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Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab days with five ideas for the week.

I.  Six years ago, while on a trip to Tuscany, I had the privilege of meeting and cooking with Elizabeth Wholey and Paola Cesari of Amore Sapore. Speaking in a mix of Italian and English, with opera wafting in the background, Elizabeth and Paola taught me to make gnocchi from scratch. The recipe for those delicious little potato dumplings was one of several included in a charming mini cookbook as a souvenir. I’ve made them countless times since that trip and would love to share them with you here. Pro Tip - The gnocchi transforms to transcendent when drizzled with lightly sautéed butter and sage. Gnocchi Potato Dumpling Ingredients: 8 medium older/dryer potatoes, 8 cups boiling water, salt, 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, whatever sauce you pleasure. Instructions: Peel potatoes and boil in salted water until you can easily pierce them with a fork, drain, and then mash well (or force through a sieve if you have one on-hand). Place mashed potatoes on a dry wood surface or cutting board and begin to incorporate the flour slowly as you mix and knead the potatoes by hand. Once combined, roll sections of the mixture into long snakelike ropes that are 1/2″ thick, then cut the ropes into 3/4″ pieces and sprinkle with a little more flour. Boil more salted water in a large pot, and cook the gnocchi in two batches so that they aren’t crowded. You’ll know when the potato pillows are finished once they float to the top of the pot.

II.  Pre-COVID, I considered it a privilege to work from home occasionally, and did so about once a week, using my laptop at the dining table. Now, however, it’s apparent that WFH will be the new normal for the foreseeable future, and I’m craving the bigger screen and structure that a monitor will provide. I was reluctant to turn any part of my carefully curated apartment into an “office,” but ultimately decided to sacrifice part of my dining room to a standing desk and office corner. To maintain the dual role of the room, I’m toying with the idea of acquiring one of these tiered bar carts to hold my printer and files.

III.  Spending time “sheltering in place” has left me ultra-critical of certain areas of my home that I’ve recently noticed are a bit lackluster (I see you jumbled wires and cords sticking out from behind the television!). At the same time, SIP has also made me more appreciative of several of the pieces I’ve picked for my home. Some of my favorite items are from Prospect, an online store that aims to “dispel the notion that collecting art is an exclusive, high-priced hobby.” I first discovered Prospect after seeing and loving work by artist Nir Hod at the 2019 Untitled Art Fair in San Francisco. Googling Hod led me to Prospect’s website where I promptly added his The Night You Left coasters to my shopping cart. I also added Baron von Fancy’s cheeky crystal cocktail glass set (which are on sale) and his I Crave You coupe dinner plates. And while we’re shopping, I’m snagging some of the candles from artists Bonham Kim and Judy Chicago for future hostess gifts.

IV.  I recently learned that every Friday evening, my friend Emily makes a different cocktail recipe for her wife Susie, to mark the end of her work week as a busy litigator. Some of my chicest friends, I wasn’t at all surprised by this lovely tradition that has a bit more style and class than effortlessly opening a bottle of wine. I’m thrilled to share recipe for the EM Whiskey Sour, which I plan to make at the end of the week:

3 oz Bourbon

2 oz Lemon Juice

1 oz Simple Syrup

2 maraschino cherries for garnish

*Emily notes that the cherries should be homemade, or Luxardo brand. I’ll have to beg her for her homemade maraschino cherry recipe to share next time!

V.  The past two Saturday mornings, I’ve indulged in two glorious uninterrupted hours of opera. Last weekend the San Francisco Opera streamed The Capulets and The Montegues – a thrilling twist on the classic Romeo and Juliet that begins with the ill-fated lovers’ families already plunged into an all-out war. I hope you’ll join me in this new tradition, as they’re streaming one free opera per week from the archives, starting at 10:00 a.m. PST on Saturdays. (If your weekend mornings are a bit less leisurely, I’ve also started following SF Opera on Spotify, and especially enjoy their Opera for the Soul playlist). One-upping us, however, the New York Metropolitan Opera is streaming a different encore presentation from their archives each day, starting at 7:30 p.m. EST. Check out this week’s free offerings here. And if you want even more opera, or just want to pick the arias that make your heart swell most, you can also subscribe to the NY Met Opera here.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt (and RLK who is this week’s guest star author)

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab days with five ideas for the week.

I.  Confession: I’ve had a bit of an unruly sweet tooth as of late. I’m blaming it - like absolutely everything else right now - on the pandemic. Pre-house arrest, I’d successfully resisted all sweets and carbs (other than the occasional cocktail clearly) for three months. Truth be told, it wasn’t difficult. So to lapse swiftly back into the arms of my saccharine lover has been a bit alarming. Finding ice cream too heavy and candy too basic, I’ve found my sweet spot in sorbets. Growing tired of my go-to Talenti Roman Raspberry, I remembered a recipe I developed near the beginning of this blog circa 2010. Fresh mint, Gewurztraminer, and citrus combine to hit all the right notes, without overwhelming your palate. Give the Pink Mint Sorbet a try - I promise it’ll be the easiest thing you’ve concocted during COVID.

II.  The very first thing I did once the shock of WFH for the foreseeable future wore off was order a pair of delicious house slippers. As a pre-pandemic stiletto aficionado, I figured my feet deserved a break while sheltering in place - but I couldn’t bear the thought of forgoing the feeling of sliding them into something luxurious in the meantime. While all of that sounds marginally dramatic, I can’t tell you how lovely it’s been to have the comforting new routine. Here are my favorites for both men and women in hi/lo price points. Male: hi and lo. Female: hi and lo.

III.  As the days sluggishly inch by, it’s become abundantly clear that many will be forced to forgo their dream weddings in 2020. Sad though it may seem, there are a handful of benefits to the newly minted “Micro Weddings” that will replace the big blowouts the rest of the year. Beyond the obvious intimacy you’ll be able to share with your loved ones in a smaller setting, you’ll also be able to redirect budget and resources to offer a more unique feel to your special day. If you and your partner are foodies, think of how much more elaborate you can make your menu with fewer attendees. Is music more your vibe? It’ll be easier to get your favorite band or DJ locked down now that touring is effectively over. Or, if you’re like me, and delight in decor, the possibilities have multiplied exponentially. For example, renting 250 vintage chairs for your ceremony is both expensive and logistically complicated. But renting 10-50 is more than doable - and oh so striking for an outdoor ceremony. In Northern California, One True Love Vintage is my favorite. There are plenty of vintage vendors nationwide, so turn to trusty Google to learn more about availability in your area. 

IV.  My junior year in high school, I made the last-minute decision to try out for the spring musical. I was last to audition out of nearly a hundred wannabe actors, and to say that I was ill-prepared next to my seasoned theater-buff peers would be a gross understatement. We could only sing roughly sixty-seconds of a song, so I opted for “Let Me Entertain You” from the same musical I was trying out for, Gypsy. Shockingly, I won the major role of Dainty June, and spent the rest of the semester singing and dancing on stage with an oversized cow in ringlet curls and a gingham hoop skirt. In hindsight, the part I love about this story is that the song I chose foreshadowed my ultimate profession. Letting me entertain you (and helping others do the same) has become my life’s mission. Which is why I was delighted to learn that one of my hostessing idols, Stephanie Booth Shafran, just released her book on all things entertaining at home, You’re Invited: Classic Elegant Entertaining. Even better, my hero fashion house and master of all things stylish, Oscar de la Renta, designed the toile cover. I can’t imagine a chicer hostess gift for your ultimate host.

