Thanks Given

Uhhhhh... anyone else still nursing their Thanksgiving hangover? I've learned the hard way that "hair of the dog" does not apply to tryptophan. 16 pounds of turkey split two ways is a long, sleepy weekend.

Empty seats meant full bellies for Adam and I- in addition to our succulent cider-brined turkey, we had sourdough apple stuffing, truffled mashed red potatoes, gjetost gravy, and a pumpkin spice cake with orange cream cheese frosting (the very first cake I've ever baked!). Even the kitties feasted on turkey liver!

I'm glad we decided to truly celebrate- to dress up, light candles, and treat ourselves. 

How was your holiday?

Tablescaping: Thanksgiving for Two

It was a special thrill to setting our table with my great-grandmother's napkins, sparkling new crystal, the china Adam and I found together in an antique shop, the handsome silverware that I first blogged about over two years ago, and white pumpkins left over from our wedding. It amused me to look at those two place settings and think that I could serve as many as twelve. I love the idea of having a big, noisy Thanksgiving at my house- maybe next year!

But this year I'm content to enjoy a quiet newlywed holiday. Today I'll walk down to the flower stand while my pie is in the oven. Tomorrow I'll light candles and pour two glasses of wine while Adam carves our cider-brined turkey. It's easy to see how much we have to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. See you on Monday!

xoxo

Elizabeth

Not Neutral on Neutrals

No matter how many colorful garments hang in my closet, I always find myself reaching for the black sweater, brown skirt, brass-studded belt, white loafers. I know what works for me.

The same is true of interiors.

Images: Apartment Therapy, Remodelista, Delight by Design, Head Over Heels, Covet Garden Issue 6

Products: English Campaign Chair from Kim Fiscus for One Kings Lane, Quail Feather Pillow from Burke Decor, Dark Nostalgia by Eva Hagberg

A Thread of Color

Something about my apartment is off-kilter. It's all flourish and no structure, as if somewhere in the decorating process I got off on a whimsical tangent and let things get too precious. Have I lost my edge? What a terrifying thought!

Instead of overreacting and doing something rash with black spray paint, I decided it was time to reassess my aesthetic. It's easy to see the common thread in my inspiration images: a neutral background, a mix of fanciful and modern, and a single note of color.

Molly Sims' Kitchen, Source Unknown

Image Source Unknown

What a relief to know that the cure for my design angst may just be a trip to Ikea and some selective editing. This weekend I'm going to pare down to the basics and rethink my palette. What color should I weave in with my neutrals?

PS: Don't the backs of those wooden chairs make you think of scrolling banners? Love them.

Kitchen Chemistry for Valentine's Day

That's right- we scrapped our plans for the laundromat and made dinner instead! What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with some chemistry in the kitchen?

We dashed through the rain to the market, where we found a fabulous deal on salmon fillets. Since stuffed salmon rolls are one of our favorite collaborative recipes, it seemed meant to be! 

We've served dish with several variations (I'm partial to a goat cheese & thyme version that I dreamed up!). This time around we decided to spoil ourselves with a luxe crab & artichoke filling. Adam melted 2 parts cream cheese, 1 part butter, and 1 part cream, then poured it over crabmeat and artichoke hearts. I stirred in a few tablespoons of parmesan cheese, a dash of onion powder, and plenty of salt and pepper. We added the lovely fresh dill we had on hand, but you could use any chopped herb of your choosing. 

A crunchy topping gives the rolls texture. Adam likes to use a mixture of panko bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese, with a sprinkling of herbs for color and a dash of salt and pepper.

Your rolls are done when they are warmed through. You can test this by pulling out the bamboo skewer and feeling the middle. The crust should be browned, and you can broil it briefly to speed this up.

Stuffed salmon is so incredibly rich, you'll want a light green vegetable as a contrast. We garnished with lemon wedges and continued the theme with a pitcher full of sparkling vodka lemonade. Conversation hearts in our glasses were a sneaky way to sweeten our beverages!

