this week...food and books

 I made Ina's Blueberry Crumb Cake from her Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook. It was delicious, more like a coffee cake because it is not too sweet and has a thick crumb topping. Too much topping we thought, overwhelms the moist yummy cake below. Seemed like half cake, half topping.

Next time, will make much less topping. I used a springform pan to make releasing the cake from the pan easier.

We tried her Mustard Roasted Fish recipe from Back to Basics. Very tangy and good, everyone liked it. Much richer than our usual grilled fish. The color was kind of blah and unappetizing. The food stylist made the fish look prettier for the book. Made her Roasted Potatoes in the oven at the same time. Same method we all know for this dish. Used a separate plate for the salad, this would have been prettier with some green on the plate.

I have been receiving beautiful books in the mail. In January, I go though my Amazon Save for Later cart of book titles. I add them whenever I hear of a good one throughout the year. I then purchase several after researching for the best prices and narrowing down the list. Once they arrive, I ration them, reading through them very slowly to savor each one. It takes me months to go through them. 

I have just started Martha Stewart Entertaining, A Year of Celebrations that was published in 2011.This book is huge and gorgeous! It is the new version of her amazing first book Entertaining that is full of beautiful ideas and does not seem dated.

Each page is a visual treat.  Her gardens, her homes, her collections of every kind of tableware, glassware, etc. the presentations, the recipes, the serving ideas, it is all quite astounding! I am loving this book! 

I also purchased her Martha Stewart Gardening, a Month to Month Guide book which for some reason came without the cover but here is a page from it, equally as pretty as her Entertaining books.

 Here are a few others I bought....

And my husband was sweet to order Carolyne Roehm's Flowers and surprise me after seeing it mentioned on the blog.

These books will keep me company throughout the winter, simple pleasures.....

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etsy find...table linens from Eastern Europe

purchase here

I have been working on our dining room lately and would like new linens for the table for a fresh casual look. I  found several on etsy from sellers in Latvia and Lithuania, all with perfect feedback that I really like. Take a look...

purchase here

purchase here

purchase here

purchase here

purchase here

purchase here

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holiday tabletop

I set the table for Christmas eve dinner yesterday. We are serving eleven, seven guests in the dining room and the four youngest ones in the kitchen/family room. I used the jacquard tablecloth we purchased in Paris on an anniversary trip nine years ago. It is a washable cotton by Le Jacquard Francais with rich colors and a paisley border. I love every single pattern and product that LJF makes! So easy to care for and so beautiful. I use stain spray on it when needed and rub baby cornstarch powder into any  grease stains before washing to absorb. I wrote about Le Jacquard Francais last spring  here. 

I have been making a few changes in the dining room. The walls received a  fresh coat of paint and furniture has been moved around. The Welsh dresser moved from the back wall to the middle of the long wall. Two buffets traded places. The dark French one is now in the the family room, the green painted French one is on the back wall where the dresser was.

I still love the Block china pattern we registered for almost thirty years ago. This table setting is missing a wine glass. Geez, every time I do a photo shoot, I forget or overlook something! I set the table casually, we are having a honey baked ham for Christmas Eve so not much flatware is needed. Will set the table differently for Christmas Day dinner when we are serving a beef tenderloin. The dessert fork and spoon are for cheesecake and/or Graeter's ice cream, our favorite dessert! Do you know about Graeter's? Yum. People ship it all over the world, it is often mentioned on foodie websites. Oprah once included Graeter's ice cream in one of her Favorite Things shows.

I have enjoyed the ease of not having a rug in the dining room but the room needs to feel warmer because of the bay window. We are awaiting a large jute rug that will match the one you see here in the entry, supposed to arrive today. Has been on backorder for months. Also mulling over if panels are needed along each side of the window. On the fence. Any opinions?

The little boxwood wreath I made a few weeks ago dried out despite completely babying it by soaking it in water several times. Not doing that again, a waste of time.

Just a simple arrangement on the table. I am wondering if my camera is starting to fail. I am ending up with blurry shots lately. I refuse to use the flash indoors, that may be the problem, not sure.

See the amaryllis in the clay pots on the trolley? I planted them in mid November! They look like I planted them yesterday. They are nice and green, I know they are going to grow so we will enjoy them in January but I would have liked them for Christmas. The one on the right has started. I kept them in the garage along with the paper whites for the first few weeks after planting them, it really stunted them. 

Tried again for a better shot of our simple tree, not much better but here it is..

 Here are two of the sweet Scandinavian styled ornaments that I wrote about here.

 Merry Christmas everyone!

Prayers being said for Newtown, CT...

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How to design the perfect guest bedroom

When you have guests staying in your home it’s important to make them feel comfortable and welcome. If you have the space, a dedicated guest bedroom is a perfect way to ensure that you always have a suitable space to make visitors feel at home. Decorating and furnishing a guest room should be simple if you follow a few basic rules of thumb.

The key to an effective guest bedroom is simplicity. Too much clutter will make a guest feel like they are intruding on your personal space. In terms of furniture a comfortable bed, and pair of side tables and a wardrobe or set of drawers for clothes is all that’s really required. You may also wish to install a television, but this isn’t essential.

There’s nothing more likely to leave a bad impression on your guests than an uncomfortable bed. Make sure you’ve invested in a top-quality mattress. A really luxurious choice, such as memory foam or latex, will really wow your houseguests. Specialist sleep experts, Silentnight in the UK have a range of quality beds and mattresses to suit your needs. The only downside is that they may never want to leave!

Super comfy mattresses by Silentnight.

When it comes to decorating it’s always advisable to stick to a neutral colour. Your guest room may entertain a variety of guests over the years, and anything too bright, dark or garish could be quite off-putting, and make it difficult for your guests to relax. Stick to light colours and simple patterns, if you’re wallpapering.

To really make your guests feel welcome consider buying a small toiletries set. If there’s an appropriate space then a mirror will also complement this nicely, but remember the rule about clutter. If your guest room is only small, stick to the essentials – a bed and some storage space.

Similarly, it’s important to think about the size of the bed in the room. A double or larger is obviously ideal, but if it’s going to be so large as to overwhelm the rest of the room then it might be better to stick to a single.

Overall the best approach to furnishing a guest room is to imagine the things you’d like to see if you were staying with somebody else. We all need a few home comforts to be able to truly relax. Follow your instincts and your hospitality will be the envy of the neighbourhood.

Here are some more tips - and things that I always appreciate when staying as a guest.


• A water glass and carafe (or easy access to a sink for drinking water).  I really like to hydrate before bed, and while I try to bring my water bottle with me everywhere, I always appreciate a glass.

• Maps, books, or brochures with local information.  Even if I'm there to visit you, it's fun to learn a little bit about the town where I'm staying.

• An extra blanket - lightweight and heavy.  During the day I'm typically cold, but for some reason at night I get warm.  It's important your guests are able to choose from a light blanket or a heavy blanket.

• A small fan, especially if it's summer.

• A spot other than the bed to unpack.  Putting suitcases on the bed is a big no-no.  Think of what those suitcase wheels have been though! A folding luggage rack or trunk serves this purpose well.

• Extra pillows.  I always need atleast 2 pillows.  If I have a stuffy nose, 3.

• Bedside table with a lamp, even if it's small.

Thoughtful Extras:

• A clock with easy to set alarm.

• Easy access to outlets for charging phones, laptops, etc.

Here are some examples of great guest bedrooms - from grand to modest.

2 images above via BHG

3 images above via marthastewart.com

 Have you decorated a guest room recently? Please leave your tips in the comments!

disclosure: This post brought to you by Silentnight.co.uk

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