Entertaining – Page 2 – BritishCottageBlog.com

Spring 2017 High Point Furniture Market

Lillian August for Hickory White at the Spring High Point Furniture Market 2017 — Lillian August for Hickory White

Spring is always a busy time at British Cottage. Besides the usual comings and goings on at the store, there is the spring furniture market in High Point, North Carolina to look forward to. This year’s offerings did not disappoint.

We started out on Thursday afternoon at the Currey and Company preview party with a Bourbon with Bunny theme (as in Bunny Williams, designer extraordinaire). We did not partake of the former, nor espy the latter, but we did see a fabulous array of chandeliers. And you can see them soon, in person, at British Cottage!

Currey and Company Chandelier

Currey and Company Chandelier Currey and Cmpany Chandelier Next up was the hunt for tables. While we build a lot of our own product at our factory in Hungary, High Point Market gives us the opportunity to augment our inventory with some of the latest designs on the market.

42" Round Table with Bluestone top — Pedestal Table with a Bluestone top

Exhibit A: we picked up this 41″ round table with a bluestone top. It’s transitional, rustic, and beachy, and would be a winner just about everywhere.

7' table in whitewashed finish — Whitewashed 84″ table

Speaking of beachy, we thought this table was rather fun for those of us who live at the shore. And at 84″ long by 36″ deep, it’s big, but not too big to fit into a banquette area. Needless to say, you will be seeing it soon at British Cottage.

Oval dining table in white paint — Swedish style dining table

The Gustavian style is near and dear to our hearts, so we just had to buy this 9′ long table in that fabulous Swedish style. Once again, it is as perfect at the shore as it is in town, and makes a change from the typical muted driftwood hues you see everywhere these days.

Long dining table with a trestle base, French Country Dining Table — Country French Dining Table

We loved the warm tones of this beautiful table made with vintage oak parquet and a bold trestle support; we even bought the faded rose-colored upholstered side chairs for a fin de siecle kind of vibe.

Next up was upholstery. For the past several years we’ve been working with Hickory White, a family-owned company in North Carolina that makes fabulous sofas and chairs with hardwood frames and custom spring down cushions–in the United States! Our visit to their showroom did not disappoint.

Oftentimes we will snap up the pieces made especially for the show, and in this case, Keith was not going to leave until we bought the chairs and couch you can see in these photos. I even have a lead on the rug!

Hickory White Armchair — Keith at the Hickory White Showroom

Chesterfield Sofa, Velvet Sofa, Hickory White Upholstery — Velvet Chesterfield

Upholstered in an ecru colored velvet (actually, a fabric blend that wears like steel) this Chesterfield sofa exudes class and comfort.

Best upholstered Hickory White armchair — Tailored Armchair with Nailheads

The final piece in our Hickory White trilogy, this upholstered armchair in a tweedy fabric completes the ensemble. Love the nailheads up top and along the perimeter.

Of course, this is just a taste of what we bought! Stay tuned for updates on all these items, and more, on our New Arrivals page or on Facebook.

But wait–as usual, we have a recipe to share! In honor of Bunny Williams (and bourbon), here’s one of our favorite recipes, just in time for this weekend’s Kentucky Derby. Recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker‘s fabulous cookbook “Homemade Decadence”.

Bourbon-Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars (AKA Derby Pie Bars)

Shortbread Crust:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. salt

Filling:
1/4th cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp bourbon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups toasted pecans, coarsely chopped (toasted if desired)
1 cup dark chocolate chunks (I used semisweet chocolate chips as I didn’t have dark chocolate)

Put a rack in the upper third of he oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or pam spray.

For the crust, in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, confectioners sugar, butter, and salt. Beat the mixture until combined but crumbly, about 4 minutes. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan and use your fingers to press the dough evenly across the bottom.

Bake the crust until lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven to cool but leave the oven on.

For the filling, mix the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, salt and bourbon together. Once well mixed, add the pecan pieces and chocolate chips. Pour all the mixture evenly over the baked crust and bake again until set, about 25-30 minutes. The bars will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days if in the fridge.

Challah-lujah

Challah French Toast Recipe

The house on the Hill — The House on the Hill

Essentially Keith and I have the best jobs in the whole world. For the last three decades we have paid ourselves to go shopping–which happily requires rambling throughout Europe and the United States looking for fabulous products to feature in our Red Bank, New Jersey store.