Hope your Valentine's Day was as delicious as ours!

Love,

Elizabeth & Adam

Still Giving Thanks

So many thanks to my family who came down from Seattle to spend Thanksgiving with us! We had a busy weekend sharing our favorite shops and sights, being the only 5 people in Berkeley pleased to see the Huskies beat Cal, and feasting upon Ferdinand the turkey.

Mom apparently had Thanksgiving and Christmas confused, because she arrived bearing gifts (who was I to correct her?). This week's blog posts may have a "wonderful thing my Mom got me" theme! For instance, she brought me this charming little pitcher, which not only had the perfect sentiment for the occasion, but also matched my table setting. How does she do that? 

Ferdinand turned out to be the most marvelous turkey I've ever eaten: tender, fragrant, and slightly apple-flavored thanks to his cider and Calvados brine. We'll be enjoying him on sandwiches and in soup for several more days, along with leftover mashed red potatoes, sourdough & green apple stuffing, cinnamon-spiced cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie!

I got a bit caught up in family and food and forgot to take pictures of my Thanksgiving table, but my bouquet of roses, cabbage, and feather sprays is still looking lovely and reminding me of all of our holiday fun. Mom, Dad, Drew (and Ellie & Paige), I miss you already!

I swear I'm still feeling the soporific effects of all of this sumptuous fowl, so I'm spending the day with the Nutcracker ballet and a pile of December magazines. Can it be time to decorate for Christmas already?

How was your Thanksgiving?

Fall Tablescaping: Plaid & Patinated

The table is all set for Adam's second Autumnal Soup post tomorrow. Without giving away the chef's secrets, I'll just say I was inspired to create a warm and rustic tablescape to compliment the ultimate comfort food...

Soup's on, and we'll serve it piping hot tomorrow!

Here & Now: Our Dining Room "After"

My dining table has made many appearances on this blog- usually as the backdrop for one of Adam's gourmet creations. I'm feeling brave today, and I thought I'd show you how it fits into our dining room (or our dining alcove, to be more accurate).

For those of you who've started reading recently, last year (at about this time) Adam and I were informed that his job would be moving from Seattle to Berkeley. We had very little time to decide our course of action- and only a weekend to find a new home in California. Our apartment was selected for its practicality rather than its prettiness. In fact, it was downright ugly. If you don't believe me, check out the "before" pictures here. 

The only remotely charming feature of the otherwise bland apartment was the bay window in the dining area. I thought, "I can do something with this." And I think I did.

Setting the Table: Easter Weekend

Adam and I spent Easter celebrating a completely different religious holiday: the resurrection of baseball. We went to our first game at Giants' Stadium in San Francisco to watch the Mariners play. The few fanatics who turned out for the game huddled under the upper decks for five innings of pouring rain, freezing wind, and very sloppy baseball. I said a secret hallelujah when the game was called!

Easter is the one day each year when my obsession with rabbits is in the least bit acceptable. Luckily we held a Good Friday dinner at our apartment and I got to indulge in a bit of Springtime decorating. 

The bunnies were out en masse.

I went for a picnic look with lots of flower pots.

Great Grandma's pretty party napkins.

Some finishing touches.

Fresh greens and pastel colors in Adam's salmon alfredo. 

We've been having awfully blustery weather in the Bay Area, so I'm doing my best to bring a garden party feel to my dining room!

Hope everyone had a happy (and dry) Easter! I'm sure this Monday morning found you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, right? Ha. If you're feeling anything like I am, you're wishing you could skip out of work and hop right back into bed...

PS: For a few more bunny posts, try here and here and here!

Setting the Table

Last weekend Adam and I got over a major hurdle in our new apartment: we actually invited people inside. This wasn't just the first time we'd entertained, it was also the first time in weeks we'd eaten something other than macaroni and cheese. Definitely an occasion for a pretty table!

A guest brought us calla lilies cut from his own yard.
They were a perfect complement for the table (and a perfect compliment to the host!).

