Did not have the time to put this together sooner, but now I will.
The garden is calling and there are lots of things to do, so writing has to wait.
For our dear friends John & Becky I did make a Risotto with Porcini and other mushrooms. Also made a favorite Asparagus gratin that I found in one of those great cookbooks at
TJ Maxx. In the UK it would be
TK Maxx. It is a great store to just check out if you happen to be near one. Often I found a special cookbook for my friend
Lady Chef Maria Runggaldier from
Ristorante da Maria. She barely gets out of her kitchen so I love to look out for her!
Okay, back to the Risotto... Becky loves it and I was in the mood for it so we invited them to come after work for a family style supper, nothing fancy. Just Risotto; Asparagus Gratin with organic chicken breasts from
Trader Joe's in Atlanta. WISH we had one down here...!
For dessert I simply used the delicious cream puffs from
Costco; they are just super!
Using also my French Christofle Silver Knife Rests...
From Becky I once received these great blue placemats with napkins so I used them for our casual supper. They do blend nicely with the blue plates from Société Céramique Maestricht, in the Boerenhoeve pattern. Of course Boerenhoeve is Dutch for Farmstead and this is transferware from the 1930s—we inherited that from Pieter's Mom.
My sister Diny, did find me a few missing pieces at an antique shop in Limburg, in order to make it usable for a breakfast setting for four or as dessert set. This also was produced in red.
French Baccarat crystal perfume bottle functions as vase...
French Baccarat crystal vase.
Enjoying our Roses!
Shown is a Baccarat perfume bottle with pink Royal Bonica roses; Baccarat vase with white Iceberg Floribunda roses. They are available at
Edmunds' Roses.