Dinner Fit for a President

The Liberty Blue Ironstone china was made in Staffordshire, England as a promotional item for the American Bicentennial, by Benjamin Franklin Federal Savings & Loan Association.  

I only own a few pieces of this china, just enough to put together a simple dinner table for two, in honor of George Washington, our first president.

The dinner plate depicts Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and it's slightly smaller than a regular dinner plate, so I added the Lenox Federal Platinum dinner plate beneath it, to act as a charger.

Then, came the Bread & Butter plate, depicting Washington leaving Christ Church.

Ever since I began collecting dishes, it's become a compulsion to turn the plates upside down to see what I can find on the back side.

The darling cobalt, glass-blown vase came from the gift shop at Monticello, originally the residence of fellow Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson.  I'm sure Jefferson could never imagine his home becoming a museum with a charming little gift shop, but there you have it.  It wasn't easy, a mere few days after Valentine's Day, but I managed to find some spray carnations with a touch of red on the leaves.  Now, I could have some red, white and blue on the table.

The Reticello lace napkins, were given to me by my godmother on the baptism of my second son.  They are only 18" x 18" so I generally prefer using them for luncheons, but I felt Martha Washington might have appreciated them, following Abigail Adams advise to her husband in a letter dated March 31, 1776, to "remember the ladies."  The placemats are Sferra in the Clearwater color.  Similar shades were often found in colonial homes paired with Prussian blue.

The Jefferson flatware by Reed & Barton for Monticello.  I've had this flatware for years and still love the Fiddle & Thread pattern typical of the 18th century, and which Jefferson loved.  With all his flaws, I'm a big fan of TJ.

The Laguiole butter knife with the rosewood handle, is made in France, but derived from a Spanish-Arabic knife style typically found among the shepherds in Cataluña, Spain.  It's doubtful that it would have appeared in Martha's table, George would probably not have approved, but I love these little spreaders and bring them out to play whenever I can.  

George might have been a stickler for proper behavior, and even wrote a book about it.  I wonder what he would think of today's manners.  I wonder what he would think about my calling him George.

The Cape Fear candlesticks are made of pewter, an alloy very common in Colonial America.  Cape Fear is an actual port in North Carolina, but very treacherous to make landings, hence, the name. Both the glasses came from the Dollar Tree.

The table is set.  For dinner, a hearty beef roast surrounded by root vegetables, all of which could be found in the colonies.

And for dessert, Cherry Pie.  It was delicious, I cannot tell a lie.

Scotch Eggs

I'm told that this simple dish is standard pub fare in England and Scotland.  What a great idea for a picnic, a brown bag lunch, or . . . Sunday brunch! 

I served them on my beautiful platter from HomeGoods . . .  It's so pretty that it's almost a shame to cover it . . . almost . . .

Hard-boil some eggs, peel them, and cover them with ground pork, seasoned to your liking - some people use bulk sausage - then bread them and fry them.  Scotch eggs!  Even better, this is a Paleo recipe.  I used almond meal, instead of bread crumbs, and I fried them in coconut oil - a healthy, medium-chain fatty acid.  Each serving provides 5 ounces (35 grams) of protein - a pretty decent meal if you are on a low-carb diet!

Then I laid them in a bed of baby romaine lettuce, and filled the gaps with cocktail tomatoes . . .  The tomatoes added sweetness and balance to this high-protein entrée.

And what could be better than serving this British dish on English pottery?  The transferware plate is Blue Calico, by Burleigh . . . Just a peek for now.  I need to play with them a little longer before I share . . .

Staging a little romance

Would Robert and Cora ever indulge in such a simple ritual as a cozy tea in front of the fireplace . . . ?  And if they did, would Mr. Carson insist on hovering in the background . . . ?  No, this is something more likely to be enjoyed by Mr. Bates and his Anna in the comfort of their new little cottage . . .  Although Matthew might go for it, but not Mary . . . never Mary . . .

I found the chocolate cups at World Market . . .

. . . filled them with my vanilla custard (click here for the recipe), whipped cream and, fresh raspberries, then sprinkled them with the chocolate curls that came in the box . . .

The stage is set . . .

. . . to cuddle up on the sofa with my love and watch the latest episode of Downton Abbey . . .

I'm joining Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for the weekly dish parties.  Please stop by!

The Evolution of a Tablescape

(or a peek at Maria's tortured mind)

I have learned (the hard way - always the hard way) that when preparing a tablescape, it's really useful to photograph the design as it unfolds.  The camera captures things that are missed by the naked eye.  I have become extremely spoiled by digital photography and its instant gratification.  These images are not great, but they gave me a sense of where the setting was going so I could discard, or commit portions of the tablescape and proceed to the next step.

I wanted to showcase the design of my new love, Delamere Woodland Brown by Spode, with its myriad flowers and scroll work.  I thought, at first, to keep everthing else very simple and understated, so as not to distract from the beautiful pattern.

I also knew that I really, really liked how the check pattern on these napkins worked as a counterpoint to the floral.  Further, the brown matched the floral border on the dishes perfectly.  Color is the bane of my decorating existence.  I agonize over it constantly and doubt myself frequently.  But this time, it just clicked.

At this point, I showed what I had to my friend Patti C., but it can be confusing to show your work-in-progress to another talented tablescaper with her own unique vision.  Patti, however, did verbalize what I myself was feeling:  The table setting looked a little flat, so it was back to the drawing board.