Adam decided to serve his chilled flank steak on a bed of wild rice, garnished with bleu cheese crumbles, mint leaf chiffonade, and a drizzle of pomegranate balsamic reduction. I assembled my tablescape with the textures and colors of the food in mind.

Fresh and airy linens for a simple Spring meal.

Red glass bowls with the same color and gleam as Adam's pomegranate & vinegar syrup. 

Scalloped feather placemats to match the confetti neutrals of the wild rice.

Crisp white plates, sparkling glassware, and some tarnished silver for a rustic touch.

An elegant table- just the thing to keep the focus on the food (and off of the last pile of moving boxes in the corner!).

Decorating for Two: Lofty Aspirations

Like most internet-scrounging bloggy-types, I've amassed a collection of decor images that threatens to cripple my hard drive.  When I have a design problem (how high should I hang my drapes? can white trim work with deep greige walls? should I arrange my frames in a grid?) a quick click through the archives is sure to bring me the answer (just below the ceiling, mebbe, no!) and probably a host of completely unrelated "aha!" moments (I should have a dust ruffle! nailhead trim on the settee! a wooden chandelier!).

When I resolved to make my apartment a bit less girl-dominated, I went straight to the files for inspiration.  I pulled an assortment of rooms that I think succeed fabulously at being couple-friendly without being dully asexual.  Each room has elements of masculine and feminine style- and they seem to be made more beautiful in balance.

This dining area seems to beg for an imaginary scenario to go with.  She's a thoroughly modern girl with a sunny attitude, he's a traditional type who appreciates her quirky ideas as long as she doesn't paint his grandpa's solid wood table?  Who knows, but they've got a good thing going- proof that gender neutral doesn't have to be colorless.

Image Source Unknown

There's something approachable about this vignette.  Touches of whimsy like the silhouette, branches, and magenta decanter are grounded by the black table, angular clock and bottle, and (naturally) the dead bird.

Image Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

Here's the magic of a loft: without walls, couples are forced to blend their decor (no man caves or boudoirs behind closed doors!).  The airy, gallery-like space makes every item an objet d'art and exaggerates the interplay between masculine and feminine.  It's impossible not to get dramatic in a loft.  This one (which you have probably seen recently on like... every other blog on the net) is so awfully lust-worthy.  If I lived there I'd want to throw in a few more feminine touches, but those pooling curtains against the raw wood floors and beams... so romantic.

Image Courtesy of Loft Life Blog, Uxus Design

I'm not sure how many of you have ever tuned an instrument before, but it's quite the experience.  It's odd, I know, but my favorite thing about playing the violin was always the pleasure of easing each string up to its perfect pitch... the initial wobbling discord, then perfect resonance.  This kitchen has a similar hum to me- the ornate gold mirror and playful chandelier in harmony with the rugged brick and clean modern cabinetry.

Image Courtesy of Living Etc.

Purple is not in the least bit girly when set on point and matched with somber grays.  Yes, the pink roses are the definition of girly, but what man would care if he had a deep tub like that?  Living with men is all about acknowledging a different scale- it may not be the pink he minds, perhaps just the petite furniture!

Image Courtesy of Waterworks

This dining room is all about contrasting weight and delicacy.  Solid architecture, deep color, heavy table.  Light as air branches, tiny specks of bright color, impossibly wispy chairs and candlesticks.  Balance.

Image Courtesy of Apartment Therapy

The next logical step in this progression towards couple equality?  I suppose I should ask Adam what he likes... so tomorrow I'll be posting HIS picks from my image library and exploring how they work with my favorites!

Cook Adam Never Ceases to Amaze

Hey friends! Adam and I haven't had any new recipes to share for a while (unless you want to know what kind of pizza we've been ordering) so I've asked him to revisit flank steak- a perennial favorite of mine, and a dish that he has perfected from trial and error. And when I say perfected... I do mean perfected. Mmmmm. So, with no more ado: Cook Adam!

The most gorgeous thing ever to grace our table.