And that’s just the beginning. Because once we’re done shopping, interesting people (for the most part) come visit our store in search of the perfect piece for their home, or second home, sometimes even for their restaurant or hotel. And it is always interesting, even great fun, to learn a bit about their lives, personalities, tastes and vision. Over the years our client list has grown, and grown and includes rock stars, politicians, plumbers, celebrity chefs, magazine editors, even some of the more infamous housewives of New Jersey–you just never know who is going to walk through the door next.

Usually once something sells, that’s it. When I say adieu I hope for the best; rarely do I get to see how our things look in situ. So I was quite pleased to accept an invitation to view the rather myriad British Cottage purchases from over the years, in this home, certainly one of Monmouth County’s most iconic properties. I would have gone even if brunch was not included!

Originally built in the mid 1800’s as a lighthouse on a hill on the eastern Middletown border, this house exudes charm and personality. From the entrancing private lane, you enter through the iron gates to a lushly landscaped, circular drive topped by this simply lovely home. I want to say it is the icing on the cake, or the jewel in the crown–it is really super.

I walked through the periwinkle blue door straight into a kitchen right out of the original Smallbone Catalogue.

Freestanding Viking Stove Smallbone is an English firm famous for introducing “unfitted kitchens” to the United States. Totally bucking the trend of build-in, built-up, over-built kitchens that are now the norm, an unfitted kitchen features freestanding furniture and appliances and a variety of finishes and materials. Utterly charming, yet totally serious with industrial strength appliances, this is my dream kitchen.

Dining Room Table from British Cottage

Next up is the dining room featuring a huge farm table from, you guessed it, British Cottage. The owners were over the traditional polished mahogany look with its requisite pads and table cloths and wanted a table that would encourage lingering dinners and withstand spills and splatters.

The chandelier, also from British Cottage, is a European antique we bought at auction, elegantly bouncing light off the charcoal walls and illuminating the owners’ artwork. This space, which is at once modern and traditional, comfortable and elegant–is the look that defines 21st century decor. These days nobody wants rooms that are too fussy or fancy, but a touch of class is always welcome.

While my host was putting finishing touches on our meal I ran upstairs to take a peek. I loved the unexpected punch of color on the landing from the antique chest of drawers in a brilliant shade of original blue paint. We imported it from Hungary, and it’s now looking fabulous right here in New Jersey.

Antique Chest of Drawers in Original Paint from British Cottage

The master bedroom has a British Cottage bed and small dressers that double as nightstands. When they renovated the house a couple of years ago the owners made a vow to simplify, opting for calm serenity–but, of course, with the aforementioned pops of color to keep it happening.

British Cottage Kingsize Bed, Pine Bed

Upstairs, besides the master bedroom (which has an en suite bathroom to swoon over), there is an enchanting guest room and bath, another bedroom they use as a dressing room and a spiral staircase that leads to a ladder that leads to the cupola where the lighthouse used to be. It is like the stairway to heaven; you keep climbing and climbing and finally you get there. You can literally see for miles!

What you see through the window is the barn that houses a full size office space, a gym and a movie theater/media room. Instead of whacking a full size addition onto the original house they opted to outsource those activities to the existing four stall barn and keep the original structure intact. No McMansion here and what a relief it is.

And by the way, as it turns out, this property is for sale. Trust me, if I hadn’t already gone through the throes of downsizing, empty nesting and purchasing a cottage in Maine, I would be seriously tempted. For anyone in this so-called gig economy who needs a workspace at home, there is no way you would not be productive here.

But enough meandering. I was there for a reason–time to get fed!

Chris’s Challah French Toast

French toast is perfect for brunch. Bread soaked in egg, later soaked in butter and maple syrup…great. But challah, soaked in cream and eggs and sauteed in butter is truly ambrosia. Food for the gods!

Challah (sounds like holla, rhymes with gala) is a fabulous Jewish braided bread made with a rich, eggy dough. You can find it at Wegman’s or Whole Foods (or make your own, if you are feeling ambitious).

To make the French toast, start by slicing the challah in one inch thick slices. Soak slices in a mixture of six eggs, 1 1/2 cups of light cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a tablespoon of sugar for about 3 minutes on each side.

Heat a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add your soaked challah and cook for three minutes or so on each side. Serve with a few pats of butter and maple syrup.

Fresh fruit, bacon, scrambled eggs and mimosas all added to the fun…I was invited for breakfast and almost stayed for dinner!

March Madness

Lamb Ragu Recipe

Spring at British Cottage — Praying for March to end

Some poets say April is the cruelest month but my bet is on March. Spring finally gets here but all there is to show for it is a few lousy daffodils gasping for life in a tangle of dead leaves. The only thing to do when it is still too early for cocktail hour is to hunker down with a good book or two and wait it out. Fortunately I buy coffee table books like other people buy candy so there is usually a large stack just awaiting perusal.

