Rosanna's Table Talk

Holiday Decorating Ideas

2011-12-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

The winter holidays have arrived! One of my favorite parts of the season is transforming a space into something festive and new with holiday decor. Whether you’re decorating simply to capture the holiday spirit, or preparing for a special event, here are some holiday decorating techniques equally lovely for both.

To read these tips, visit the new home of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com

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Holiday Gift-Giving Etiquette from Anna Post

2011-12-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

Recently I was able to meet Anna Post. Naturally our conversation turned to the similar philosophies of etiquette, entertaining, and creating traditions. I am honored that she accepted my request to write a guest post for Table Talk about holiday etiquette. Her advice is both contemporary and timeless. Thank you Anna.

Compliments of the

Emily Post Institute

It was my pleasure to recently visit Seattle for the first time while there to promote my new book, “Emily Post’s Etiquette, 18^th Edition.” One of the highlights was a trip to Rosanna, Inc. and the wonderful opportunity to sit down with owner Rosanna Bowles. Rosanna was kind enough to show me her world—and I found our opinions on entertaining, traditions and kindness to be very much in tandem. Rosanna’s beautiful creations represent easy elegance, entertaining for the pleasure of bringing people together and the values of tradition. These are also the goals of etiquette.

To read Anna's complete Q & A, visit the new home of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com.

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My Holiday Rituals

2011-12-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

In the third of our Holiday Entertaining Series Collaborative posts between Rosanna's Table & Family Eats, we look at the Tradition of Christmas. Be sure to gather ideas and delicious recipes from the Family Eats article, Celebrating the Art of Giving: Gifts from the Kitchen.

The winter months give us many opportunities to establish traditions that can last for generations. The repetition of traditions and rituals helps us grow roots; it allows us to take part in the legacy spanning many generations. When we practice a tradition, we are in fact linking ourselves to the chain of human history, providing a continuation of the kind of life that humans have lived since the beginning of civilization.

Our family traditions begin when we decorate the Christmas tree. I make hot toddies (see recipe below) and my mother's Christmas sugar cookies. I play a variety of Christmas music, including jazz renditions sung by Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, and classical pieces by Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. For my family, this night represents the beginning of winter holiday festivities. Together we transform the house, and when we're finished, we find ourselves surrounded by the magical beauty of the holidays.

For the hot toddie recipe, as well as the rest of this article, please visit the new location of Rosanna's Table at rosannastable.blogspot.com

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Caramel Cake

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

By Rosanna's eldest daughter, Alessandra Wollner

For my 13th birthday, my mother made an extraordinary cake. I can’t recall why she decided to make this particular cake for that particular birthday, but after she did, there was no going back. Since the advent of my thirteenth birthday, I’ve had a decade to explore the vast realm of birthday cake prospects. Despite the staggering array of options, I’ve stayed faithful to one cake. Without fail, I have demanded and enjoyed the same extraordinary cake on every birthday since my 13th.

What makes this cake special is the pitch perfect way in which the flavors harmonize with each other. The salty, sweet, buttery notes of the caramel frosting melt into the slightly savory, nutty essence of the cake crumb. My mother has awarded this cake with the highest accolade she bestows on food, calling it “Ambrosia of the Gods.” My great grandmother just called it Caramel Cake.

For the complete recipe, as well as the continuation of this blog post, please visit the new location of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com.

Women In Business

2011-10-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

A few days ago I did some simple math, and I made a shocking discovery. I have spent just about half my life as an entrepreneur. When I look back at the trail I’ve blazed since starting Rosanna Inc., I see the hundreds of experiences, lessons, and people who have helped me pave my way. In reflecting, I also think about what the world looked like nearly thirty years ago when I began my business. Back then, it was no small feat for women to find a job. And a woman becoming an entrepreneur? Nearly unheard of!

Photo compliments of
Shelly Oberman Photography

All of this musing wasn’t simply for the sake of taking stock. I was revisiting my memories for a reason. A few months ago, I became a finalist for a business award specifically for Northwest women entrepreneurs. The nomination presented me with a privilege and a challenge: to craft an inspirational speech addressed to my fellow women entrepreneurs.

To read the complete story as well as excerpts from my speech, please visit Rosanna's Table Talk's new location at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com.