V.  This is one of those rare occasions where I’ve truly saved the best for last. I remember meeting Maximilian Sinsteden like it was yesterday. My friend Melissa asked me to join her at Balboa Cafe so that she could introduce me to her childhood friend Jordan, but instead I spent the entire evening mesmerized by his effervescent and talented partner, Max. (For the romantics among you, see their wedding announcement/hopeful love story here in the New York Times). Since our meeting, I’ve followed Max on both his personal Instagram (along with the likes of Town & Country and Vogue’s legendary Lauren Santo Domingo) and his interior design firm Olasky & Sinsteden (@oandsltd). While I knew the second I met him that he was one of those people who effortlessly leaves everything he touches more beautiful, I’ve been utterly dumbfounded by his creations during COVID. I kid you not, every single meal he and Jordan have prepared since March has been served on a different, yet equally glamorous, tablescape. Max’s genius tablecloths range from clearance bin IKEA to the whimsical French curtain panel pictured here that he found while traveling in England. If you’re not yet sold, the food that the couple serves on said tablescapes should satiate you. This particular weekday meal was carbonara with piped pasta, leek salad with walnuts, Parmesan, and homemade vinaigrette, plus twenty layer Mille Crêpes cake inspired by New York’s Lady M for dessert. To be blunt, if you don’t follow Max immediately, I’ll forever regard you as a person without an ounce of good taste.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab days with five ideas for the week.

I.  In honor of Cinco de Mayo, a tribute to Mexico's 1862 victory over France, I’m recreating my go-to order at Tacolicious, Tuna Tostada with a Passion Fruit Habanero Cocktail. The decadent tostadas are a riff on the ones served at legendary seafood restaurant Contramar in Mexico City. Sushi-grade tuna sits atop a bed of chipotle aioli and crispy leak, crowned by avocado. These pair perfectly with the spicy-sweet “pasion” margarita. While not the easiest ingredients to procure, particularly right now, I promise the delicious results will be well worth the effort.

II.  If you’d prefer to place your efforts entirely on your margarita intake tomorrow, Taco Bell is your new best friend. The notorious fast food chain just announced the debut of their At-Home Taco Kits. Your haul will include shells, tortillas, chips, seasoned ground beef, refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, nacho cheese sauce, sour cream, and of course their cheeky hot sauce packets. Each feeds six people for $25.

III.  I was stunned to find nearly a thousand people casually sprawled across Fort Mason over the weekend. Though there didn't appear to be commingling between groups, very few people were practicing social distancing within those groups. Other than being somewhat frightening, it got me thinking about what socializing will look like once SIP eases up. I’m guessing that outdoor gatherings will be prioritized, particularly for larger groups. To prepare, I’m putting together a picnic basket filled with all the essentials: waterproof blanket, compact bluetooth speaker, biodegradable solo cups, solar fairy lights to outline your group’s space, Cards Against Humanity, my favorite Glossier sunscreen, and this gorgeous brass bottle opener.

IV.  An enormous fan of living walls (I still miss the one that I had in my showroom every day), I’m intrigued by a concept I came across this morning - indoor gardens. The idea is that you pick an underutilized space in your home and create a menagerie of indoor plants. Living alone during quarantine, my plants have become even more important as the only other life in my home - so I love the idea of dedicating an entire space to them. And in case your green thumb is lacking, here is a well-curated list of thirty plants that are nearly impossible to kill.

V.  The same way that most people eagerly anticipate opening day of their favorite sport, I look forward to the first Monday in May for the lauded Met Gala at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Handpicked by Vogue’s Anna Wintour, the guest list is an intimate collection of the very most desirable and successful people in the world. Every year, there is an exhibition-based theme that dictates what all of these beautiful people wear. With each theme progressively more outrageous than the last, I relish clicking refresh on my browser as photographs of the arrivals trickle onto Just Jared and People in the early afternoon. By the late evening, gossip and naughtier pics arrive via the attendees’ social media, including the infamously scandalous bathroom selfies. It’s fair to say that I’m devastated this evening’s festivities were canceled in the wake of COVID. Fingers crossed they opt to postpone instead. In the meantime, catch up on galas of years past here.

Have a wonderful week. xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab days with five ideas for the week.

I.  A little over a year ago, my friend Rachel and I started cooking together every Sunday. I’d just started my homemade pasta journey, and she wanted to learn my newly cultivated tricks of the trade. We spent an entire afternoon and well into the evening carefully crafting a scrumptious yet healthy(ish) version of carbonara. From there, we were hooked on cooking together and invited a few of our closest friends to join us. The Sunday eves ranged from just the two of us to an all-time high of eight cooks in the kitchen. But no matter who partook, some variation of pasta was always on the menu. Now that we’re self-isolating, our Sunday night dinners are no more. But that hasn’t stopped Rachel from whipping up a culinary storm solo. Her latest creation is a far cry from pasta, but appropriate for the heatwave San Francisco is currently experiencing,  Chilled Asparagus Soup. The second I saw her drool-worthy post on Instagram, I implored her for the recipe. And now I’m sharing it with all of you. Pro tip: skip the dairy for a lighter, yet equally delicious version.

II.  If you’re like me, seeing social media posts about all of the new things you’re supposed to be learning right now or goals that others have achieved during quarantine, you’re feeling like a bit of an underachiever. Here’s the thing - given the amount of uncertainty we’re all facing right now, getting through the day is accomplishment enough. That said, if you’re craving an activity that will stimulate you without an overabundance of effort, the Museum of Modern Art is offering free classes ranging from what defines contemporary art to fashion. I’ve not felt more motivated in weeks than after reading the course descriptions. But if you want to keep watching Netflix instead, I’m right there with you ;)

III.  As an ex-litigator, I’m a sucker for anyone who similarly endured law school and decided to opt-out of the law in order to pursue passion. One such person is Emily Meyer, who graduated from law school and then made the bold choice to sire her eponymous bespoke suiting line. In the wake of the pandemic, Emily shifted to a more accessible sartorial approach by offering a new line of Cabana inspired shirts. I couldn’t be more proud of her for so beautifully pivoting. Reach out to her here for more information or to purchase.

IV.  A few days ago, a friend and I had dinner over Facetime. An immediate wave of jealousy washed over me when I saw that she was wearing the most beautiful kimono I’d ever seen. The silk seemingly turned to liquid as it flowed over her shoulders, evoking the sense of lightweight luxury. Upon reflecting on the desire for one of my own, I remembered the recent controversy over Kim Kardashian branding her undergarment line “Kimono” and decided to delve a little deeper into the history of the robe. The gist of the issue is that the kimono as fashion is cultural misappropriation. Out of respect, I’m keeping my enthusiasm for the gorgeous piece, but referring to it as a silk robe instead. I’m curious to hear how you think of cultural appropriation when it comes to fashion. Please email me at info@tableandteaspoon.com to continue the conversation. In the meantime - here’s what I’ve rounded up for stunning robe options. I’m smitten with San Francisco based Kim + Ono’s silk and satin pieces, but if you’re a purist - here’s a variety of vintage options, and for the minimalists, check out Johanna Ortiz’s contemporary version in eyelet.

V.  The aforementioned San Francisco heatwave has me lusting after days spent poolside with the best of friends reading gossip magazines and sharing stories about our latest Bumble dates. While we’re unable to indulge in everything life has to offer for the foreseeable future, I’m going to channel summer via cocktail in lieu (because we needed another excuse to imbibe...). Lillet on the rocks with an orange twist is a classic, but strive for something slightly more sophisticated with a Classic Corpse Reviver No. 2. The gin and citrus-based Lillet cocktail will feel like liquid sunshine. The perfect thing to sip while donning your new silk robe.

Have a wonderful week. xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Risotto with Mushrooms and Crisped Onion

With origins nearly as old as antiquity, risotto ranks high among culinary legends. Arab merchants introduced Italy to their luxurious short-grain rice during the Middle Ages. The rarified ingredient meant that risotto was reserved for the elite, particularly when paired with saffron, still the world’s most expensive spice. Once Italians developed their own short-grain crops, the rice became very popular in Spanish occupied Milan. The Milanese fostered the core components of modern risotto - rice, stock, onion, butter, wine, and parmesan, and applied the Spaniard’s infamous slow-cook method.

Short-grain rice is uniquely positioned to absorb liquid and release starch, which is important because the higher the starch the creamier the result. Traditional long-grain rice has lower starch content, prohibiting it from transforming into risotto. This cream-factor is elevated by stirring in butter and parmesan just before serving.