"Beautiful" by Mark D. Sikes — Mark D. Sike’s “Beautiful”

One I recently enjoyed was by Mark D. Sikes, whose blog, Chic People, Glamorous Places, Stylish Things, was such a sensation a book deal followed. Beautiful All-American Decorating and Timeless Style is the result, an engaging glimpse of a master at work. In room after room Mark starts with pale walls and pale carpets, then adds another layer, then another with a bit more color and structure and the next thing you know there is a profound sense of elegance and comfort.

And I just love that he is totally passionate about blue and white, something we share here at British Cottage, and something that may contribute to the air of harmony you find in his rooms. Think of faded blue jeans worn with a crisp white shirt and a fabulous navy blue blazer. The look transcends gender and genre, casual yet always stylish, and that is what, I think, we all wish for our decor.

Looking "Beautiful" at British Cottage — Looking beautiful at British Cottage

Fussy feminine rooms with swags and knick knacks, yuck. All brown leather and mid-century modern, double yuck. The best way to describe Mark’s ethos is to evoke Nancy Meyers and her Something’s Gotta Give house. Nancy is crazy about Mark’s style and even wrote the introduction to his book. What is her style? Coastal chic? Country home casual? I don’t know what to call it. But I like it.

This book shows you how it is done. How to style coffee tables and side tables, add pops of color and accessories, arrange your seating–always tricky–and get it to all to work–even trickier. If you don’t want to buy the book you can always tootle over to British Cottage; we’ve got all the right stuff to pull this look together.

Accessories can make your rooms beautiful — British Cottage Showroom

Lamb Ragu

But before you curl up with a book on this windy and raw Sunday, now would be the perfect time to take a moment to toss a few ingredients together and cook up a hearty stew. With fresh lamb in the markets what could be better than this lovely Lamb Ragu? Just four hours later and it’s buon appetito!

You can do this with lamb shanks but I usually just buy a boneless leg of lamb–it is all in one piece and easier to handle. Salt and pepper then sear on both sides in olive oil in an oven-proof pot.

Remove the lamb from the pan and add about 4 ounces of diced pancetta and quickly fry –you don’t need to do this but I think it adds tons of flavor to the mix. Put the lamb back into the pot along with two or three onions coarsely chopped and 5 cloves of minced garlic, some celery and a carrot or two–I like mine finely chopped so it disappears into the sauce. Then pop in one large can of whole tomatoes and one-half can of a decent red wine. Add a bay leaf, some thyme, a pinch of hot red pepper flakes and put in a 350-degree oven for 3 1/2 to four hours. That’s it. Some will say saute the onions, celery, and carrots first but I say–don’t bother. You have books to read.

Remove the pan from the oven and shred or chop up the meat. Put it back into the sauce and serve over the pasta of your choice (I like to use pappardelle) and top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Accompany with a tossed green salad, a loaf of garlic bread and a couple of bottles of chianti and even the people who for years have been telling you they don’t like lamb will love it. Trust me. Hopefully, they’ll leave you with enough sauce to freeze and you are all set for your next Sunday supper–lasagna.

From Sickles Farm to our Table

Best Pot Roast Recipe

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is IMG_3255-1280x721-1-1024x577.jpg When I was growing up in Rumson there were a couple of rituals that made summer even more wonderful. One started on the last day of school and lasted all summer long–going to the beach. Every single day it was not raining my mom would load our old station wagon with three, four, five, and finally, six kids and head over the Sea Bright Bridge.

We played in the waves for hours on end, our fingers wrinkling and our lips turning blue, swallowing water and eating sand until we became expert wave riders. Our sandcastles were legendary, fantastic creations with moats and turrets which we topped with the shells, beach pebbles and colorful sea glass we found roaming the shoreline.

Eventually even the most perfect day would come to an end and she’d herd us back into the wagon, but often we didn’t go straight home. At least two or three times a week our mother would stay on Ridge Road and drive all the way to Sickles Farm just over the Rumson border in Little Silver.

Seatbelt free (they hadn’t been invented yet I guess) we would bounce along the rutted gravel road through the fields and orchards that led to a makeshift farm stand. Barefoot, sunburned and sandy we ‘d navigate bushels and bushels of freshly picked corn, and devour on the spot peaches that melted into your mouth, down your shirt–all the way to your toes. And always we’d get lots of those little boxes of blueberries that with a splash of lemon and barely a hint of sugar made the world’s most delicious pie.

Fast forward fifty plus years and the old Sickles Farm is no more. Although I will always be nostalgic for the olden days, its successor–Sickles Market–is a year-round enterprise completely in tune to the needs of the modern family. Working mom? Staying at home dad? Just a little kid?