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Diner En Blanc

2011-10-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

As the last traces of summertime disappeared into the fast approaching autumn, a group gathered in historic Gasworks Park for a magical evening of food and friendship. The ingredients were unusual enough catch the attention of a few hundred Seattleites: secrecy, creativity, synchronization, camaraderie, delicacies, and champagne. We were also instructed to dress a certain way: all in white.

I’m talking about Seattle’s very own, and very first, Dîner en Blanc (French for Dinner in White). The original Dîners began in France in 1988. Since then, Dîners have been happening all throughout Paris. Recently, food and performance art enthusiasts have orchestrated their own Dîners, far from the Seine and the clanging bells of Notre Dame Cathedral. The New York Times even ran
an article about the event, which came to Seattle, WA this summer.

For the complete story, please visit the new location of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com.

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Halloween Entertaining For Kids & Adults Alike

2011-10-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Many of you have already been introduced to our friends at Family Eats. Today we’ve partnered with them to create blog entries about Halloween Entertaining. Please make sure to read the Halloween Entertaining: Slow Sundays Goes Halloween post on their blog. It has great tips for planning party food, setting the mood, and getting your kids involved in the preparation. There are some great food tips & recipes. Look for us to partner together again in the near future.

Halloween Décor

There are so many ways to decorate for Halloween beyond putting a jack-o-lantern on the stoop. The natural beauty of the fall season is plentiful and easy to infuse into your décor. Select beautiful gourds, squash, and fall leaves to adorn your home. Haystacks, kindly scarecrows, and lush fall wreaths can also be added into the warm earth tones of the season.

To read the full article, with full tips and recipes, please visit the new location of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com

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Pasta Bowls & Healthy Foods Make Easy Entertaining

2011-10-03T12:14:00.000-07:00

With fall comes cooler temperatures and a desire to prepare our nest for the cold winter months. We have a natural tendency to want to stay inside more as the days get shorter. Being inside doesn't mean we need to feel isolated or away from the world. In fact, now is the perfect time to have friends and family over for an informal gathering.

Rosanna Canvas Totes

As the summer growing season comes to an end, we must take advantage of our last opportunities to find local fresh fruits and vegetables. Fall is a great time to head to the farmers market. Recently I made a trip to my local farmers' market and filled my Rosanna Canvas Tote with delicious fresh tomatoes. I like to prepare fresh tomato sauce for my pasta when local tomatoes are at their peak, then freeze it in individual containers for use during the winter months. It makes a quick go-to meal for my family, and gives me the assurance that it is healthy too.

To read the rest of this entry, and view my tomato sauce recipe, please visit the new home of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com.

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Life Mirrors Art Mirrors Life--WE'VE MOVED

2011-09-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I was contacted by a creative food artist who calls herself "Fairly Odd Mother". She had an ambitious idea that really sparked my imagination, to replicate my Tea For Me, Too teaset using food. I'm always one to foster creativity, and I was very interested in how my colorful stoneware mini tea set would translate into an edible food medium.

She posted her creation on her blog yesterday, and the result is certainly something that I had to write about. Using everything from ice cream cones to chocolate, and fondant to gum paste, her interpretation of Tea For Me, Too is spot on.

To see her creation and read the rest of my post, please point your browser to the new location of Rosanna's Table Talk at http://rosannastable.blogspot.com. Thank you.

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5th Annual Tablescape Contest Honorable Mentions--WE'VE MOVED

2011-09-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

The Tablescape Contest produced so many wonderfully inspiring stories and photos this year that I couldn't let an opportunity pass to share many more of them with you.

Adelle Belnap's Treehouse Teatime is imaginative and provides a touching story. In her words:

"I spend every day with my children. We rarely have time apart. . .

To read the rest of this story and see the other Honorable Mentions, please click here to be redirected to the new location for Rosanna's Table Talk.

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5th Annual Tablescape Winners---WE'VE MOVED

2011-09-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

The winners of the 5th Annual Tablescape have just been announced. Rosanna's Table Talk blog has moved to the following link, www.rosannastable.blogspot.com. Please visit the new location to view the winning tablescapes and read my future posts.