My enthusiasm for risotto wanes from mild to explosive depending on the chef’s proficiency and ingredient variation. Properly toasting the rice is the first test. The next is allowing each quarter cup of stock to gently absorb into the rice before adding another. This isn’t difficult by any means, it simply demands your patience.

For this particular recipe, I opted for chicken bone broth, Madera wine, and mushrooms. The earthy dark flavor of the mushroom is emphasized by the Madera, making for an elegant voluptuous dish. To break up the monotony sometimes associated with risotto as a main course, I quickly fried some onion strings to crumble on top. The result: fireworks! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab days with five ideas for the week.

I.  I was planning to write about a recipe on the healthier side, but upon reviewing the analytics for my blog, I learned that the most viewed recipe by far this week was my Balboa Chicken Paillard adaptation. What’s the harm in one more indulgence to make us slightly happier during this unsettling time? If you’re in San Francisco, Balboa is open for pickup and delivery, so please order directly from them on Wednesdays (the only day the dish is offered). If you’re sheltering in a different place, or have a hankering for the infamous special on a different day, I’ve got you covered. Pro Tip: add caramelized onion or burrata to the decadent breaded chicken with arugula, cherry tomato, and rich Marsala butter sauce.

II.  During childhood, I looked no farther than my parents for artistic taste. Fans of Impressionism and Renaissance art, we spent a significant amount of time perusing these genres at the Uffizi, Musée d'Orsay, and Louvre. It wasn’t until my twenties that I had the opportunity to meaningfully explore Tate Modern, MOMA, and local galleries. Once I did, I fell completely in love with contemporary art. Though my position on the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco auxiliary board afforded me the luxury of meeting icons like Ed Ruscha and Urs Fischer, I hadn’t looked into mediums where I could find out more about my favorite artists from they themselves until now. Art21 is a phenomenal resource for all things contemporary, including first-hand content from artists like Walton Ford, Kiki Smith, and Ai Weiwei. What better time than now to explore?

III.  On a stroll down the Marina Green last night, I was stunned by the sheer number of people who were very clearly on first dates. How did I know that they were on dates you may ask? Well, I’m absolutely certain that I’ve never seen more women in full makeup, nervous body language, awkward hand-holding, or full-blown makeouts on that stretch (and I’ve been walking it for nearly a decade). Dating during quarantine has been understandably tricky. The best way to describe it is a prolonged version of Love is Blind... With no end in site (at least in California), many people are taking what Dr. Fauci calls “calculated risks” to meet in person. Though highly frowned upon, it’s difficult to blame those who have been completely isolated the last six weeks for craving human touch and interaction outside their phones and laptops. I’m curious to see how all of this plays out post-quarantine. Are these quaranbae situations germane to the pandemic, or will these insta-couples stay together with stronger bonds than they would normally? I particularly wonder what Darwin would have to say about a generation born from these risk-prone duos... Only time will tell.

IV.  Since my last phase of posting Monday Merriment a year ago, I developed a passion for scenic photography. Spurred by a trip to Big Sur with a friend who is a fantastic photographer, I began taking daily hikes through my neighborhood and down the coastline on Highway 1. I photographed everything that caught my eye, often resulting in hundreds of photos per day. Once I returned home, I’d review and edit the shots to learn what methods were effective at producing stellar photographs. Given that we’re still allowed to hike, I want to offer my tips to those of you who may want to take up a new hobby during quarantine. First, when capturing something outdoors, aim your lens higher than feels comfortable so that you capture the clouds. Clouds are without a doubt the best part of my outdoor shots. Particularly when the sky is moody or highly saturated. Second, look for reflections in bodies of water. A simple shot of the Golden Gate Bridge becomes magical when you catch a glimpse of the bridge in the water or mirrored in wet sand. Same goes for the sun during sunset. Third, look for something unique (or what I often call “a little weird”). A bird digging in the sand for lunch, a fish jumping, the silhouette of a person engaging in an activity, the momentum of a wave crashing into a rock. This will separate your photo from every other one that comes up on a Google image search of the same location. Finally, please think twice before using filters. They almost always weaken elements of the shot, which is the opposite of what you want. Learn to use editing apps to enhance portions of the photograph manually, the same way that traditional photographers do with their cameras using shutter speed, aperture, flash, and ISO. I use both Camera+ (here are some tips on using it) and Afterlight. Happy shooting!

V.  Something I’ve both loved and hated about sheltering in place is the resurgence of DIY. In the last five years, I’ve acquired an app for everything from laundry to auto-detailing. If you have a need for something from the service industry, you can bet there’s a startup catering to it (especially in Silicon Valley). While some of these needs, like grocery shopping, picking up takeout, and driving yourself places come easily - many services are significantly harder to navigate. Here’s a list of things that likely don’t come naturally to you with links to step-by-step instructions or products that will simplify the process: Manicures, haircuts, hair color, blowouts, cooking, house cleaning, handy work, childcare, dry cleaning, and car washing. Who knew that I could give myself a salon-quality mani AND replace my broken shower head?!

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five ideas for the week.

I.  Surely, many of you have seen the meme floating around poking fun at celebrity chefs who are providing fans with ‘pantry recipes’ including obscure ingredients like, “Madagascar vanilla, hemp milk, and a single feather from a dodo bird.” Admittedly, when asked for pantry recipes I had similar concerns. The ingredients I keep are unlikely to be what the novice Corona cook has hanging around. A friend, who is an equally amazing person and chef, decided to remedy this by getting down to the very basics and sharing a versatile recipe that calls for grocery store frozen puff pastry combined with any vegetable, herb, and cheese you have on-hand. Chef Preeti Mistry, of Top Chef and Juhu Beach Club fame, took her Instagram followers step-by-step in creating a delicious savory tart with the radicchio and gruyere that she already had in her fridge. Here are the steps: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and defrost frozen puff pastry (Preeti recommends Dufour). 2. Marinate radicchio with a squeeze of lemon, a splash of olive oil, and salt (or whatever vegetable you have like arugula or spinach). 3. Roll out puff pastry and cut each sheet into two squares, then spoon on a thin layer of spread like onion jam in the center leaving a half-inch around the edges free to fold over (even something like teriyaki sauce or a thicker salad dressing will work as a base). 4. Spread any grated cheese evenly over the spread. 5. Place your marinated vegetable and any chopped herbs you have in the center of the square (unnecessary if you don’t have any). 6. Fold up the pastry edges and wash with a lightly beaten egg if you have one to spare (if not, you can use milk). 7. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve!

II.  Online dating... Something I wistfully romanticized during my last few relationships. I actually missed the ritual of casually swiping on strangers with few expectations - except the possibility of meeting my soulmate. Now that I’m back at it, I can confidently say that it’s a hot mess. Albeit one that is the only option for us singles in the wake of quarantine. While I’ve had little luck, one of my best friends seemingly hit the dating app lottery. After a brief back and forth interaction via Hinge, a beautiful man asked my friend if he could ‘take her on a date’ by ordering her dinner from a local restaurant and then ‘meeting’ over FaceTime while they ate in the safe confines of their own homes. She chose pasta from A Mano, and he picked something in his neighborhood. Though still in the early stages, it’s fair to say they hit it off and have progressed officially to quaranbaes. I love the idea of replicating this date with your latest Bumble crush, or even friends and family. Supporting our restaurants has never been more important. Pro Tip: Order directly from your favorite place rather than using a delivery app so that all proceeds go to the restaurant and its staff.

III.  Speaking of FaceTime dates (which are slightly more intimate than Zoom), you might be asking yourself how to hold your phone while gracefully eating or cocktailing virtually... Well, lucky for you I have the solution! My friend Melissa gifted me with a Selfie Cork for Christmas, and I had no idea what to do with it until now (I’m not much of a selfie person, but if you are then you doubly need this apparatus). Simply place the $10 cork in a wine or spirits bottle and then set a timer to take photos or engage with friends as if you had a tripod for your phone. Genius! And so much cuter than a selfie stick.

