Hi everyone, I hope you’re enjoying your Memorial Day and remembering the reason we get the day off to rest, reflect, and honor. I read a post recently by a veteran friend and it said not to wish people a happy memorial day, because the reason for the day is not actually a happy one.
Read moreCocktail glass round-up
Okay, with the first day of spring also came a thousand ideas for entertaining racing around my mind. The warm, humid air; bare feet around the house; evenings with the windows open; and all the time we’ll get to spend outside are some of my favorite things about summer in the south. Another thing on that list is definitely getting to make interesting cocktails with the abundance of summer’s ingredients. I really love starting a meal with a cocktail, especially when I have a dinner party. It immediately makes things feel more special. Even if it’s something really simple.
Read moreSupper Club Idea: Pasta Night
I’ve talked about pasta night before, but that was actually one of our later dinners. I wanted to share these snaps from an earlier evening where we made a dish that still may be the most talked about of them all. The ricotta raviolo. For those who don’t know (count me in that camp before this dinner) raviolo is a large ravioli that has the insanely delicious addition of a runny egg yolk in the middle. If you think too hard about it it’ll make your brain hurt. But, with eight people in one room who enjoying taking on new kitchen adventures (one being a culinary student) you have just the right combination of ambition, skill, and ignorance to give it a try.
Read more5 Steps to a Perfect Dinner Party Every Time
For Xan’s birthday my parents got him the brand new cookbook from our favorite chef in Raleigh, Ashley Christensen. It’s called Poole’s Diner, named after her original restaurant (she now has 5 restaurants, a speakeasy style liquor bar, and an event space). Her food is amazing and Poole’s Diner was one of our very favorite restaurants when we lived in Raleigh. We loved going and sitting at the bar, eating delicious food, and just being together. So, this one was extra special. When I found out that she was doing a book signing in San Francisco I was so excited! I’d been seeing posts all over social media of people at her signings in the southeast and feeling pretty jealous, so this was the best news ever!
Read morePasta Night
Once a quarter we have a dinner party with the same group of people. There are a core of 8 of us and sometimes a few others float in and out.
Read moreReminiscing: Thanksgiving
With the beginning of November here I have Thanksgiving on my mind.
Since Xan and I began dating Thanksgiving has become a really special holiday for us. For his family Thanksgiving is THE holiday. Usually around 20 people gather at his parents house which is nestled in an art community among the Appalachian Mountains. If you’ve never spent time in the Appalachians in the fall you’re truly missing out on something. The leaves epitomizing the colors of fall, the crisp cold refreshing air, and the sun streaming over the peaks of the Appalachian mountains in the morning while you sip warm coffee and take it all in. It makes me nostalgic just thinking about it. Once we got serious I spent every Thanksgiving there and those are some of my happiest memories from our relationship to date. All the best things in one long weekend: cozy sweaters, fires burning, creative cooking, a slow and intentional pace, quality time with people we love, and amazing conversations. It was always a time to unwind, truly rest and relax, and reflect on the many things we had to be grateful for. Heading back home to the flatlands we both felt content, refreshed, and filled up with love and happiness. My entertaining dream is to eventually host Thanksgivings and other occasions that are reflections of those times with a gaggle of our closest friends and family.
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