All of my previous posts have been migrated to my new blog location. Please don't forget to bookmark the new location in your browser's favorites, and if you subscribe to the blog as an RSS feed, please update the feed to the new location as well.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our social media contact at ftrosanna@rosannainc.com.

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The Bowl: A Vessel For Tradition

2011-09-06T14:16:00.001-07:00

Bowls are among the oldest vessels found by archeologists, dating back thousands of years, and continue to be used daily across the globe, from morning meals through evening dinners. Because bowls are the items we use most in the kitchen, I designed two sets of daily bowls, with the hopes that you could use these bowls to begin family traditions and rituals.

The Comfort Food Bowls Collection

The Comfort Food bowls are a hearty bowl, perfect for serving vegetables, grains, popcorn, and everything from hot soups to ice cream without any worry of cracking or crazing. They are made of a sturdy stoneware which is dishwasher and microwave safe, great for everyday family use. The colors are rich, earth tones and remind us to eat healthy.

I designed the Comfort Food bowls while thinking about the Lentil Soup my mother used to make us from scratch when I was a child. I felt my mother’s care and love each time she made the soup, as it warmed my body and my heart, and gave me proper nutrition.

Fall temperatures are just around the corner, and most of us crave warm meals as the temperatures drop. Use these bowls to start your own family tradition of a Soup Night, by making your own nutritious soup from scratch, and gathering the family around the table to share it.

Another childhood tradition that I’ve carried on to my own children is Family Movie Night. When I was younger, my grandmother would make popcorn the old fashioned way on the stove in a pan, while we watched a movie. I wanted a bowl that was the perfect size and perfect portion for Family Movie Night with my daughters, so I created the Rosanna Bowls.

The Rosanna Bowls Collection

The Rosanna Bowls can lead to a variety of family traditions—whether it is a Popcorn Night, Ice Cream Night, chips & salsa, berries, or another tasty snack—make a tradition around coming together as a family, eating healthy, and spending time together.

These bowls were so important to me when I designed them that I named them The Rosanna Bowls, as a play on my name, Rosanna Bowles. They are my go-to bowl in my own kitchen, and over the past few years have been brought back season after season due to their popularity.

So as fall signals a return to our daily rituals of work and school, let it also signal a time for new and continued family traditions. You can make every day special by starting your own family traditions today!

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Note: If you’d like to try my mother’s delicious Lentil Soup, you can find it on page 131 of my book, Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions. Also, my Homemade Popcorn in a Pan recipe can be found on page 49.

If you'd like to find out more about my Comfort Food & Rosanna Bowls, as well as tips for creating family traditions, visit Rosanna TV: Episode 1, on my YouTube Channel at www.youtube.com/RosannasTable.

Traditions Transcending Generations

2011-08-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, I always looked forward to my father’s New York business trips. He never returned home empty-handed. Without fail, he came bearing treats from Veniero’s.

Veniero’s Pasticceria and Caffe opened in 1894 on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. My father grew up in Stuyvesant town around the corner. His Italian mother passed her love of Italian confections early on to him, and as a result, my father haunted Veniero’s throughout his childhood and young adulthood. In turn, my father passed this taste onto his daughters.

Although we lived all the way across the country in Portland, OR, Veniero’s became an important fixture in our family life. My father's favorites became our favorites, which we then passed on to our children. To this day, extended family Christmas celebrations are not complete without Anise Toast, Pignoli (pine nut) cookies, and the famous Veniero’s cookie tray.

I cherish Veniero’s. This old world café, with its stamped copper ceilings and long glass display cases filled with ornate Italian pastries and the scent of freshly baked biscotti, has played an important role in the story of our family. This place was part of my father’s, my own, and now my daughters' childhoods. It is a place that connects us to the life my grandparents lived in old New York. It is a place to take a small family pilgrimage. For the sake of my family and the many others for whom Veniero’s has a similar significance, I hope their business continues to flourish for generations to come.

Passing rituals down through the generations is a vital way to keep family bonds strong and healthy. If your family has a tradition already, continue to carry the torch. If not, take some time to reflect on some thing or place you cherish, and consider introducing it to your family, thereby making it a part of your family story.

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Come Together. Right Now.