Who does not love having the freshest fruit and veg, the convenience of quality prepared foods, a butcher selling wholesome meat, a separate cheese department plus a great bakery right on the premises? The road may be paved now, and some of the fields sprout townhomes, but the heart of Sickles Farm lives on.

So it is still a long way to go until summer. Not sure what to make for dinner on one of these cold, wintry nights? Pop into Sickles Market and buy a nice hunk of beef, some great fresh veggies, a beautiful loaf of french bread and in a couple of hours you will have a meal fit for a king–or a carload of kids. And don’t forget to pick up a fresh fruit pie for dessert!

From Sickles Market to a British Cottage table–perfect!

The Best Pot Roast

Buy a well marbled four pound-ish chuck roast. Season with salt and pepper, then dredge the whole roast in flour. Brown in an oven proof pan in a few glugs of olive oil. Try not to fuss with it too much–brown means brown–leave it alone turning only once until you have it nicely seared. Remove from pot.

Then add some more olive oil to the pan and basically whatever vegetables, chopped, that you like. I used two leeks, two carrots, two celery stalks, one onion and five cloves of garlic. If you happen to have some pancetta in the fridge dice it and put it in the pot. Cook for about ten minutes until tender and then add 2 cups of decent red wine, a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes (squish these) and thyme and rosemary and one bay leaf. Put the roast back in and add about one cup of chicken stock so the roast is mostly submerged.

Cook in a 350-degree oven. After three and one-half hours or so partially cook some fresh baby carrots (leave them whole with a bit of green at the top), pearl onions and baby potatoes, then saute in butter until lightly browned. (If you are lazy you can skip both these steps and just toss them in your pot roast adding more liquid if necessary, but it makes a nicer presentation if the veggies look pretty and colorful).

After you do this take the roast out of the oven, skim off as much fat as possible and most of the cooked vegetables (you can transfer to a blender and puree the sauce or just make a slurry with some flour and sauce and thicken it that way). Surround with your beautiful carrots, potatoes, and onions on a large platter and spoon the sauce over it. I like to serve the extra sauce on the side in a gravy boat.

Add a loaf of freshly baked french bread, a tossed salad and a nice bottle of red wine and your meal is complete.

And don’t forget the pie!

New Thoughts for the New Year

Chicken Cacciatore Recipe

Once the holidays are over and January has rolled around, for me usually, this means it’s prime nesting season. The weather is always lousy. It’s still dark at 5 (I am talking about pm–am is something I would not know of). Suddenly there’s plenty of time on these long wintry afternoons for nestling on the couch, snug in a blanket reading that novel I never got to in summer’ only occasionally rising to stir the fabulous stew simmering on the stove in the kitchen. And then, once dinner is served, there is no reason not to relax a little more and linger at the table enjoying a robust glass or two of wine…

This year, though, we had a fortuitous change in routine. Mid-January we decided to make a pit stop at America’s Mart in Atlanta.

Possibly the world’s largest trade show facility with over 700 million square feet, America’s Mart January market bills themselves as “An unparalleled collection of exceptional Home products…” and for once someone is telling the truth. There are acres and acres of products, thousands of vendors, and fun stuff like crazy cash machines (see above photo).

For us, or anyone with an eye on design, it is an amazing opportunity to see the latest offerings in furniture, rugs, artwork, lighting, bedding and floral, many of which are shown in room settings so you get to see–rather than just imagine–how things would look in a home.
Also featured were a series of vignettes by several of the country’s top designers that included products from a wide variety of manufacturers. This is what we do every day at British Cottage, so it was interesting to see how professionals took products we carry, like this chandelier from Curry & Co, and put it with an area rug by Loiloi (a company we are considering). Generally, we are not a fan of dark wall colors but love how everything pops in this stylish space.

And everywhere you looked there was a gorgeous navy blue couch–as our British Cottage aficionados know a look we have championed for several years now. We find navy fresh and classic, equally at home at the beach or in the city. There was no shortage of seminars and workshops. We especially enjoyed the presentation sponsored by Veranda Magazine. Billed as 30 Years of Veranda, interior design icons (from left) John Oetgen, Suzanne Kassler, Bill Peace and Susan Ferrier, candidly described their favorite memories and shared insights about how interior design has become what it is today.

We were also treated to a panel discussion of the power of social media by three prominent bloggers: Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita, Nora Murphy of Connecticut Country House and Courtney Allison of French Country Cottage, and I still bear the bruises from Keith nudging me when they all agreed that frequency was a major contributor to the success of their blogs…sorry I will try harder!