"Shock & Awe" and I recently had the rare opportunity to cook for my family. This means dinner for at least 10, which is just too many for me to get everything perfect, and too few to excuse buffet style. I really am a control freak in the kitchen: I want to prep, cook, and plate everything myself. Everyone always seems (or pretends) to enjoy it, but I feel like I have the most colossal screw-ups when cooking for my parents. I want to impress, but I tend to overcomplicated things. This time around I decided to present an elegant three-course meal, but keep it simple with quick slice-and-serve dishes.

I selected Autumn flavors, because that seems to be the season here in Seattle. Multi-colored Heirloom tomatoes caught my eye at the local market and eventually became a Caprese salad. A meat market special translated into perfectly grilled and carved flank steak, served cold with a huckleberry-balsamic reduction and fresh basil. And we made wild rice out of a box (Oh Uncle Ben, you look so trustworthy). As usual, reactions varied from awed (brother-in-law) to interested (Mom) to skeptical (little sister Emmelia). Save for one particular design blogger, I am my own harshest critic: I had some minor quibbles with my seasoning, but nobody complained. My salad and main course came out looking pretty good, and were complemented by Shock the Bourgeois's apple pies, which I pulled out of the oven at the perfect time when her back was turned. (Editor's Note: He lies. They were woefully burned and practically inedible.)

Later that weekend, flank steak was still on sale and S-the-B and I were still hungry, giving me the perfect chance to refine my recipe. This was also our last sit-down dinner before everything to sit down on or eat off of was packed away for California. Quite the occasion, which explains why S-the-B and her table are so outrageously overdressed.

Pink + Halloween. Why not?

S-the-B hearkening back to her restaurant hostess days.

I bought two flank steaks at 2 or 3 pounds each, which cost me around $14.00- so we ended up feasting for about $3.00 per pound. There's something really irresistible about cold flank steak, so I again prepared and cooked the steaks the night before we intended to eat them and let them chill in the fridge overnight. I filled my little Hibachi with coals and burned them to white hotness (which was, coincidentally, a nickname of mine in high school). This grill does not accommodate large pieces of meat well, but with an abundance of coals it can bake/smoke a couple of flank steaks quickly while keeping the middle quite rare, which is what a Basque/Neanderthal prefers. These steaks got 15 minutes per side on the grill. For medium-well, I'd give them 25 minutes per side. If I had a gas grill that could really pump out some heat, I'd say 5 to 8 minutes per side for med-rare and 10 to 12 minutes for med-well. One of my grandmothers will only eat pure charcoal, so I cook her meat one day per side, douse with lighter fluid, and serve flambé.

Sorry vegetarians. You're welcome, meat-itarians.

Instead of huckleberry sauce I opted to make the pomegranate reduction that I've used for lamb dishes and deserts (and seems to be the key to S-the-B's heart). Pomegranate juice is actually quite easy to find right now due to its disgusting popularity amongst yuppie health nuts. With any fruit juice reduction, you want to evaporate away at least half of the volume, especially if you plan on adding balsamic vinegar, mirin, or liquor. I typically reduce 1 pint of juice to 1/3 pint, then while it's bubbling add two teaspoons of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and balsamic vinegar to taste (this will probably be several teaspoons). You want the final product to behave like syrup at low temperature, but become thin when drizzled over hot food.

Drizzling. S-the-B may or may not have forced me to dress to match the table.

Fresh basil is an old standby for me and works well with almost anything. It can also cover up a job poorly done by introducing a memorable aroma and flavor that almost everyone finds pleasant. I usually plate whole or shredded basil in such a way that an individual can avoid eating it if they want to, appreciating the smell but not the taste. I later prepared this dish a third time with oven-dried basil that was a surprising success. I sprinkled on a handful of blue cheese crumbles for a bit of pungency, a few generous pinches of rock salt and cracked black pepper... and this dish was a masterpiece incorporating all 6 fundamental flavors.

Salty, sweet, bitter, sour, spicy, aromatic and... gone.

By the way: Happy Birthday, Mom.