Food & Entertaining

Eat, Drink, and Be French!

November 5, 2015~ Food & Entertaining

“I will praise the name of God with a song;
I will magnify him with thanksgiving”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭69:30‬ ‭

Warm wooden tables, golden hued walls, rustic stone floors, marble wainscoting and mahogany paneling. The most amazing food and atmosphere…a romantic dinner at an intimate Parisian café just off the Champs-Elysees! A perfect evening, indeed.Wouldn’t we all love to visit a bistro like the one I described above? And wouldn’t it be even better if a little Paris would come to us so that we don’t have to spend all the money on traveling?

I have great news for all of you, especially all of you in Alabama…

Paris has come to us!
And it has been here since 2000, taking on the name Chez Fon Fon!
No need for “Parlez-vous anglais?” English is spoken, granted with a Southern accent!You have heard me mention Chez Fon Fon in several posts. The owner, Chef Frank Stitt, is a culinary genius and we love all four of his restaurants! You can see another post I did about him here. Located in the heart of the Southside area of Birmingham is this little jewel that gives our senses a Parisian evening!

Now, I know that words like “Fon Fon” can be intimidating. But don’t let that stop you from this experience! And the menu….let’s talk about the menu. Yes, you will see some French words when you are deciding what to order and chances are, most of us are not fluent in French. Google is your friend. And so is your server. Ask what these food items are! And just so you know, the hamburger at Chez Fon Fon is one of their most popular items…and “frites” is just the French way of saying french fries. How intimidating are burgers and fries?! Not at all! And it is affordable. And it’s not stuffy. And it’s worth it.

Let’s just let the pictures do the talking… It is so easy to imagine yourself in Paris
as you sit at this little table!
A couple of weeks ago, Butch and I had an early dinner at Chez Fonfon and I indulged in this amazing appetizer-fish paillard with pears.
It was so light and fresh with the bright flavors of lemon and mint. I can never resist the Croque Madame,
a melt-in-your-mouth ham and cheese sandwich
with the addition of a fried egg and fries (pommes frites).
Now folks, this is comfort food at its best!
The Thursday special is crabcake!
May I just say it is the best that I have ever eaten…and I have tried plenty of crabcakes in my time!
It is loaded with fresh jumbo lump and crab claw meat mixed with melted butter and French baguette crumbs and
flavored with lemon, parsley, shallots, nutmeg and cayenne!
Are you convinced yet?
As you walk through the doors, you are greeted by a display
of to-die-for desserts!
A mile-high torched meringue covers this lemon tart! Look at those beauties! This dessert hits the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
It was served in a bed of strawberry heaven also known as coulis! I want to just bury my face in this 7-layer coconut cake!
Without fail, Butch always orders the coconut cake that comes with
this sauce (creme anglaise) that is so good I could drink it! My try at Chef Stitt’s coconut cake!
It is a keeper recipe…time consuming, but not difficult
and so worth all the effort! Any great restaurant worth its salt (or maybe I should say its sugar) must have some form of a chocolate dessert on their menu!
This confectionary beauty will not disappoint, I promise… …it is a caramel chocolate nut tart, that is sheer decadence on a plate,
perfect with an espresso! What about you? Tell us about your favorite restaurant! What type of food does it serve?

Merci beaucoup!

Linking with Pieced Pastimes , Silver Pennies , Life on Lakeshore Drive , Thoughts From Alice , Mod Vintage Life , Coastal Charm , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia , The Dedicated House , Dwellings-Heart of Your Home , Savvy Southern Style , Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage , From My Front Porch To Yours , Stone Gable , Confessions of a Plate Addict , Worthing Court , Between Naps on the Porch , Cedar Hill Farmhouse , A Stroll Thru Life , The Charm of Home , Cornerstone Confessions , A Delightsome Life , Imparting Grace , Posed Perfection , Katherines Corner , Rooted In Thyme , Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, My Flagstaff Home, In The New House, Rustic & Refined, Must Love Home

Tablescape Tuesday: Falling Leaves

November 3, 2015~ Tablescape Tuesday

“On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous
works, I will meditate”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭145:5‬ ‭

The fall foliage around our home is absolutely breathtaking!
Who doesn’t love to drive
past a tree with leaves so golden that they outshine the sun?