And after all that, it was nice to come home and resume nesting, and there is nothing like a home cooked meal after being out and about for a while. My favorite stew, of all time, is Chicken Cacciatore or Pollo Alla Cacciatora as my beloved Marcella Hazan, author of “The Classic Italian Cookbook” would say. First published by Knopf in New York in 1976, some say Marcella Hazan’s cookbook is the most authentic and best guide to Italian food ever written. Of course, I knew none of that when I pulled it out of the sales pile at Barnes and Noble over 20 years ago–but I know it now.

Chicken Cacciatore

First just use chicken thighs. Don’t fuss about cutting up a whole chicken and worrying about what bit gets cooked for how long. (I think it was Mario Batali who said he actually throws away the white meat because it is the dark meat of the chicken that holds all the flavor).

While you heat up a few glugs of olive oil in a large pan, dredge those chicken thighs (figure at least two per person) in flour and add to your heated oil skin side down. Cook on medium-ish heat for longer than you think. You want to get that skin browned up a bit before you turn them over and toast the other side. Transfer to a platter and lightly salt and pepper.

Remove excess fat from your pan, turn up the heat and deglaze with 2/3 of a cup or so of dry white wine. When it is reduced by half and you’ve scraped up all the bits from the bottom of the pan, lower the heat and add one medium onion chopped how you like it. I prefer chunks but small children might like their onions minced–it’s up to you. After 5 minutes or so add some chopped green pepper, one carrot (which I usually coarsely grate so it disappears) and 1/2 celery stalk sliced thin, and a couple of chopped up garlic cloves Quantities can vary according to what you like or have in the fridge. For example, Marcella calls for a whole green pepper–but I find just half gives me the flavor I like.

At this point add a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes with their juice. You can chop them up first or just toss in the pan and chop them up there; they’re going to cook down anyway. Add the chicken, cover partly and simmer for about an hour, turning occasionally. (If your sauce looks too thin just remove the cover and let it reduce).

I like to cook my chicken until it is practically falling off the bone and when it is ready I just spoon a little of the hot sauce on the bottom of a warm platter, add some freshly cooked pasta (we like rigatoni for no particular reason) and cover with the chicken and more sauce–and maybe a dash or two of hot red pepper flakes for some zip.

Serve with some freshly grated parmesan or romano cheese on the side, a loaf of fresh garlic bread and a simple green salad. And of course a nice bottle of wine–white or red–you can’t go wrong with this dish!

The Holidays: Being Prepared

Lasagna Recipe

As we all know the holidays should be all fun and games; but often times it is easy to get struck down by the details so it is best to be prepared. First, accept you are not Martha Stewart; perfection should never replace fun. Delegate, smile a lot and try not to sweat the small stuff. You have all of January to be miserable.

Here are things to watch out for. The order doesn’t matter, all these things will happen sooner or later unless you have escaped to a fabulous island retreat in which case stop reading and go for a swim.

Decorations: What goes up must come down.

You can do this the easy way or the hard way. Because on January 1 you will possibly be hungover but definitely masterminding the clean up so keep that in mind from the start. If you have a partner who likes to hang up miles of lights try not to engage or encourage. The same holiday effect can be achieved with a modicum of white sparkly lights, the old fashioned kind, (steer far away for the LED type because they end up having a bluish hue) wrapped over a swag of fresh evergreen garland festooned with bows made by twisting florist wire around red ribbon over your front door. Tuck a bunch of freshly cut greens into the urns on the porch first making sure to remove and discard the now dead chrysanthemums left over from Halloween.

Same for the tree. Fresh or fake–your choice. I prefer fresh because it smells better and you can throw it out the front door on January 1. Toss on a few strands of the aforementioned white sparkly lights, no more than one box of ornaments, and call it a day. One year I only did lights and I think is was our prettiest tree ever. Less is more.

If you must, get a couple of poinsettias to brighten up the mantle or the table. Once again the beauty of these is the clean up–simply toss when they begin to look bedraggled or it is March and time to let go.

Entertaining: Try not to

If you do, keep it simple. One friend had a holiday party for years where she provided a ham and a turkey and guests were asked to bring something that could be eaten with their fingers. Some years it was all desserts and some years it was all appetizers but nobody ever complained and it all got eaten.

If you have to have a sit-down dinner provide only one entree that can be prepared in advance. For Christmas Eve we like to make lasagna. Served with a simple and I mean from the bag green salad dressed up with a fabulous (and simple) Gorgonzola and Pecan dressing, along with a loaf of garlic bread you can sit down and enjoy a glass of prosecco–and the meal– without feeling you just ran the Boston Marathon.

