It’s been a busy summer, fall, and winter! As we gear into a season of hibernation (hello, hygge life), it’s fun to look back over the last year and compartmentalize every detail into an end-of-year list.
Maybe not every detail. But books, movies, food, drinks…things like that, yeah.
We’re no Obama, but here’s the list of books we (collectively…not as a sister book club, because who has time for that?) read this year:
Living in the midwest affords us plenty of farm-fresh fare. This year, my family re-joined a CSA (community-supported agriculture) at Millsap Farms. We belonged a few years ago, and it was such an amazing experience. Each week we’d receive a box of fruits & vegetables. To offset the cost, we’d work the farm a few days over the season, which was an eye-opening experience. I mean, who even knew what Kohlrabi is!?
This year, we are more hands-off, and the box of produce is delivered to our house, and we paid extra to skip the work hours. But the vegetables still taste oh so delicious! And each week, we’ve been receiving a giant bag of basil and a pint of multi-colored cherry tomatoes. That means one thing: BRUSCHETTA!
Now, I’m no connoisseur. But I do know that I like my bruschetta garlicky, oily, and full of flavor. So here’s how I make mine:
Add basil to tomatoes, drizzle balsamic vinegar to quickly coat the tomatoes. Start with a little, you can add more later.
Chop the drained artichokes into bite-size pieces or smaller. Add to bowl.
Mix everything together.
In a skillet, add a few tablespoons olive oil and the garlic, and heat until just brown. Pour the garlic and oil on top of the tomatoes. Let marinate.
EAT!
I love slicing french bread, buttering it, and toasting it in the oven Or prepare a big bowl of linguini and add this to the top, with a shaving of parmesan cheese. Or just grab a fork and eat straight out of the bowl. Serve with nice mineral-y white wine (I love J’s Pinot Gris), and you got yourself a summer dinner!
Do you have a favorite recipe that you use during an abundance of tomatoes? We’d love to hear!
If you’ve been following along, you know we love to entertain. Part of the fun is menu crafting, deciding what to make from scratch, what to collaborate on with the grocery store, and what to just unpackage and put on a pretty plate.
Last week Stephanie hosted a Bunco party for some friends, and because of her schedule, she didn’t have time to prepare much. But it looked like she did…
There are so many talented and inspiring ladies that we want to meet in our city, so Stephanie has started hosting tea parties at her house, as an excuse to invite them over and get to know them better.
photo by Chuck Travers @ 417Home
They are a fun way to mix & mingle in a unique setting. Stephanie has a large dining table and an even larger collection of mismatched tea cups, which just invites conversation and connection.
Each party is usually on a weekday morning, and caters toward women of every walk of life. It’s not just for ladies who brunch! Mamas, Entrepreneurs, Teachers, Artists, Do-ers, Bloggers, Retirees, 9-to-5ers, you name it.
Of course there’s tea in cute cups, French press coffee, scones, and Prosecco. She doesn’t expect any of her guests to bring something, but every once in a while a quiche or a bottle of Irish Whiskey shows up. They are never turned down.
The last tea was a small affair, twin style. Stephanie invited me (her twin sister), and a set of creative twins who we ABSOLUTELY LOVE and wanted to spend more time with. It was a quiet lovely morning, and I got to hold a brand new baby. Win win!
Want to set up your own tea party? Keep reading for more ideas!
The first time I remember seeing the depiction of Venus de Milo was in the movie “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen“. It left such an impression that when I saw the painting “The Birth of Venus” by Botticelli, I was like, hey! It’s like that scene from the movie!
(Everything always comes back to the movies for us…)
Since that time as a 7-year-old, it remains a painting I still obsess over. Her imperfect and irregular body! Floating on a seashell! Mystery, jealousy, divine! I loved it as a little kid, I love it as a big kid.
Which might explain this recent art purchase by the talented Sarah Jones:
Made me wonder what other Venus-inspired treasures I could add to my collection…
One summer evening, I joined a friend for an outdoor Shakespeare on the Park. It was a beautiful night, they were performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the lawn was packed. My friend had already set up chairs and blankets and as I arrived, she handed me an insulated tumbler.
Ah, thanks, I’m so thirsty! After a big gulp and a little cough, I realized the giant tumbler she gave me was filled with cold white wine. She’s a good friend.
Add a little party to your day. Put light-refracting crystals in your East & West-facing windows, and at the two sleepiest times of day (8am and 5pm), HELLO DISCO!
It’s hard to be in a bad mood when rainbows of light are dancing in your house.
Little tear-drop crystals are easily found at thrift stores, from old chandeliers. Or a strand of glass beads from the craft store. More options below!
Just when you think you’ve figured out your signature cocktail (gimlets for Stephanie, French 76 for Nicole), along comes a potent kick in the pants in the form of refreshment on a hot summer day…or mild Missouri spring…
OF COURSE we’re talking about a Paloma! This simple cocktail of blanco tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda packs a punch, is refreshing, AND pretty to look at.
Despite us growing up in the south, we are not sweet tea fans, or really even iced tea fans. Classic iced tea, at least. Thai Iced Tea…well, that’s a different category of wonderful deliciousness altogether.
The best Thai Iced Teas are sweeter than sweet and a creamy orange tone. Our local thai restaurant makes a mighty fine cup, but some nights, homemade will do…
What to ‘shake’ up your cocktail game? Try the Lychee Martini, recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.
photo via Martha Stewart
Lychees are Asian tree fruits, with red dinosaur-like skin and a subtle grape-like taste and texture. And they make AMAZING cocktail ingredients! We drank these all winter long, despite them being a summer fruit. With access to international markets in town, though, we can enjoy them ALL YEAR LONG!
It tastes high end, when using good vermouth and cold cold vodka. The lychee syrup adds just a touch of sweetness.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add in vodka, vermouth, and lychee juice. Shake well. Strain into 2 martini glasses and garnish each with a lychee fruit.
Other Lychee products to up your cocktail game:
Lychee lattes! Lychee lemonade! Lychee slushies! Oh the possibilities with this Syrup…