This photo was taken in our front yard and these yellow
leaves, both on the tree
and on the ground, are so pleasing to the eye.

But the truth is, those falling leaves that we stand in awe of
are actually dying.

As beautiful as they are,
they must die in order to come back alive in their full glory again in the spring! When that season rolls around, we will once again be enamored
by the different beauty it brings.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves…
and enjoy the next few weeks as the leaves hit their pique
and steal the show!

The table runner with embroidered leaves inspired
this fall tablesetting!

When I found the dinner plates there were only four of
each color…no problem, I just mixed
them to create interest!

A trio of porcelain pumpkins are the centerpiece along with a
sprinkling of leaves from our maples and a
Chinese tallow tree!

The small pumpkin bowls were a recent birthday gift from
my sister-in-law! Aren’t they cute?

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The paisley cork-backed placemats work perfectly with
the dinner plates and mustard napkins!

Just a fun shot!!

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The pair of antler candle stands gracing the table were made
by Seth last year…a treasured gift!

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

The Details:
Dinner plates/Stemware – Tuesday Morning
Placemats/Table runner – TJ Maxx
Faux tortoise flatware – Horchow.com
Porcelain pumpkins – now considered vintage because I have had them forever!!!
Antler candle stands – handmade

Come To The Table

October 29, 2015~ Decorating, Food & Entertaining

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!”
‭‭1 Chronicles‬ ‭16:8‬ ‭

When the fourth Thursday in November rolls around, families travel many miles to be together to celebrate the blessings God has given. We enjoy the company, the laughter, and of course the food! Butch and I host Thanksgiving in our home each year and we love doing it! However, I must acknowledge that a lot of planning is involved! You’ve got to clean the house, set the table, and the obvious…cook the food! And because I want all who come into our home to feel special when they sit down, a nice table is always a part of our Thanksgiving. I look around at each face gathered around, and thank God for their life and what they mean to me. Today, we find ourselves just four weeks away…not too early for me to be thinking about my table setting!

Since the weather has been sort of yucky here with all of the rain, I have found myself perusing Pinterest for ideas, and I thought it might be helpful to share them for your upcoming holiday tablescapes!

All pins were taken from my Pinterest boards Autumn Splendor and Apples Of Gold In Settings Of Silver.
Click the picture for its original source.
The cream, copper, and brown hues make a casually elegant table. The turkey centerpiece is perfect! This table offer drama with the black salad plate and gold flatware. The simple rosemary sprig and name tag adds just the right touch! A gorgeous table that is lush with texture and color…the eggplant-colored napkins are one of my favorite elements! A table runner with a leaf-patterned border and napkins with leaves and pumpkins provide a creamy background for this festive table! I love a centerpiece of vegetables and fruit for any season or holiday! The fig on the salad plate is perfect! This is a favorite tablescape by event designer, Bronson van Wyck….the china pattern is “Les Champignons” by Alberto Pinto….amazing! I always like the addition of blue to a fall tablescape! The pear at each place setting adds more autumn to the table. The peacock colors set a non-traditional Thanksgiving table, but nonetheless inviting! How warm and cozy is this dining room for Thanksgiving dinner! Love this outdoor setting if you live where it is warm enough! Natural elements on a rustic table with touches of blue…bliss! Turkey plates and shades of blue and rust with white linens make for a chic setting! An easy-to-make centerpiece with color and texture! Brown transfer ware with purple accents – perfection! The shades of green with the burlap table runner and leaf chargers are non-traditional for Thanksgiving, but a nice alternative! This table sings Autumn! Yvonne, at StoneGable always sets a beautiful table – so elegant dressed in browns and creams Another fellow blogger, Mary at Home is Where the Boat Is, sets this lovely alfresco table with texture galore! Shades of gold for this elegant tablescape! A table of traditional Thanksgiving colors, orange, brown, green, and gold! Black and gold are always stylish for any season – love the menu card! Tree slice charger provides a textural foundation for the beautiful place setting!This is a great way to remember what the holiday is all about…the things we are thankful for!