver”
Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭11‬ The Details:
Tablecloth/napkins – TJ Maxx ( two years ago)
Lanterns – TJ Maxx (recent)
Placemats – World Market ( couple of years ago)
Faux woven wood chargers – Kirkland’s
Shell napkin rings – At Home (few years ago)
White dinner plates – Home Goods
Stemware – Noritake Sweet Swirl pattern in Midnight
Tortoise flatware – Horchow.com