2011-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

With the economy swinging high and low once again, the United States finds itself uncertain about which way the financial situation is going to go. The result? Much anxiety and increased stress.

These emotions can be traced back to one fundamental emotion: fear. Fear is amplified by isolation—keeping feelings inside, withdrawing from the people who love us and losing ourselves in our problems.

So, I think it’s time for us to take a cue from the Beatles. We need to come together. Right now.

The importance of coming together is nothing new. Those of you who follow my blog and collect Rosanna product know that I always have been a staunch advocate of coming together and creating community.

In this post, I want to suggest a few specific ways to come together that reveal the resources and community available right at your fingertips.

Courtesy: John Granen Photography

Visit Popular Public Spaces

I don’t mean shopping malls or downtown centers. Find the place in your community that most closely resembles the Italian piazza—a place where people gather to visit with friends and neighbors and spend time in the company of each other.

In Seattle we have Greenlake, a green space constantly peopled by joggers, bikers, roller-bladers, strollers, and plenty of babies and dogs.

University campuses are also often lively, featuring free concerts, lectures, performances, and readings. The presence of students lounging on the lawns and playing Frisbee can be a heartening sight.

Attend summer concerts or plays in the parks; also look out for outdoor movies.

Take advantage of the warm weather and visit a local beach! Lakes, rivers, or the ocean are full of good feeling, places where people lounge, visit, swim, and play.

Create Community

Bringing friends and neighbors together doesn’t have to entail a full-blown dinner party. To create an impromptu get together, try hosting a low-pressure gathering—

A glass of wine or beer and snacks at sunset

A bonfire after dinner

An ice cream party (which requires no cooking or prep work!)

If you do decide to host a meal—make it a BBQ. Encourage everyone to bring something to grill; with each guest pitching in, you’re more like a facilitator, freed from burdens of a full-blown host.

Carve Out Family Time

Come together with your family by starting a tradition. It could be something as simple as reading a chapter book to your children at bedtime. The longer story guarantees continuity. The activity can be just as soothing for parents as it can be for children.

It’s extraordinary how comforting a little bit of support can feel. All you have to do is ask for it, or offer it yourself. Be proactive about creating a space where connection can happen for yourself and others. Take the first steps and come together. We all feel better when we do.

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Homemade Noodles Made Our Perfect Pasta Night

2011-08-11T12:07:00.001-07:00

A few evenings ago, we were hosting relatives of my husband, visiting from Italy.

They insisted on preparing an authentic Italian dinner. I knew I was in for quite a treat—both in the food, as well as the time spent together during the preparation.

Sara began by making homemade pasta noodles from scratch. Using the simplest of ingredients—flour, egg, and a lot of love---she carefully created the dough.

My daughter, Francesca, assisted by rolling the dough flat. The preparation of this dinner quickly became a family event, and allowed us time to converse and laugh together.

When it was ready, the dough was cut into perfect fettucini-size pasta noodles.

I decided to get involved by making a delicious tomato sauce from a family recipe.

After warming everything, we married the pasta and tomato sauce together and refrains of "manga, manga" were being spoken throughout the kitchen, as everyone was eager to sit together and eat.

The time we spent together preparing the meal, as well as enjoying it was sublime. Connecting with family in the kitchen during the preparation of a meal, and then sharing that meal together around the table, truly creates memories and meaning.

While not everyone has Italian relatives with a family pasta recipe or the preparation time to make homemade noodles, fresh noodles can be found at nearly every grocery store and at many farmers markets.

I encourage you to have a family pasta night. Get the family involved in making a salad, some garlic bread, and setting a beautiful table. That's exactly why I designed my Pasta Italiana Collection. The large serving bowl and pasta bowls make it easy for families to start the tradition of "Pasta Night". The 4 individual designs on the pasta bowls include hand-scribed pasta recipes. The greens, reds, and whites in the design combine beautifully with the colors of your family's favorite pasta.

To help get you started, I'd like to share my homemade tomato sauce recipe with you. Enjoy!

Tomato Sauce
serves 4

1 large carrot

2 ribs celery with leaves

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

½ good-quality extra-virgin olive oil

2 (28 ounce) cans San Marzano Roma tomatoes

1 teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon sugar (if necessary)

½ cup heavy cream

Pinch of pepperoncini, or hot red pepper flakes

Dice the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic (this can also be done in a food processor).