IV.  If organizing your spice drawer and cleaning out your closet aren’t amongst the more appealing options for keeping busy right now, I have a bigger challenge that will reap a much higher reward. Re-tiling your floors! I know this sounds absurdly difficult, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Peel and stick tiling allows you to upgrade your flooring without traditional ceramic and grout. This option is particularly perfect for those of us who are renting and crave a more bespoke aesthetic. Check out FloorPops for a range of options.

V.  The second I heard that masks will be required to enter many stores in California, I went to Amazon to find anything that would work. With shipping dates for everything from actual masks to bandannas reaching well into June, I realized I’d have to dig a bit deeper to find something in time. Forbes put together a comprehensive list of where you can find masks, the best among them being Etsy. Here are a few of my picks: African mud cloth, glittering paillettes, understated gray linen, and classic black. But, without hesitation, the ultimate in mask chic goes to my friend Elizabeth Mitsky of Palatine Hill Designs. Typically, Elizabeth does darling custom monogrammed pieces for home and child. In the wake of COVID, she’s created a line of masks that are $18 per piece including your initials. Please email her at PalatineHillDesigns@gmail.com for options (like the above photograph) and to place orders.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five ideas for the week.

I.  Quarantine forced all of us into the kitchen. Some have embraced the time to learn new recipes, perfect a technique, or even begin their cookbooks. Others have a more efficient outlook, and want to get in and out of there as fast as possible. For my pantry-based culinistas, here are my top hacks to bring the depth of flavor that homemade meals offer without nearly as much effort. Hamburger Helper Beef Strogonoff: replace water with red wine, add sliced mushrooms at the same time you add the pasta, and stir in fresh sour cream before serving. Kraft or Annie’s Mac & Cheese: Make according to instruction, spoon an individual serving into a bowl and grate half a cup of sharp cheddar cheese over it. Microwave or bake until cheese is melted. Remove, stir until combined and then add a dash of your favorite hot sauce or truffle oil. Trader Joe’s Turkey Bolognese: place two servings in a large frying pan, cook on medium-low heat until defrosted, add half a bottle of red wine and a handful of chopped fresh basil, then simmer until wine is reduced. Individual Frozen Lasagna: make according to instruction and set aside. Place one cup of store-bought marinara sauce and one cup of shredded jack or mozzarella into a sauce pan, heat on medium until melted. Serve lasagna in a bowl with cheese sauce poured over it, and a slice of garlic toast. Ramen: add one bouillon cube plus a tablespoon each of rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha to your water and sauce packet before boiling. Once boiling, crack an egg into the mixture and vigorously beat with a fork until broken apart. Add ramen noodles and once finished cooking, pour into a bowl over a handful of fresh spinach and a few cilantro leaves. Squeeze one lime or lemon into the bowl and stir to complete. If you’re feeling more carnivorous, add ground turkey, pork, or beef to the bowl before pouring the ramen over. And if you’re extra ambitious, throw in a halved soft boiled egg.

II.  Devastated that this year’s ArtPoint gala was canceled, a group of fellow art lovers and I were commiserating over how much we’d miss the bash, when our friend Anna came up with the brilliant idea to host a virtual version. This was a pleasant surprise, considering three of the five of us in the group chat sit on the Fine Arts Museums’ auxiliary board and the thought hadn’t occurred to us. The concept was simple - show everyone the art in your home and explain its significance. The best part - we still got to play dress up since the event took place via video (we opted for the Houseparty app, but FaceTime and Zoom are equally effective). I particularly love this idea because it gave me time to review my artwork and remember why each piece deserves to occupy the limited space in my home. The “gala” was a huge success, and such a fun way to spend time together but alone. A piece of advice if you want to host something similar - set an order for who speaks and how many pieces you’ll each discuss beforehand so that everything runs smoothly.

III.  Among the sea of creative ways people are finding to pass time, one of my favorites by far has been my friend Maria and her husband Chris’s idea to batch individual cocktails and drop them at loved ones’ front doors. If memory serves, and it’s possible that it doesn’t given the volume consumed, Chris makes the best dirty martini I’ve had the privilege to imbibe. The duo chose this drink to deliver, but the approach works for anything that isn’t frozen. Replicate the thoughtful gesture by ordering french glass terrines and adding a personal note with a card or tie-on hang tag. Just make sure your recipient is home to swipe up the beverage before a thirsty neighbor preempts them!

IV.  When an ex-boyfriend and I were having trouble communicating about anything other than the superficial, I was advised to give Intimacy Cards a try. Suspect, but desperate to resolve the issue, I ordered them. The gist of the cards is that each partner pulls one at random from six categories - Past, Random, Life, Relationship, Intimacy, and About You, then gives an honest answer. (I believe these cards are best accompanied with at least one bottle of wine...). Though the boyfriend and I never got around to giving the cards a shot before breaking up, I decided to experiment with them on my girlfriends. Typically, my closest crew enjoys spending Sundays creating every form of pasta imaginable. A task that produces endless hours of laughter and Instagrammable content, but also leaves us depleted by the time we actually sit down to enjoy the meal. We opted to forgo an elaborate recipe in favor of a seasonal salad paired with decadent overpriced chocolates, so that we could take turns answering our pulls from the deck. Though some questions had to be skipped, those that we did answer provided such enormous insight into our pasts and psyches that even a pair of sisters at the table learned new things about one another. I can’t recommend the provocative cards more highly. (And Amazon is still delivering them!)

V.  Supporting your local restaurants and caterers (many of whom switched to prepared meal delivery in the wake of Corona) is a no-brainer if you have the resources. But what if you want to truly go above and beyond to share the wealth? Well, look no farther, because I have the perfect solution for you! Your favorite bakery is likely still operating, and would be more than happy to add a pandemic-inspired public service announcement to your confection. The Bay Area’s Butter& already prepared several options, my favorite among them being “Pretend You’re an Introvert” and would love to deliver them to all of your friends and family.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five ideas for the week.

I.  In a time where everyone from Alice Waters to my twenty-something bachelor neighbor is making their own Corona bread, I have to sit back and laugh at the sheer number of times all of you said that roasting a chicken would be too hard… If you’re an OG reader, you’re likely annoyed that my first Monday Merriment back in action, I’m telling you (yet again) to roast a chicken. But the fact that many of you never attempted it, and suddenly want to spend several hours in the kitchen meticulously crafting what will inevitably be mediocre compared to what you can buy to support your local bakery, I’ve decided to remind you of the fact that roast chicken is ten times easier, better for you health-wise, and will make your isolation location smell like a million bucks. Here’s my very favorite Roast Lemon Chicken with Croutons. Feel free to use all that leftover bread you made for the croutons ;)

II.  With limited grocery availability, many of us are overbuying when we do have the chance to get to a well-stocked store. To go from hoarder (albeit with the best of intentions) to hero, learning how and what to properly freeze is more important now than ever. Here is a spectacularly curated list of nearly a hundred items you can freeze (and what won’t fare so well). Here are a few important tips for freezing and unfreezing those items: always allow food to completely cool to room temperature before freezing, leave room for expansion when handling liquids, store in reusable mason jars (your local hardware store likely still has them in stock), and defrost overnight in the fridge rather than any other method that may contaminate your food (especially important for frozen meat). 

III.  As an introvert, I’ve spent years meticulously creating the most cozy setting conceivable for my limited downtime. Now that our downtime is seemingly infinite, I’d like to share my most-valued tip: candles. It’s fair to say that if I’m awake and at home, there’s at least one candle burning somewhere in my line of sight. A year or so ago, I realized that while one wick is great - multiple wicks are unimaginably better. Think mini-fireplace without the cleanup or environmental restrictions. My go-to ended up being the most reasonably priced (which is a fantastic coincidence given the aforementioned candle addiction). Here are a few more options ranging from budget to bougie. Brass candle bowl from CB2, an impressive fifteen-wick version, and the ultimate in candle luxury from Dyptique.

