Category: Holidays

Tonight I was on a zoom presentation, benefitting the Historial Society of Greenwich, for entertaining for the holidays with two of my favorite people Style Maker, Eddie Ross, and the Fabulous Caterer, Susan Scully. They gave so many great tips, from flower arranging, to how to create a safe and fabulous buffet during Covid, to new holiday table setting ideas.

Here Eddie is showing us how to make an arrangement in a vintage wine cooler. He used a mixture of a “forever flowers” aka. faux!! amaryllis, white peonies with pine and evergreens from the garden, and sprays of berries and candy cane carnations. Now I am on the hunt for some vintage wine coolers and my own forever light-colored amaryllis.

Next, we moved onto the Holiday Covid friendly buffet. Here Susan shared with us some elegant foods that can be individually served but take everything to the next level. She had miniature cones filled with popcorn sprinkled with truffle salt and shaved truffles (because as she said, it is the holidays after all!!!!). She also uses a mini charcuterie board for each guest. Susan recommended that we mix it up from all cheese. Perhaps add figs or a crustini. I think this is such a brilliant idea. Do you see the egg ups filled with egg salad and caviar!!! And lastly, I love the mini copper pans filled with Shepard’s Pie. Susan recommends MacDuffs in Greenwich for their delicious Shepard’s Pie so you don’t even have to make your own!!!

I really loved everything in these presentations but no one sets a table like Eddie Ross. I have been following him for years and I am in awe of his creations for each holiday. He certainly did not disappoint tonight. Look at the way he places his table runners. Eddie does not like using them the long way down a table. He says it looks too much like a runway!! And you know, I totally agree…I love this idea of how he uses them across the table. Eddie also loves using footed silver dishes for arrangements, especially ones with fancy lids. He just snuggles the lids under neat halfway exposed on the table. Brilliant!!! He also scatters mercury glass bud vases around the table holding glitter leaves. And lastly, rather than using place cards, Eddie likes to wrap little gifts with each person’s name on the tag to save their seat!!!

I just love this duo. I have known them for so many years and they keep surprising me time and time again, with all of their new and special tips!!! Happy Holidays to you both, Eddie and Susan….please do another workshop soon!!! XO

Jean Forte Vintage Gifts

Ilyses Pieces

Backcountry Mercantile

The response to my question of “What is your favorite Thanksgiving side?” was so amazing. I heard from so many of you. Here are three more favs, including one of my mom’s. So many people said they loved creamed onions. It is such a blast from the past. My mom used to make them every year, so I decided to dig out the recipe for you. We actually made it a couple of Thanksgiving’s ago and it was as popular with the crowd as it had been my mom use to serve it in the 70’s!!!!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta from Katie D

adapted from epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)
• 2 oz pancetta, visible fat discarded and pancetta minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. Toss together Brussels sprouts, pancetta, garlic, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in an 11- by 7-inch baking pan and spread in 1 layer.
3. Roast in the upper third of oven, stirring once halfway through roasting, until sprouts are brown on edges and tender, about 25 minutes total. Stir in water, scraping up brown bits. Serve warm.

Baked Farro and Butternut Squash from Lori M

adapted from The Barefoot Contessa

6 thick-cut slices applewood-smoked bacon

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups pearled farro

3 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade

3 cups (3/4-to-1-inch-diced) peeled butternut squash

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the bacon on a baking rack set on a sheet pan and bake it for 20 to 30 minutes, until browned (it won’t be crisp). Cut the bacon in very large dice.
2. Meanwhile, in a small (9-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender and starting to brown. Add the thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the farro and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Place the squash on top of the farro mixture, cover, and bake in the same oven with the bacon for 30 minutes, until the squash and farro are tender. Check once during cooking and add a little chicken stock if it’s dry.
3. Sprinkle the bacon and parmesan on the squash and farro and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates, the farro and butternut squash are tender, and the cheese has melted. Serve hot directly from the pot.

My Mom’s Traditional Creamed Onions

Adapted from All Recipes

• 1 cup pearl onions (my mom used frozen but its impossible to find them so now we use fresh)
• 4 cups water
• 6 tablespoons butter 
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups milk
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

• Peel onions, and drop into boiling water. Cook until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Set onions aside while you make the sauce.
• Melt butter or margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour to make a paste. Mix together cooking water and milk. Add milk mixture slowly to the saucepan, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add onions, and transfer to a serving dish.