Let the games begin.

Best Lasagna Recipe

First take a Tupperware of frozen sauce from the freezer.

If you don’t know how to make homemade sauce it’s time you learned. Buy 3 or 4 large tins of canned whole tomatoes, chop up or squash and put in a pot with two onions quartered and a few cloves of garlic. Toss in some hot Italian sausages in their casings and a pound of ground beef rolled into meatballs. You don’t need to fry, spice, bread or do anything to your meatballs. After simmering for several hours in your sauce they will taste just fine. Add some bay leaves, thyme and oregano and cook for several hours. Eat what you want, served over spaghetti and freeze the rest.

Defrost your sauce and then put some into the bottom of a lasagna pan or any other oblong pan you can put in the oven. Layer with no boil lasagna noodles–if you haven’t used these before–you should. They take one half hour and most of the pain away from making lasagna and they actually taste better!

Now if you are the prepared type you have already sauteed some sliced mushrooms with minced garlic, or you can just put a layer of raw sliced mushrooms into the pan. Top with a mixture you have made of fat-free ricotta cheese, chopped spinach (if using fresh cook down first), parmesan cheese, one egg, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Then add a layer of grated mozzarella, a layer of sauce and start over again until your pan is full. Top with a sliced up hot sausage or two and some more of that grated mozzarella and you are ready to rumble. Cook covered at 35o for about 30 minutes and then uncovered for fifteen or so and let rest.

Adding the mushrooms, the spinach, and the fat-free ricotta keeps this lasagna from making you feel like you swallowed the proverbial lead balloon. It is the holidays and it is important to reserve your calories for the extra alcohol required to maintain your equanimity in the face of all your nearest and dearest.

High Point High Jinks

Salami Roll Up Recipe

Keith and Joanna Gaines Maybe one of the more famous people we did not meet at High Point, but certainly it felt like Joanna Gaines was everywhere!

Twice a year thousands of vendors and buyers gather in High Point, North Carolina to preview the coming season’s latest introductions to the furniture industry. Although Keith and I design most of the items we sell it is always instructive and illuminating to see what the trends are, and it’s also terrific fun to purchase items that complement the British Cottage Collection. After all how many people get to pay themselves to shop?

Along the way we also pick up words of wisdom and design ideas from some of the leading designers and innovators in the trade. Here is Windsor Smith— a leading force in the Los Angeles design industry whose elegant interiors are a masterful mix of elegance, modernity, tradition–and yes–comfort. Next to her is Carl Dellatore, editor of “Interior Design Mater Class: 100 Lessons from America’s Finest Designers on the Art of Decoration” published by Rizzoli this October. If you buy only one book on design this season–this is it.
img_7235-2 Down a few flights of stairs were Barclay Butera and Kathy Ireland–also powerhouses in the California design world. We have always loved how Barclay manages to meld beach house cool with an English manor house sensibility, and we all know that anything former model, Warren Buffet confident, and entrepreneur Kathy Ireland touches is sheer gold. When she says color is making a comeback; we listen.
img_7248-2 Fortunately we are so on trend, because we had already purchased this fabulous couch and chair at Hickory White.

img_7030-3 Not sure you will see a salmon pink wall anytime soon at British Cottage, (and I will source the Benjamin Moore color for those of you who have asked), but the couch and two chairs should arrive in a few weeks. We like to buy the Hickory White floor models. Why not take advantage of their professional design savvy and add to our inventory at the same time?

And in for a penny, in for a pound as the pundits say, we also bought this couch and chair, again in a rosy hue.

But fear not, we did not go completely pink, we also purchased this lovely, royal blue velvet sofa and two complementary armchairs.

Usually it is all work and no play for us at Market. Cocktails are free and flowing throughout the showrooms, but we have found drinking and shopping is a volatile combination that results in expensive mistakes. And while there is always fabulous entertainment in the evenings, we never get to go; we are simply too tired from walking at least ten hours a day at the show to venture out in the evenings. Fortunately for us, on a late sunny Saturday afternoon Maggie Rose was practicing for her upcoming performance, and we got an advance preview.

Fabulous!

I like to end my blogs with a recipe, but food is beside the point at the High Point Furniture Market and largely forgettable except for one item:

Salami Roll Ups

It was late in the day, actually early evening, and we were trying to squeeze in one last show room before we went back to our hotel. We watched as a 70+ year-old woman, with hair like all Keith’s aunties in England had back in the days when a perm meant tight curls in an unnatural color, walked slowly up the stairs with a plate of appetizers.