IV.  In isolation since Friday the thirteenth (an irony that went unnoticed until now) it’s officially the most amount of time I’ve spent without setting foot inside a museum in longer than I can remember. While I spend a significant amount of time in San Francisco’s museums and galleries, I haven’t had the opportunity to travel internationally since my lawyering days. With our collective traveling over for the foreseeable future, now is the best time to take advantage of the virtual tours offered in some of our world’s most intriguing places. Here’s a handful that I’ve enjoyed: Tate Modern, The Acropolis, Machu Picchu, the Louvre, Seoul’s National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Egypt’s Pyramids, and if you’re feeling more Americana than global, here’s the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City - led by the institution’s security guard (who is beautifully new to Twitter and taking his job reporting on their offerings in earnest).

V.  Typically, I hate the phone. (For actual phone calls, not for every other conceivable use based on my horrifying screen-time logs). But in the last week, I’ve cast aside my disdain in order to connect with and support my people who are, like me, completely isolated from other human beings. During one of these phone calls, my friend Rachel and I discussed how there are three categories of people - singles, couples, and those with children. I’m quite curious to see a study on how singles (who won’t have touched anyone in what’s looking like months) and people with children fare once we’re in a post-Corona fueled quarantine world. (Divorce/breakup jokes aside - those of you cuddled up solely with your partners right now are very clearly the chosen ones - don’t @ me). While I can only offer my fellow singles a phone line - I’d like to offer those of you with little ones a genius way of entertaining your children. Please meet Raddish, a cooking kit tailored to kids of all ages that is miraculously still shipping nationwide. 

Have a wonderful week, and thank you for rejoining the journey! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Chocolate Croissants

Two weeks ago today, I was on the verge of closing a major deal that would transform my company, I was the picture of health, and I had the very definition of a tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend. Life was good. The next day, the deal would be put on pause, I’d stop shipping orders, start exhibiting many painful symptoms associated with COVID-19, and my boyfriend and I would part ways. While I’m keenly aware that all of us are experiencing varying levels of hardship, I think it’s fair to say that my hand was among the weaker of those dealt. What’s that adage about you making plans and God laughing?

As much as I’d like to give in to what Anne Shirley so aptly described as “the depths of despair” by lying in bed all day listening to every emo song in my iTunes collection while licking my wounds, the people I’ve most admired most during this time are the ones strategizing for how we come out of this by taking charge of what our post-Corona future looks like. Due to the fact that I’m not in a position to manifest anything significant to help relieve us from this uncertainty, I’m going to offer you what I do best by teaching you how to make delicious luxe treats for your palate that take little time and make a big impact.

When I kindled the idea to restart this blog by posting on Facebook, many of you asked for recipes that were easy, from the pantry, delicious, and most importantly, looked decadent without much effort. Upon reviewing these requests, I opened my pantry and toyed with the idea of a lemon-based pasta dish. But then realized my freezer held something even better. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Croissants. If you’ve ever tried your hand at croissants, you’ll immediately recognize the extreme amount of effort that goes into making these layered confections. Frankly, I wouldn’t recommend it from an effort/throughput perspective. But I unequivocally would recommend purchasing the frozen version, and then altering it slightly to impress your spouse, roommates, or even just yourself (because they’re that good).

The gist of the frozen delights is to take them out of the freezer, let them rise on a baking sheet overnight (something that feels like an accomplishment in and of itself) and then bake for twenty minutes. If you want to elevate your game, there are myriad options. An egg-wash pre-bake takes them to the next level aesthetically by transforming the dense bread-like dessert into a shiny pastry, dark chocolate shavings produce an other-worldly taste, and finally – but perhaps most importantly – a buttery chocolate bourbon dipping sauce completes the Parisian bakery meets New Orleans fantasy in a way that I can’t even begin to describe.  So – without further ado – here are the instructions you need to create each version of the masterpiece at home. Sending lots of love and gratitude to each of you. xx tt

INGREDIENTS:

Trader Joe’s Frozen Chocolate Croissants

One Egg

One Chocolate Bar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Whisk one egg together and then brush or put a teaspoon of egg wash onto each croissant

Let cool, then grate chocolate on top of each croissant 

CHOCOLATE BOURBON SAUCE

INGREDIENTS: 

2 tbsp salted butter

1/2 half cup half & half

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup bourbon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat butter in a sauce pan

Add half & half, bourbon, and sugar until the mixture begins to bubble lightly

Remove from heat, and add chocolate and vanilla 

Combine until smooth

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

I.  In my never-ending pursuit of crafting the perfect homemade pasta, I decided to go for gold and attempt my favorite dish from lauded San Francisco Italian eaterie Cotogna, Farm Egg Raviolo in Brown Butter. A raviolo novice, I didn’t anticipate the five hours it took to create (on a school night, no less). I also didn’t anticipate that the result would be exponentially better than anything I’ve ever tasted at a restaurant. Here’s how to make it with a few shortcuts... Pasta instructions and ingredients here. After you’ve let the dough rest, cut into four smaller pieces and roll each one through a pasta maker or KitchenAid attachment 4-5 times - first on the widest setting, then on the narrowest. Cut into 4-inch squares and set aside. Filling Ingredients: two cups ricotta, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, three tbsps heavy shipping cream, pinch each of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, 8 eggs (quail eggs are a bit easier to manage because the yolks are smaller if you can find them). Filling Instructions: whisk together ingredients, then place two tbsps of the filling in the center of a pasta square, create a divot with the back of a spoon, then carefully place a yolk on top. Place another pasta square gently over the filled square and seal with a fork imprint on each edge. Boil a few raviolo at a time in salted water for four minutes, then place on a paper towel to strain. Sauce Ingredients: 2 cups butter, one lemon. Sauce Instructions: place butter in a skillet over medium heat for five-minutes, swirling every 30-seconds to prevent burning. After the butter browns and begins to form nutty sediment, squeeze the entire lemon into the skillet. Swirl to combine and then ladle over each raviolo. Serve immediately.

II.  I know that I don’t typically post two recipes in a single Monday Merriment blog entry, but given that the previous recipe is on the trickier side, I wanted to include a dish that literally anyone can make. A few weeks ago, a friend who is on the celebrity side of chefdom visited from out of town. He whipped up a multiple-course Sunday dinner for a group of us that I’m still salivating over. The standout item was his Pan con Tomate - surprising because it consists of five ingredients and takes less than ten-minutes to make. Conceptually, it’s very similar to bruschetta, but both easier to eat and to prepare. Ingredients: loaf of rustic sourdough (Acme is my favorite), three garlic cloves, one ripe tomato (heirloom if you’re feeling extra), salt and extra virgin olive oil. Instructions: cut loaf into one-inch slices, brush/drizzle with olive oil and broil in your oven for dry toast or in a skillet for a chewier base. Grate tomato using the largest side of your grater into a bowl with a sprinkle of salt, then discard the skin. Rub each toast with one garlic clove, then dice the other two and combine with the tomato puree. Spoon puree onto each toast and serve.

III.  When I moved into my apartment, the biggest selling point (second to the formal dining room) was the idyllic built-in bookcase flanking my twelve-by-six-foot living room window. If you’re not quite as lucky with the Craig’s List gamble, never fear... You can recreate the picturesque moment by installing a floor-to-ceiling library on a blank wall or around windows/fireplaces/artwork. The best part about this scenario is that your shelving can be dismantled to move with you. Here are some options: inexpensive, moderate, spend your bonus.

IV.  I prefer to call this image a “silhouette” rather than an “event horizon” - but no matter what its moniker, the fact that a small team of scientists were able to capture evidence of a black hole is a significant technical achievement. The fact that a woman was the (disappointingly controversial) face of the breakthrough made it that much sweeter. Until several telescopes (Event Horizon Telescope collectively) caught the outline of a black hole, it was widely thought that capturing a black hole was impossible - a photograph of something from which no light can escape will be understandably pitch black. Now that we have this image, massive theories like Einstein’s general relativity gain validation. This is science at its greatest, and we have the privilege of witnessing it as it happens. 