Put the oil in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped vegetables to the pan and sauté over medium heat until just soft, about 5 minutes.

Puree the tomatoes in a food processor, then add them to the pan. Add the salt, and sugar If necessary (I find that the San Marzanos are usually sweet enough on their own). Let the sauce simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the cream and simmer gently for 30 minutes; do not boil, or the sauce could curdle. Add the pepperoncini, then serve over pasta.

Note: This sauce is a great base sauce that can also be modified with meat, other vegetables, or vodka for variation.

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Blackberry Biscuits--A Perfect Summer Treat

2011-08-05T13:05:00.000-07:00

In keeping with the blog’s recent theme of healthy eating, I wanted to share a summer dessert recipe for Blackberry Biscuits that hit the Big Three:

It’s easy,

it’s local,

and it’s healthy.

…and did I mention it’s delicious?

This is a dessert that can be prepared in the time it takes to wash the dinner dishes, put away the leftovers, and make tea. It’s a very low-maintenance endeavor.

Picking the blackberries yourself fulfills the local part of the dessert. Substituting whole wheat mix for white flour mix, and a dollop of luscious non-fat Greek yogurt for whipped cream makes this dish delicious without the guilt of over-indulgence.

The perfumey delicacy of the blackberry compote pairs perfectly with a cup of lemon verbena-lavender tea, which you can make by simply boiling some lavender blossoms and verbena leaves over high heat.

Have I sold you yet? In case you need more convincing, here’s the recipe:

Blackberry Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

For the compote

3 cups ripe blackberries

1/4 -1/2 cup sugar, honey, or agave (the amount of sweetener will vary depending on the ripeness of your berries)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the biscuits

1 package whole-wheat biscuit/pancake mix

Milk

Butter

(read the back to see what your specific mix calls for)

For yogurt

1 container plain 0% Greek yogurt

DIRECTIONS

-Prepare biscuit batter according the instructions on the package

-Put in oven to bake

-Wash berries

-Pour into to a small saucepan over med-low heat

-Stir in sweetener, lemon juice, and a little water

-Simmer gently until the berries liquefy and begin to thicken, 10-15 minutes

-Slice baked biscuits in half, place one biscuit in a bowl, ladle yogurt in and pour the blackberry compote on top.

-Savor or devour, according to your preference.

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Teaching Children Healthy Habits

2011-08-02T15:57:00.001-07:00

Photos courtesy of

John Granen Photography

Can you hear it? The wind of change is rustling the branches of the apple trees and garlic shoots in backyards across America. Our county is thinking seriously about the connection between living well and eating well. If you aren’t convinced that this phenomenon is indeed a national one, look no further than the White House. At the helm of the movement is Michelle Obama who is educating the nation about childhood obesity with her Let’s Move! Campaign and getting her hands dirty the White House garden. The New York Times is running articles about the Permaculture movement, organizations like Family Eats and Oldways are going full steam ahead, and Edible Schoolyards are popping up in elementary schools across the nation.

New ideas are fluttering and buzzing through America’s cultural consciousness like so many brightly colored butterflies and busy bumblebees. As promising as all of this is, how do we net these ideas and transform them into action in our daily lives? It’s not hard at all. There are any number of (figurative) seeds you can plant to help this movement grow, many of which can involve your children.

Bring Your Kids to the Farmer's Market

Teach your children that produce doesn’t grow in the supermarket. To really drive that point home, have your children talk to the farmers. These individuals are not only food cultivators; they can also function as teacher for city kids whose experience with gardens may be limited to the 2^nd grade field trip to a farm or the county fair.

Take a Field Trip to a “Pick Your Own Berries” Farm

Small farming communities exist an hour or so away from many large urban centers. Make a day trip to one of these regions and spend an afternoon harvesting blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries with your children. Go home and bake a pie, or cook up a batch of preserves. Outings like these help our children develop a more meaningful connection to the food they eat.