Perhaps she had some connection with the staff and was delivering a special treat welcoming them to High Point, rewarding them for a good days work? I have no idea. But we were starving, and offered a sample we were thrilled to say yes.

Cue the flashback! The last time I remember having a salami roll up was back in 1969 when a friend’s mom hired a bunch of us to prep and serve hors d’oeuvres at a cocktail party she was hosting on Chappaquiddick. My mother was more the Wispride on a Triscuit kind of gal so I thought these roll ups were just about the most wonderful things in the world–and very exotic.

Fast forward to today, and I can say while a Salami Roll Up is not the chicest of treats, they sure do taste good.

Here’s the recipe:

Take a quarter of a pound of good hard salami thinly sliced. Put a small wedge of cheddar cheese and a sweet pickle on top of each piece of salami. Roll and secure with a toothpick. Serve.

The Visiting Nelsons

T-Bone Steak Dinner Recipe

I’m pretty sure the last thing my son and daughter-in-law expected was for me to write about their house after we visited them last week in deepest Nebraska. With a three week old infant, a toddler and a proud kindergartener just getting three meals on the table and everyone dressed in the morning is challenging enough. No one has the time, or the inclination to worry about home decor at this stage. But hey, I liked their house so much I couldn’t resist.

colins-house

Built just last year in a subdivision outside of Omaha, my immediate thought when I learned of the purchase was great, ho-hum Midwestern tract housing-does it get any worse that that? Well I could not have been more wrong. Not only does their house have great curb appeal (even in this photo I cribbed from Zillow), with a lovely stone foundation, rocking chair ready front porch and an interesting roof line.

But also the interior is just as nice with exactly the right amount of architectural details, a thoughtful floor plan, hardwood–not engineered flooring and although not huge, very spacious. In fact their house amazed me by how livable it was and I realized how having a house that is actually designed for the people living in it, a twenty first century family, makes their life a whole lot easier.

My homes have always been old, requiring tons of imagination, effort and cold hard cash just to make them function. We’ve turned porches into playrooms, attic space into master bedrooms, added bathrooms and laundry rooms, jacked up sinking garages, and waterproofed basements. We have enjoyed making our houses into homes but we have never had a house that was designed for a modern family.

Our first two houses had detached garages designed to stable the horses! The next house had an attached two car garage in which you could squeeze in maybe one mid-size auto but certainly not two trucks like their house does with its three large car attached garage. Whoever thought of that was brilliant–space for two plus-sized family cars and all the bicycles, toddler vehicles and lawnmowers. You, and your spouse, can actually park your cars in the garage and walk straight into the house.

Then you enter an ample mud room and off come the shoes, and jackets, purses and back packs get hung. Not rocket science but still… img_6546-755x1024

Mudroom for children — Even the little guys can put their things away.

Next up is the kitchen. Not huge, but with a center island, double ovens, a plus size fridge, a walk in pantry, and still room for a kitchen table, all you could wish for.

Light granite kitchen island — Kitchen Island in a granite that looks like marble

And I loved that there was another, separate dining area. Home office by day for the modern working mom, but just steps from the kitchen to make entertaining a breeze, and a bit more elegant than sitting on top of the actual work space.

Country French Dining Table — We don’t sell these tables any more but I wish we did. Inside there is a butterfly leaf that extends the table to 100″.

There is no formal living room. The space off the kitchen is the family room with tv and just enough toys and books to keep the kids busy but not so many that they can’t be quickly put away when bedtime approaches or company is coming.

img_6549-720x800 Wisely they opted to finish the walkout basement adding carpeting, a bedroom and a full bath. Perfect for visiting grandparents and perfect for two little boys stuck inside on summer days when the temperature is over 100 or in the depths of winter when snow and ice reclaim the prairie.

img_6483-768x1024 Upstairs there is a master bedroom suite with a fireplace, sitting room (where the treadmill sits), master bath and walk in closets, then three more bedrooms and an upstairs laundry room. Here is our newest baby modeling the upstairs quest room with all its fabulous British Cottage furniture.

British Cottage Pine Bed

Now, what do you eat in Omaha? Steak of course.

T-Bone Steak Dinner

Sprinkle T-Bone steaks from your Uncle’s farm in South Dakota with salt and pepper and grill. Serve with baked potatoes topped with sour cream and fresh chives, and the last of the carrots from the garden roasted in the oven.

Super!