V.  I’ve posted about this party twice already, but it’s only because I’m SO EXCITED about it!! So bear with me. This Saturday, my ArtPoint board is transforming the de Young museum into a glamorous 80′s hothouse to celebrate the rockstar of impressionism and his love for his infamous french garden. Tickets include unlimited access to the coveted Monet exhibit, a two-hour performance by Tainted Love offshoot Metal Street Boyz in Wilsey Court, beats by DJ King Most, a plethora of whimsical surprises, and an open bar sponsored by Grey Goose, Juniper Gin, Stillhouse Whiskey, and Fort Point Beer. We are down to the last hundred tickets out of a thousand, please don’t wait.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

I.  Yesterday, my friend Rachel and I spent the entire afternoon and evening making fettuccine from scratch. Rachel hadn’t ever made pasta before, and was itching to use a hand-cranked pasta maker that an old boyfriend gave her. We settled on my tried and true Thomas Keller seven-yolk dough recipe paired with spring carbonara sauce from What’s Gabby Cooking. The unexpected carbonara is transformed into a light and zesty dish with peas, scallions, lemon and mint. I’ve been looking forward to finishing the leftovers for dinner all day long.

II.  Speaking of pasta, I’m newly obsessed with the blog/Instagram account 100 Days of Pasta. Author Emily Trotochaud chronicles her daily kitchen adventures, which are quite impressive. Emily is a genius at making pasta more accessible via her step-by-step photographs for different types of dough and crafting dozens of different shapes. While pasta is her primary focus, Emily also dabbles in uniquely flavored desserts - today she made what looked like delicious goat cheese and corn ice cream. Whether you love cooking or just eating, I highly suggest following the culinary goddess.

III.  While perusing nontraditional place card ideas this morning, I stumbled upon famed calligrapher Bernard Maisner. A legend in the events world, Bernard offers stunning bespoke invitations and personal stationary to celebrity clients worldwide. Slightly more wallet-friendly, Bernard’s ready-made card line is equally swoon-worthy. I’m particularly partial to the Love Secrets Card, which is actually nine miniature cards call containing a romantic word except one blank card for you to write your own message to your sweetheart.

IV.  If you haven’t heard about Benevolence Los Angeles, I’m excited to fill you in on the amazing online shop with a philanthropic bent. Every one of their products is tied to a charitable cause. From delicate jewelry that benefits clean water for a refugee camp in Tanzania to candles that go toward preventing international child trafficking, Benevolence is doing its small part to help change the world. I’m ordering a few of these Mexican blankets in anticipation of summer picnics and concerts on the lawn at Shoreline.

V.  It’s been nearly three weeks since my last dinner party, and I’m having hostessing withdrawals. Given that it’s officially spring, I’m itching to plan a dinner to take advantage of all the newly available blooms. The moody black taper candles juxtaposed with bright pinks and greens in this photograph will serve as inspiration for the decor. Now I just have to come up with a menu and guest list... Any takers?

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

I.  If I could choose how to spend the perfect day, it would be entirely in the kitchen. I planned to do so yesterday, but lost track of time on a hike and found myself frantically abbreviating my elaborate dinner menu. While most homemade desserts include several ingredients and take precision to execute, soufflés surprisingly fall outside both categories. With all the ingredients already on-hand, I whipped up a spiced chocolate version with crème anglaise in under twenty-minutes. (Do it in fifteen by substituting melted vanilla bean ice cream for the anglaise). Here’s the recipe for two individual soufflés.

Ingredients: tbsp soft butter, tbsp diced cold butter, tbsp white sugar, 6-oz chopped semisweet chocolate (or half a bag of semisweet chocolate chips), half tsp cinnamon, half tsp cayenne, half tsp cream of tartar, two eggs.

Instructions: preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt chocolate in microwave whisking every thirty seconds to prevent clumping (about two minutes) or on the stove, then stir in cold butter/cinnamon/cayenne. Separate eggs, combining the yolks with the chocolate mixture and placing the whites in a bowl. Add cream of tartar to the whites and use an electric mixer or Kitchen-aid to whisk until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture until you can no longer see white. Butter two small ramekins (you can find these everywhere from most grocery stores to Williams-Sonoma) and divide white sugar between them so that the sugar covers the butter, then discard any extra sugar by tapping the ramekins upside down over your sink. Evenly distribute the chocolate mixture between the two ramekins and bake for 10-12-minutes until the tops rise about an inch over the rim of the ramekins. Serve immediately alone or with crème anglaise poured in the center.

II.  Over the weekend, a friend I hadn’t seen in nearly two years came to visit. Though his trip was only 24-hours, we decided to make the most of it by exploring scenic Highway 1 south of Monterey. With no clear plan in mind, we meandered down the coast, blasting 80′s music, stopping for drinks at Roy’s fire pits, pausing for pictures at Bixby Bridge and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and engaging in deep conversation. Our journey ended at legendary Hearst Castle, which neither of us had ever been to, before turning around to head home. I arrived back in San Francisco with a renewed sense of dedication to making time for spontaneous trips outside the city going forward. Whether you’re a local with a penchant for sticking to routine (like me) or planning your next California vacation, I can’t recommend the breathtaking 80-mile stretch between Big Sur and San Simeon highly enough.

III.  After following Emily Weiss (who can forget her portrayal of Teen Vogue’s resident mean girl on The Hills?!) for a decade, I finally gave in to temptation and ordered several products from her direct-to-consumer beauty company Glossier. The millennial pink branding and cult following make the items must-haves for women under the age of 40. After perusing reviews, I decided to order cleanser, toner, makeup remover, moisturizer, and vitamin c serum. Much to my horror, I awoke with a rash on my face after using all of the products the evening they arrived. I initiated a return, and was shocked when they issued a full refund after advising that I keep everything for free and take the time to try each product separately to identify the culprit. The impressive customer service more than made up for the rash, and will keep me coming back as a newly minted Glossier devotee. So far, I’m a fan of the exfoliating toner and affordable C serum, and plan to order Boy Brow soon.

IV.  What if there was an easy way to craft a stunning floral arrangement without employing flimsy tape grids or messy foam? Well, I’m delighted to tell you that there is! Handmade ceramics boutique Rico Terre recently launched holed vases that make creating bouquets significantly easier. An added bonus, you will require less flowers because they won’t be crammed together. Play with height variation and thin branches to take your arrangement to the next level.

V.  A fan of both exotic leather and monogrammed anything - I’m constantly on the lookout for phone cases that marry the two. My first try, Gigi New York, had an attractive price-point, but felt a little unsophisticated. My second attempt, celebrity-endorsed brand Vianel, was completely underwhelming. The company’s logo was displayed prominently on the case, and my monogram wore off within a few weeks. Third time was the charm, because I’m in love with the cases I ordered from The Case Factory (black alligator and gray ostrich, both with gold lettering). The Stockholm-based company creates gorgeous pieces that arrive quickly and last around a year before showing signs of wear and tear. If you’re in the market for yourself or a gift, I enthusiastically suggest checking out TCF.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

1.  Yesterday was the laziest kind of Sunday. One where you think you’re going to a friend’s for brunch, but don’t find yourself in a Lyft home until twelve hours later... A girlfriend from high school moved back to the city after a stint in the peninsula over the summer, and has been giving me a run for my hostess money ever since. Hosting several of our friends at least once per week, Rachel has quickly become an expert in creating beautiful environments in her Pacific Heights home. She outdid herself this weekend, when she planned both a casual brunch and an Oscars dinner party. I opted to attend only the brunch portion, but became consumed by our vision for the ultimate Oscar-watch cheese board, and decided to stay for the show. 

