party tips

Country Living Magazine called recently to ask me for my holiday entertaining tips ...here  are a few of them which are in their December issue:

1. Prosecco is a perfect party drink...an Italian sparkling white wine, it is light, fizzy and affordable, and  comes in beautiful bottles that I fill a big silver punch bowl with
2. White crudite: a platter or low glass cylinder of fennel slices, cauliflower florets, blanched white asparagus, endive leaves, and celery are perfect with an herbed yogurt/sour cream dip
3. Candlelight: soft lighting and lots of white candles create a wonderful ambience
4. Real glasses: I always stock up on inexpensive wine glasses at Ikea that I keep stored for parties...
so much nicer than plastic, and less costly than renting them.
5. I always welcome my guests with a drink and then tell them to make themselves at home and show them the bar where they can help themselves for the next drink
6. White flowers: I love simple big loose arrangements of amaryllis, paperwhites and tulips in glass cylinders or growing  in terra cotta pots with moss as they will last the whole holiday season

Photograph by Jeff McNamara from At Home with Wedgwood by Tricia Foley

a christmas tablesetting by the sea

a soft palette inspired by the sea includes shells, snips of cedar and blue berries, and white flowering bulbs... wedgwood cream china, handblown glass,  knotted rope napkin rings, and names or a message in a bottle set the scene for this holiday luncheon by the sea...scallop shells become salt cellars, a conch shell becomes the cachepot for a little cypress tree and even the cream flannel stocking has mother of pearl button trim....  
photographed by jeff mcnamara

I love lots of glass + candlelight for holiday tablesettings...potted bulbs, natural wood, and votives, too
 from White Christmas by Tricia Foley, photograph by Wm P Steele

a paperwhite christmas

enjoying the potted  paperwhites ready to bloom for the new general store

pumpkin ravioli

 

pumpkin ravioli with brown butter sage sauce

ingredients:

24 large pumpkin filled ravioli

2 bunches of fresh sage leaves, washed and dried

1/8-1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

1tablespoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

prepare store bought pumpkin ravioli per directions.

while ravioli is cooking (8-10 minutes), prepare the sauce.

heat olive oil in skillet, and stir the sage leaves until crispy.

drain ravioli and bathe the ravioli in the skillet to absorb the flavored olive oil.

place layers of parmesan, red pepper flakes, sage leaves, pine nuts with olive oil coated ravioli in platter

I found the last bunch of sage leaves in the herb garden and harvested them for my favorite fall ravioli...an easy recipe to stand on its own with a big salad, or accompany turkey leftovers this thanksgiving weekend!
photograph by matthew mead from autumn with matthew mead issue 

thanksgiving weekend

although traditional Thanksgiving with my family is at my sister's home in the Hamptons,  I aways have houseguests over the the weekend, and my new favorite menu includes pumpkin ravioli with a brown butter sage sauce...a big arugula salad with parmesan + pine nuts, and a hearty red wine...

will be serving this menu to friends coming out to the new general store pop up shop this weekend!

Matthew Mead photographed our setting for his Autumn with Matthew Mead issue

still available on his website with recipes

vanilla beans