The Quogue (rhymes with frog) Delivery

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Lunch Recipe

Our furniture goes to the most lovely homes but rarely do I get to see them in person. Keith makes the deliveries and usually I merrily send him about his way. But Sunday I joined him on a jaunt to Quoque, a town, that to me, is all about the best Long Island living can offer. Sure there are multiple monstrosities masquerading as homes but there are also many terrific looking, normal sized houses that offer families fresh air and sunshine just sixty miles outside Manhattan.

The house we delivered to probably started life as a smallish ranch. But with the breezeway now a foyer and the former two car garage a den and the roof line altered to cathedral height it is certainly something else entirely today. Red Great Room My first advice to any novice interested in my decorating opinions is always to stay clear of jewel tones. Clearly this delightful great room proves me wrong. I love how the bold color adds definition to the space and provides a framework for all the diverse objects in this room. But also note how the glass coffee table, light rug and furniture keep the mood happy. As does Uncle Bowwow’s portrait to the left of the fireplace!

Next to the sitting area is a large farmhouse table made of old pine barnwood and next to that is a massive island separating the galley style kitchen from the rest of the room. It looks like it works fine for two–or what happens sometimes I am sure when you have a house in Quogue–twenty! Pine Farm Table

But the whole point of a summer house is not the interior is it? Sure there are rainy days and evenings spent playing scrabble, but really you want to be outdoors. And what makes this house so terrific is the fabulous swimming pool just steps from the kitchen. Who needs the beach?And as if the gorgeous pool wasn’t enough, the landscaping then is the icing on the proverbial cake. With both sun and a shade perennial gardens there is always something blooming magnificently.

Now let’s talk about lunch.

Recipe for a Perfect Summer Lunch

Go to the farmer’s market in August and buy the freshest tomatoes, slice and layer with some fresh mozzarella and lots of fresh basil leaves–and I mean fresh when I say it three times. This will not work with tired tomatoes or droopy basil or supermarket cheese.

Top with home made vinaigrette or just use some of Marie’s Original Salad Dressing. Serve with a loaf of french bread and a nice chunk of good butter.

Because lunch is light dessert (for once) is acceptable; slice strawberries and toss with chunks of cantaloupe. Serve with a plate of good store bought or homemade Toll House cookies.

Clearly I am on for the next delivery!

The Red Bank Farmers Market

Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe

My favorite thing on Sundays, after the NY Times and Keith’s traditional English breakfast with eggs, fresh bangers (sausage to the uninitiated) from Sickles and toast (I leave all the Heinz baked beans in tomato sauce for Keith), is the Red Bank Farmers Market.

A hop, skip and a jump from our store at the intersection of West Front Street and Shrewsbury Avenue, in the parking lot behind the Galleria, is where you get the best and freshest fruits and veggies from a variety of local suppliers. This is what fresh direct means, from the farm to your table. And when Sunday rolls around it is always exciting to see what new treats are in store.

Because they start slow. Some herbs and lettuces in early spring, next comes the asparagus, some squash and now suddenly, it is in full swing, with nearly every fruit and vegetable you can imagine. It is a great place to schmooze with friends you haven’t seen for a while. And if, unlike us, you have not been properly fed there are some fabulous breakfast options starting with our neighbor Adam’s vegan legend, The Cinnamon Snail…

Or for you gourmands out there, there is that only in NJ classic, the Pork Roll truck!

Although I managed to resist the pork roll, I could not resist the eggplant, so guess what we’re having for dinner tonight?

Eggplant Parmigiana

This recipe is adapted from one in Mario Batali’s Molto Italiano; heaven forbid I ever follow a recipe exactly. But I love Mario for figuring out a way to make this dish without having to fry, or even better–batter the eggplant. Even if you are willing to take on the calories, who wants to spend a 100-degree day with the air-conditioning cranked up so you can sweat for a good half hour or so over a hot frying pan? And then you still have to hang around for another half hour while it bakes.

And don’t sweat that whole pre-salting thing either–it just takes up another half hour, uses more dishes and I can never taste any difference. Just start with the freshest eggplant you can buy. Don’t use the baby ones–go for a nice mid-sizer with some heft and slice it into a little less than 1/2 inch rounds. Put the slices on a lightly olive-oiled baking sheet, add salt and pepper to taste and bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for ten minutes or so. Keep an eye on them–you want them cooked through with some color–but not burned.

And that’s it. Make stacks, with a cheese layer in between the slices–I like to use a mixture of goat cheese and fresh mozzarella because I think the mozzarella is a little bland. Top with your favorite tomato sauce and some grated parmesan and cook for twenty minutes in a 350 degree oven. Garnish with fresh basil if you’ve got some on hand and serve with a fabulous salad, and a warm loaf of that great Italian bread from those guys in the far corner at the Farmers Market and enjoy.

Buon Appetito!