Post-eggs and mimosas, Rachel and I ventured to Mollie Stone’s, where we curated enough items to render the Rich Table chicken she ordered obsolete. Here’s how to recreate: four cheeses (we did one hard sheep with truffle, one soft honey-infused goat, a triple creme from Cowgirl Creamery, and a classic aged white cheddar). Four fruits (grapes, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, and sliced kumquats). Four spreads (red pepper jelly, honey, quince, and fig jam). Four nuts (pistachio, spiced pecans, regular almonds and the marcona version). Three vehicles (Acme sourdough, fig olive crisps, and Rustic Bakery olive oil + sel gris flatbread crackers). Two cured meats (salami and prosciutto). Two olives (nicoise and castelvetrano). And one ramekin of cornichons (adorable baby French pickles). 

2.  I similarly spent my Valentine’s evening at Rachel’s, but in a slightly less collaborative fashion. Rachel made dinner, while I spent the afternoon preparing dessert at my apartment. I hadn’t made a cake in a while, so decided to riff on Violet Bakery’s lemon elderflower masterpiece for Harry and Meghan’s wedding. I did an almond fromage blanc (like creme fraiche but made with milk rather than cream for a more tart base) cake, with lemon curd filling and an elderflower meringue buttercream (more stiff and less sweet than a traditional buttercream). The result was to die for. I’m still kicking myself for not taking a piece home for breakfast the next day. 

Here’s the recipe: Cake Ingredients - two boxes white cake mix, one cup St. Germain elderflower liqueur, one cup fromage blanc (or sour cream), six egg whites, 1.5 cups vegetable oil, one tablespoon almond extract. Cake Instructions - combine all ingredients with electric beaters or Kitchenaid mixer, then divide between four greased 9-inch round pans and bake for twenty-five minutes at 350 degrees. Lemon curd filling (or substitute two jars of store-bought curd). Buttercream (follow this recipe, but add three tablespoons of  St. Germain elderflower liqueur and one teaspoon of almond extract at the very end before you’re finished combining). Assembly instructions here.

3.  While perusing what’s new for fall on the couture runways, one item was so reminiscent of a 2019 Margot Tenenbaum, I was surprised they didn't hire the Goop queen herself to debut the look. The enigmatic character was rarely seen in the film sans oversized sable fur coat, and this Oscar de la Renta crystal embellished mink would surely be coveted by the character if she were sitting front row last week. The fur also reminded me of the iconic Scalamandre wallpaper line featured in the Royal Tenenbaums. With an unfriendly price-point, the zebra and tiger prints are inaccessible for most. Luckily, Christiane Lemieux’s affordable design company The Inside partnered with Scalamndre to offer furniture and throw pillows in the epochal prints. I’m currently vacillating between the yellow skirted zebra ottoman and coral screen for my apartment...

4.  Speaking of aspirational prints, none hold a candle to the ultimate in print-chic de Gournay. The intricate hand-painted vignettes can be found everywhere from the designer’s wallpaper, textiles, and dishware to their partnership with Aquazzura for luxe footwear. Though, I never imagined using the brand’s designs as wedding decor, which is exactly what Chloe Richards and Lee Rubinstein did for their summer wedding in the Hamptons. Every part of the celebration was touched by de Gournay - from the invitations to the bride’s custom Giambattista Valli gown. The most impressive bit came in the form of a solution to traditionally dowdy reception tents. Impressively, de Gournay wallpaper served as inspiration for the hand-painted tent walls, to stunning effect. Given that I have neither a fiance nor a de Gournay budget, the aesthetic may be out of reach for me - but that won’t stop me from daydreaming about it the rest of the week...

5.  Curator George T. M. Shackelford, of the Kimball Art Museum in Texas, is an expert in late 19th Century French art due to his Yale PhD and nearly four decades of museum work. Recently, he put together an intriguing look at the last decade of Monet’s life, on exhibition at the de Young Museum until May 27th. During the period, Monet painted portions of his five-acre estate in a small village outside of Paris called Giverny. The collection focuses on Monet’s interpretation of natural phenomena, ranging from the widely-known watery lily pads to more vivid pieces depicting the bright florals directly next to his home. Save the date for the ArtPoint gala celebrating the exhibition on April 27th (tickets go on sale next week)!

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

I.  Two days after my women’s only dinner party, I went to a very different - yet equally special - evening hosted by my friend Steve. The vision for the gathering was part-salon, part-introduction to new faces. We sat down at the beginning of the night as seven (more or less) strangers, and left the evening fast friends - dubbing Steve’s curation the first of many “Friendship Dinners” in 2019. Here’s how to recreate for your own circle: 1) Pick a group of people (less than 12, more than 5) who don’t know each other well; 2) Pick a topic to discuss; 3) Pick a venue - Merchant Roots offered us a mind-blowing 9-course menu in their gorgeous single-table restaurant; 4) Bring/select plenty of wine; 5) Sit back and let your group twist and turn through the delicious meal, their stories, shared passions, thoughtful debate and the cusp of new friendships.

II.  Currently, there are two major trends in table top: extreme maximalist and extreme minimalist. Minimalist is easy to spot in decor magazines and up-and-coming home startups. Heavy monochromatic ceramics, stemless European glassware, understated linens, a sprinkling of single stems in bud vases... The maxi-vibe is a bit harder to pull off, because if you mismatch a few of your prints, your table could look more chaotic than crisp. Enter this outrageously stunning dinner for Dior at the Victoria & Albert Museum last week. Designer Fiona Leahy used traditional blue and white toile for everything from the lampshades to the menus. By employing a single print for the entire table, Fiona captured the bold print-on-print aesthetic without the risk of her patterns clashing. Try a toned-down version of this look by finding a fabric you love for your dining tablecloth or runner and then recover your chair cushions with the same fabric. 

III.  Coming off our last party celebrating the Al Thani Collection at the Legion of Honor on Thursday, you’d think that the ArtPoint board would be taking some time to relax. Nope! We are already back to the drawing board for our annual gala on April 27th honoring the Monet Late Years Exhibition. So far, we have a theme “Metal et Monet,” a venue de Young Museum, a band Mëtal Strëet Böyz (the newest Tainted Love offshoot), and a cookie Freckle Face Bakeshop. When I stumbled upon this adorable cookie store on a friend’s Instagram, I knew we had to have these exact cookies for our party. If you have something coming up (baby shower, corporate event, kid’s birthday) check out Freckle Face - they claim to love a challenge and will do whatever it takes to bring your creation to life.

IV.  Plants make us happier, healthier, more efficient and boost our creativity all while cleaning the air we breathe. With that in mind, The Sill was created to make finding and caring for indoor plants you love easy. Whether you are a novice or have an entire living wall at home - The Sill has something for you. Pick size, light, pet-friendliness and level of plant care expertise - then they send you everything you need. Go forth and conquer plant living, future green thumb gods and goddesses! This also makes a darling Valentine’s gift for loved ones who prefer living things to cut blooms.

V.  Confession: one of my least favorite qualities is my jealousy when in romantic relationships. Not one to be defeated by my shortcomings, I’ve done a ton of research on the origins of jealousy and what can be done to remedy the trait. I’ve examined everything from Steven Pinker’s evolutionary psychology-based thesis to just about every Ted Talk on the subject. I’m not sure that I’ve solved anything from all of this research, but it’s calming to know that I’m not alone. If you have similar tendencies, or just want an interesting quick read, Vogue’s recent piece on the issue is highly entertaining.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

I.  I’m taking a slight departure from the typical Monday Merriment format to discuss the highlights of my first dinner party of the year. After realizing that I had ONE dinner party at my home in 2018, I vowed to remedy this oversight by hosting twelve powerhouse women (largely founders and investors) for a dinner chez moi over the weekend. Given my hectic work schedule, I nearly didn’t pull it off. Thank goodness I did, because it was a refreshing and beautiful reminder that making time for pleasure is always worthwhile. Following the experience, the word that keeps coming to mind is “magic.” The people around the table, the impassioned discussion, the unbridled support for each woman’s profession, and the meal that everyone came together to help put on the table felt like complete magic. I hope that you will be inspired to create a similar evening for your friends after reading about how I pulled together the details.

