Today's Spotlight On: Christmas Open House

E and I decided to host a Christmas Open House this year, which took place on December 20th. We kept it relatively simple, serving mostly appetizers and Christmas cookies and other goodies.The open house was from 3:00pm until 9:00pm, with friends and family stopping in at their leisure and staying as along as they desired. It was a great time to show off the newly completed redecoration of the formal drawing room.

Pictured above; a 3-tier tray filled with Christmas cookies I made and also home-made walnut fudge. Under the glass covered cake stand, a red velvet cake with vanilla icing.


The sideboard really comes in handy for serving! I had purchased some vintage linens for cheap at an antique store last summer. The white embroidered dresser scarf worked well as a cover on the top of the sideboard to protect the wood from scratches, crumbs or spills. In keeping with the decor of the room, I added sprigs of faux holly berries, which matched the dining room table centerpiece and another garland that was draped across the top of the china cabinet (or breakfront, as my great-aunt calls it!). I also used white paper doilies on the serving plates to match the crisp white of the embroidered dresser scarf.




















Another view:














Delicious!














(Above right:) Another antique store find; vintage china dessert plates. I found these at a large antique mall that had many old sets of vintage china, most of them incomplete sets. I found 12 of these pretty plates, which have similar colors to my china and the dining room and I thought they would be of great use as appetizer plates. Best of all, they were 2 for $1.00, so I got all 12 for only $6.00.
I also used heavy paper napkins to make napkin folds called 'buffet servers', which I have the forks tucked into. It's a simple and effective way to allow guests to get both silverware and napkin in one little bundle. It also looks very elegant, even if you are only using paper napkins! I am a big believer in displaying and serving food elegantly. It only adds to the appeal. Quality of food is important, of course, but the way it's displayed is just as important in my opinion.

In keeping with the simple fare, we served coffee, bottled water, soda, wine and a hot Wassail punch for drinks. At left: Bottled water and soda was kept on ice in a galvanized drinks tub I bought from Crate & Barrel.
The vintage silver coffee service has a large sized tray which was perfect for cups and saucers. I used the creamer and sugar bowl from the service, but not the coffee pot. It does not keep coffee very hot, so I used my Krups coffee maker and kept the pot on a warming plate. The silver coffee service has both a coffee pot and a tea pot(which are in the background). I purchased the whole set at an estate sale for only $60. It was black with tarnish when I bought it, but cleaned up beautifully! The hot Wassail punch was served in glass punch cups and kept in a large electric urn (not pictured).

Also on the "menu" but not pictured: fresh fruit, veggie pizza, spinach dip with Cajun pita chips, veggies and dill dip, mini cherry cheesecakes, peanut butter balls and home-made pecan stollen.
The party was excellent and we had a great turn out and everyone enjoyed themselves.

2009!

Happy New Year!

The holidays were crazy and then I was sick with a stomach virus for almost a week, so I have not been able to write any interesting posts lately. I promise I will do so very soon.

Food: Buried Cherry Cookies

With the Christmas holidays coming up fast, I've been busy with decorating, shopping and planning a Christmas open house for Dec. 20th, so I haven't been able to write much in my blog this month.

One of my many holiday "duties" is cookie baking. I don't think it's properly the holidays until the house is filled with the aroma of baking. I thought I'd share one of my favorite cookie recipes here. This cookie would be perfect for any occasion, but I traditionally make them at Christmas and they are always very popular. If you love chocolate, and love cherries....this cookie is for you!

Buried Cherry Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 10 ounce jar (about 48) maraschino cherries
6 oz (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk

In a large bowl, cream butter. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Chill dough if necessary for easy handling. Shape into 1 " balls and place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a deep thumbprint in the center of each ball.
Drain cherries , reserving juice. Place a cherry in each thumbprint. In a small saucepan, combine chocolate chips and the condensed milk and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 tsp. reserved cherry juice. Spoon 1 tsp of frosting over each cherry, covering it completely. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, until edges are firm. Makes about 48.

** I use parchment paper on my cookie sheets for ease in removal. Also, the first time I made the chocolate frosting, it was a little thin. The second time I made it, I didn't use 4 tsp of cherry juice; I used about 2 or 3 tsp and let the mixture cool for a few minutes to thicken before spooning over the cherry. It seemed to work better this way. Also, there will be frosting left over, so I saved it in a tupperware container in the refrigerator and re-used it a few days later when I decided to make another batch of cookies. I just re-heated the frosting in a small saucepan.***

Enjoy!!!

Vintage Voice: Tiffany Girls

Louis Comfort Tiffany's (1848-1933) designs have long been renowned for their artistry and fine attention to detail. Although many such pieces bear his name and represent his vision, he was not the sole force behind the creative process. Many people worked for him without receiving much recognition and one such person was Clara Driscoll.
Specializing in architectural decoration at the Metropolitan Museum Art School in New York City, Driscoll began her career with Tiffany Glass Co.(incorporated in1885) at the age of 26. Tiffany only employed un-married women and widows, so Driscoll left three times due to engagements and marriages, but during her three stints with the firm, she became one of the company's best designers. Her talent for designing the signature leaded-glass lampshades, bases and desk sets was evident in some of her most famous models, including the Dragonfly, Wisteria and Poppy designs.
The women she directed also played key roles in the company's success. At her prime, Driscoll managed 35 women in the women's glass-cutting department. The "Tiffany Girls" were well-suited for this type of work, with their nimble fingers, eye for detail and a penchant for decoration. Many of Tiffany's designs benefitted from a woman's touch. However, they were no strangers to the physical demands, particularly once they were able to cut their own glass.
Unfortunately, Driscoll's dedication and talent went largely un-noticed and the success of her designs resulted in resentment among co-workers. She endured many attempts by male workers to close her department, but she ultimately triumphed. Though forced to limit her staff, she was able to design all the lampshades and small luxury goods, including some windows and mosiacs.
Driscoll worked closely with Louis Tiffany, who was keenly aware of her capabilities and supported her decisions on both design and management matters. Her sensibilities extended beyond the studio; she felt very strongly about the condition of her female employees. Because they had to leave once they were married, Driscoll was always frustrated to lose workers, but even more so when they sacrificed their careers and salaries for less successful husbands. Ultimately, she too decided to end her employment and marry.
If you would like to read more about the Tiffany Girls, you can do so in the book, A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls, by Martin Eidelberg, Nina Gray and Margaret K. Hofer.