Should I keep the napkin ring, with its wonderful scrolls and acanthus leaves that mimic the ones on the dishes . . . ?

Too much, perhaps?  Should I tuck the napkin under the salad plate and forgo the napkin ring?

Better, I think, and I like the pinecone . . .  What if I tried a gold napkin?

This is pretty!  But then I'd have to give up on the brown checked napkins . . . and I really like those napkins . . . What if I had a gold placemat instead . . . ?  I folded the gold napkin as a placemat, just for kicks . . .

Oh, wow!  I really like this!  Gold placemats are the way to go . . . but NOT this gold; it's a different shade than the goblets . . . Oh, and this wine glass is sooo wrong!  Pointy gothic arches don't seem to go with the flowery pattern on the plates . . .

I ordered the Sferra placemats online, and the color seemed like it would work, but you never know when you order things without seeing them in person . . . When I clicked on the "Checkout" button I crossed my fingers . . .  Whew! What a relief when I saw that the color was just what I hoped for! 

The placemat and goblet are playing together beautifully!  Now to press the napkins . . . Should I fold them wider . . . ?

Or narrower . . . ?

Why didn't I think to photograph the two options next to each other so I could compare them???  Go back and take more pictures . . .

Narrower, I think . . . Well, all that's left now is for the flowers to arrive . . .

Yikes!  This arrangement is NOT right!  I told the florist I wanted white roses, and I also wanted pheasant feathers . . . and I did tell him not to put in bright oranges or yellows . . . But somehow, I thought there would be some gold . . . and, although this arrangement is quite beautiful, it's a little too contemporary-looking for this particular table . . . 

I ran to the grocery store, and picked up a pre-made arrangement to take apart.  In order to tone down the yellow of the mums, the grocery store florist spray painted them with metallic gold.  I exchanged the garishly orange candle for a white one, and, after some fooling around, came up with a traditional, round arrangement, better suited to the table and the occasion . . . with some gold flowers that added a third gold element to the design . . .



As a matter of fact, it turned out even better than I could have hoped.  The soft red, dendrobium orchids added a wonderful pop of color . . . And my mother's crystal wine glasses, with their floral pattern, worked really well, too!

It's done.  Now, about the food . . .  Is ordering a pizza out of the question . . . ?

Thanksgiving Tablescape

This year, Thanksgiving was an intimate family dinner, with just my husband and two sons.  The youngest one had to dash off to work in the evening, so we dined early.  We prayed and broke bread over our kitchen table . . . 

The new dishes are transferware - Delamere Woodland Brown, by Spode.  Transferware was developed in England in the 18th century.  A pattern is transferred from a copper plate to a special paper, and then onto pottery.  Thousands of beautiful transferware patterns exist, and many are quite rare.

I've had a soft spot for woodland creatures since the first time I watched Bambi.  When I saw this flatware at Between Naps on the Porch, it was love at first sight.  Do we ever really grow up . . . ?

Pheasants . . . geese . . . deer . . . quail . . . hare . . .

Spode designed the flatware as a perfect compliment to the dishes . . .

A few pheasant feathers on the centerpiece to continue the theme . . .

These linen placemats, made by Sferra, were a wonderful discovery.  I loved the curry color and the generous hemstitched border. 

Marlis is entirely responsible for my having fallen in love with these napkins.  Here is the tablescape in her blog where I spotted them for the first time.  She never ceases to be a source of inspiration to me.  It's so nice that decorating rules have eased the restriction of combining checks with floral patterns.

A bird's eyeview of the table . . . I'm thankful for tall sons . . .

I used amber water goblets and my mother's crystal wine glasses.  I like how the diamond edge on the dishes is echoed in the pattern etched on the wine glasses.

Are white roses ever wrong . . . ?

I set the table early, but took more pictures as the light changed in the room . . .

I don't know that a lotus pod belongs in this traditional floral arrangement, but I liked the brown . . .

I am so thankful for our many blessings.  May God continue to watch over us all!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Dinnerware - Spode, Delamere Woodland Brown
Flatware - Woodland by Spode
Amber water goblets - French Countryside by Mikasa
Wine glasses - My mother's crystal (made in Hungary)
Linen Placemats - Made in Italy by Sferra, Curry (color), Horchow
Napkins - Pier1
Mercury Glass Pumpkin - Costco
Wreath - Crate and Barrel - Many, many years ago

Of Thanksgiving and Tablescaping . . .

We celebrated Thanksgiving at the home of my brother, Al, and sister-in-law, Kathy.  We had a wonderful time!  And!  As a bonus, I got to enjoy someone else's tablescape!  Kathy sets a beautiful table.  This time she used her cherished china, passed down to her from her great-aunt.  The transferware pattern is called Winchester, and made by Johnson Brothers.  It's one of the “pink” patterns that were produced in the early 20th Century for the American market by English potters.  I love this pattern with its delicate flowers, scrolls, and rope edge.

Kathy was able to pull out the gold color from the plates, and relate it to the gourds on the table.

Each place setting held a decorative paper leave, evocative of the Autumn season . . . Then she alternated her Winchester dishes with the simple, gold-banded dishes that belonged to my mother. There were a lot of memories on that table . . .

I think entertaining should be primarily about welcoming guests with genuine warmth.  Then, if it's possible, sprinkle this with a lovely table and delicious food to make them feel special.  Add some interesting conversation to the mix, and you have all the elements of a perfect dinner party.  Kathy and Al succeeded at every level . . .