Tom and I aspire to be foodies. Or, rather we aspire to always appreciate food. Maybe the word foodie is too weighted these days. Yeah perhaps, merriam webster defines foodie as a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads. We’re not really into trendy food, we just like good food. Yesterday, (perhaps because he was fasting) Tom decided to make, to quote him: “One of the best meals we’ve ever had!” And it was. The menu consisted of fried polenta with marinara for antipasto, pasta and marinara for primo, and balsalmic chicken for secondo, and lemon hazelnut cake for dolce. (To use the italian terms.) The highlight was definitely the marinara. One of the common misconceptions about Italian food is that is uses an abundance of spices- basil, oregano, garlic, parsley, etc. My experience with good Italian food has been quite the contrary- few ingredients cooked to perfection. This marinara was simply some onions and garlic cooked until wilted, diced carrots and celery (the soffriti) and then tomatoes and a bay leaf- cooked for an hour and a half hours. It was amazing. When everything is simmered that long, the ingredients break down, the flavors meld, and it takes on this thick nearly meaty flavor- and yet there is no meat. Mmm. I could eat just the sauce by the spoonfuls. Yum! Thanks Giada for the recipe.

I think this set from Sur la Table is gorgeous.

We enjoyed the meal in courses. I wanted to take pictures but decided not to. My food photography attempts are always thwarted by my green flatware. I love my dishes, but they just weren’t meant for photographing. Food doesn’t look beautiful on them- with exception of perhaps a salad, or creamy potato soup. It’s dinners like these when I start to dream of a beautiful set of white dishes. I feel silly when my mind wanders that way, who cares what one eats on. Well, I do. I love a beautifully set table. I like the idea of having some of my cabinets with glass doors so I could display my dinnerware. I would, however, want it to be a set I could use everyday. Something that would effortlessly add grace and elegance to a table. Something that could be set off by a colorful table cloth, or some fun dishes like these:

Pottery Barn

I’ve often heard it said that you can learn a lot about yourself by analyzing how you spend your money. Especially your “extra money.” (If such a thing exists!) I mean the gift card money- the check that is accompanied by the note, “Spend this on anything you like, but something just for you.” When I think back on my past purchases from such money I’ve realized: I’m a domestic. What have I bought with my birthday and Christmas money the past few years: A bosch, a wheat grinder, shrubs and flowers for my yard, and a chair for my front room. I love living in a beautiful space.

These dishes from William Sonoma are stunning.

(I hesitated before writing that line, because, well, I’m a feminist. However, the past year has helped me realize that what feminism means to me is that I take full advantage of all that femininity brings to the world. I’ll continue to write florid prose. I’ll add beauty to the world through gardening, home decor, and dress. I’ll lend a gentle supporting shoulder to the elderly, I’ll raise confident kind children by showing them that family comes first. But, I digress.)

  I think one of the things that draws me to beautiful dinnerware is the concept of creating beauty and celebrating life everyday. A simple salad can feel fancy and full of love when presented artistically on a plate. (I choose my ingredients as much for their color as I do for their taste.) I recently read a book called “The Artist Way.” It was one of those lightbulb books that opens your mind in a whole new way. She spoke to artists and creators in any genre, she started to list off some: Painters, writers, musicians, homemakers. . . What?! Homemakers?. . . Of course! Ever since I’ve felt a new freedom to be a creator as a mother. To create an atmosphere, create memories, create opportunities, create beauty.

Thanks for letting me wax on about dinnerware. This is what happens to the blog when I don’t get as many opportunities to chat about girly matters with my sisters.