II.  Determined to up the ante, a formidable task given all of the dinner parties I’ve hosted or helped create over the years, I swapped traditional place cards with monogrammed napkins. After reviewing all possible combinations, I settled on gray hemstitch paired with gold lettering, which felt special yet neutral. An Etsy shop called White Tulip Embroidery carefully crafted the special order (she typically deals with massive single monogram orders for weddings). The results were complete perfection - I cannot recommend her shop highly enough. The best part is that each guest got to take home her napkin as a memento of the gathering.

III. For the florals, I stepped out of my comfort zone by opting for a purple palette. Any single shade of purple can feel contrived when presented solo, but the idea of using every shade of purple in a rustic (yet polished) arrangement appealed to me. I planned to use a different runner, but while arranging the blooms on my everyday banana leaf, I realized that it felt as though the wild overflowing centerpieces were stemming from the leafy table. Similarly, I was going to use roughly two-thirds of the flowers for the table and the rest in smaller vases around the house. As the arrangements came to life, I realized that using every single flower worked to create an interesting and slightly darker vibe for the tablescape. Lesson learned: living elements aren’t predictable, so let your creativity blossom in this portion of your decor. Here’s what I used - dark purple and lavender parrot tulips, aubergine and violet anemones, maroon hellebores, pale purple lisianthus, lavender scabiosa, cornflowers, unbloomed poppies, eucalyptus, dusty miller, viburnum and cassis berries.

IV. My go-to dish (perhaps to the point of excess) is Roast Lemon Chicken with Croutons. It works in both intimate settings and for large groups. Miraculously, I’ve never screwed it up and every single bite tastes like luxurious comfort food. When opting to make it yet again for this dinner party, I realized that my T&T blog recipe is a bit outdated. I’ve updated it to include my tweaks and optional additions, including duck fat for the croutons and an entire bottle of wine versus half a cup. No matter how novice you are, I promise you can make this with the same ease of a chopped salad and the same or less active prep time (just make sure you have a couple of hours to allow enough time in the oven).

V. The unexpected culmination of the dinner party was decidedly the best part. My friend Courtney brought Flying Wish Papers, which I’ve never heard of before and nearly forgot about until she demanded we all partake in the activity before leaving. Courtney instructed us to each write our greatest desire on a piece of tissue paper, crumple it into a ball and then roll it into a cylinder shape. Once we all gave it some thought and wrote our dreams for the future down, Courtney lit the tops with a match and released them (I was worried they might set my apartment ablaze, but shockingly all twelve made it without any destruction). Each paper gracefully floated to my ceiling before a tiny explosion, then the ash fell to a bowl on my coffee table. After all of the wishes were released, you could sense a calmness in the room. As the guests left for the night, it was clear that the magic of the evening left an indelible impression on us all. I’ve already started planning the next one...

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab Mondays with five things/ideas/events for the week.

I.  Realizing that I went from hosting dinner parties four times per month to once per year in 2018, I made it a New Year’s resolution to get back to my entertaining roots. I’m kicking this off with a dinner for twelve powerhouse women next week. I make it a rule to prepare mostly dishes that I’ve mastered, with the addition of one new recipe. A homemade pasta novice, I decided that Thomas Keller’s agnolotti (similar to ravioli, but self-contained in a single sheet rather than two) was the perfect course addition. Unsure of how long it would take to make and whether it would even be edible, I tried the recipe out on friends last Sunday. The mouthwatering results were well worth the effort and anxiety. I can’t wait to make it again for my first dinner party of the year.

Sweet Corn Agnolotti (recipe)

Pasta Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 6 large egg yolks, 1 large whole egg, 1.5 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp whole milk. Filling Ingredients: four sweet corn on the cob (or two bags frozen kernels if out of season), 1 cup mascarpone, 1 tsp red chili flakes, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauce Ingredients: 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup creme fraiche, handful of chopped chives, ladle of pasta water. Instructions: form flour into a pile on a large surface and make a hole in the middle. Fill with yolks, whole egg, olive oil and milk. Gently break up eggs until combined and then use one or two fingers to slowly incorporate flour in a circular motion. Once the mixture turns into dough form, kneed it by pressing it forward with the heels of your hands for half an hour. Yes there are easier ways to make dough, but it won’t taste nearly as good as the French Laundry chef’s method. Thomas Keller says you can’t over-kneed the dough, so once you think it’s done, keep going for another ten minutes. Once the dough is finished, set it aside covered completely in plastic wrap for thirty minutes. Meanwhile, slice the corn kernels off the cob (or rinse the frozen kernels) and place them in a saute pan with olive oil over medium heat. After five minutes, add the salt and chili flakes, then place in a Vitamix blender with the mascarpone. Once pureed, your filling is complete. To form the pasta sheets, take your ball of rested dough and slice into four pieces. Roll the dough into a strip, then feed through your pasta roller or Kitchen-Aid attachment until very thin (I did this eight times per slice). Put the corn filling into a plastic bag and cut a small hole in one of the corners. Carefully pipe one long strip of filling in a straight line onto each of the four sheets of pasta. Then fold the pasta over itself twice, and shape the agnolotti by pressing indents every two fingers-width. Cut the pieces of pasta apart using a pastry wheel or sharp knife. Once all of the pasta has been filled and cut, boil it for three minutes in salted water. To make the sauce, brown the butter in a large sauce pan and add the creme fraiche. Add one ladle of pasta water from the agnolotti and sprinkle in the chives. Once combined, add the pasta and carefully stir together until each pasta is a little browned on both sides. Serve immediately.

II.  If you’ve been following this blog since its inception, you know that my flare for all things culinary began with The Food Network. So when Giada de Laurentiis unexpectedly placed a Table + Teaspoon order for Thanksgiving, I was understandably over the moon. To make extra sure that the experience went smoothly, I drove the settings down to her Palm Springs home myself. Unfamiliar with the desert town, I haphazardly picked a boutique hotel called The Sands from a Hotels Tonight list. I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the experience or taken aback by the STUNNING mini-resort. Everything from Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s ultra-chic design to the impeccable service at on-site restaurant The Pink Cabana blew me away. I’ve been searching for an excuse to go back ever since.

III.  Every year, FOG descends upon San Francisco’s Fort Mason with 45 of the ne plus ultra in international contemporary art galleries like Gagosian and Crown Point Press. The fair commences with a huge bash this Wednesday, designed by legendary SF event planner Stanlee Gatti. Come check out the current art climate while supporting SFMOMA’s exhibition and education programs (all proceeds go to the museum) Thursday through Sunday.

IV.  Frequently, I’m asked for floral arrangement hacks. While there are many ways to create a stunning centerpiece, perhaps the easiest method is to pick one flower and devote your entire focus to it. Anemone (a personal favorite) is in peak form through May, making now the perfect time to experiment with the monochrome aesthetic. I particularly love the use of antique silver serving pieces as vases in this bridal shower setting.

V.  In early 2015, the founder of The League asked if I would be on a CBS News feature for the dating app in exchange for plugging Table + Teaspoon during the spot. I figured it couldn’t hurt, and decided to go for it. What I didn’t expect was to find not a male suitor, but a female kindred spirit. During the clip, I was seated next to a beautiful twenty-something Googler named Louella, who waxed poetic about her romantic vision of finding her future husband while reaching for the same avocado at the supermarket. In turn, I shallowly boasted the app’s height setting where you can specify how tall your matches are... Before I left filming that evening, Louella demanded my phone and saved herself as “Louella Lover” while declaring that we were going to be besties. Fast-forward four years and hundreds of memories later, Louella’s prophecy for our friendship came true. I’ve had the pleasure of watching my friend grow into an unapologetically fearless woman, who made the selfless decision to embark on a year in the Peace Corps stationed in Peru today. I hope that you’ll follow her inspiring journey here.

Have a wonderful week! xx tt