Plant a Garden

It’s not too late! If you don’t have a yard with space to garden, consider container gardening on a terrace or a windowsill. Buy semi-mature vegetable plants and herbs at your local nursery, or even at the drugstore. Now is the perfect time to start planning your fall/winter garden. Look up which crops grow well in your area and are good to plant for the fall and winter. Gardening with children and watching plants grow together can be a great delight and invaluable bonding activity.

Have Healthy Snacks On Hand

During the summer months when school’s out, stock your fridge and pantry with healthy snacks for hungry kids. Kids especially love crunchy foods—carrots, celery, apples, cucumbers, and snap peas can be big hits—especially when paired with hummus or a creamy yogurt dip. Salted nuts and seeds are great for satisfying a salt craving. Take advantage of the summer bounty and introduce your children to nature’s candy—peaches, berries, plums, apricots, and all the delicious hybrids under the sun. You can even puree these with yogurt and a little honey and turn them into ice pops for hot days.

Teach Kids to Cook

Introduce a few healthy recipes featuring fresh produce as a fun summer activity. Hummus is an easy, quick recipe, as are smoothies. Involving your kids in cooking is another great bonding activity. I remember “cooking” with my mother when I was a very little girl, and how the thrill of being fed little nibbles of raw vegetables with a grind of sea salt even made raw cauliflower seem like a Big Treat.

Incorporate Veggies into Tasteful Meals

Trick little ones into eating their vegetables! Well-seasoned veggie stir-frys, summer pastas with sautéed vegetables, and fruit salads are wonderful ways to introduce fruits and vegetables to picky eaters.

Fruit is in the trees, vegetables are on the vine, and change is in the air. Summer is here. The time is ripe for you and your children to reap the benefits.

Here are a few recipes to help get you started.

Yogurt Dip

3 cups whole-milk yogurt

1 cup packed fresh mint leaves

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

Drain yogurt in a paper-towel-lined sieve set over a bowl, chilled, 3 hours.

Pulse all ingredients in a blender until mint is finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and chill, covered, at least 3 hours.

Hummus

Makes about 1 cup of hummus

1 cup canned chickpeas

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)

1 small garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Cucumber, sliced

Cherry tomatoes, quartered

Carrot sticks

Process the garlic in the food processor until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and pulse until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and carrots for dipping.

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Family Eats--Encouraging Healthy Family Eating Habits

2011-07-28T12:29:00.001-07:00

Credit: AP/Meredith Corp.

This past week I have noticed many articles about eating healthy. This past Sunday, the New York Times had an article in their Sunday Review about what it will take to get America to eat healthier. This month’s Better Homes & Gardens featured First Lady Michelle Obama with ideas on helping children eat healthy. This seems to be a growing trend, and over the last few months I have connected with a few organizations that I believe echo the same philosophy that I spoke of in Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide To Creating Family Traditions; those of sitting down together as a family for dinner, living mindfully, eating locally produced seasonal foods, and truly connecting one with another.

Family Eats & I connected to share ideas recently, and I’m proud to introduce them to our readers.

Rosanna: Much of the Family Eats mission is to help others learn about the importance of sitting around the table as a family during mealtime. What advice do you have for people trying to start this daily ritual?

Family Eats: Numerous studies have confirmed that families who eat together at least once a week are healthier – both physically and emotionally. But despite this, many families continue to be caught in an endless cycle of running, running, running. Running to work. Running to a soccer game. Running to everything except dinner with the family.

Our goal at Family Eats is to help readers reconnect with the food we eat and the families we love. But it takes a commitment to do so. It takes a commitment to slow down and make the effort to gather around the table, whether it is for dinner, breakfast or lunch.

Photos Courtesy of
John Granen Photography

Because the transition from eating on the run to eating around the table may seem daunting, Family Eats suggests taking ‘baby steps.’ Choose one day a week to sit down at the table for dinner, and keep that ‘date’ for several weeks running. Be it Sunday dinner or Friday night (homemade) pizza and a movie, after a few weeks, it will become a habit. Then you’ll be more likely to take another small step to gather for another meal together. Eventually, gathering around the table will turn into a great family tradition.

And, if dinnertime is too much of a commitment, then try something else – breakfast on Saturday morning, teatime on the weekends, or a packed lunch enjoyed in the park mid week.

Yes, memories can be made on the soccer field, but true connections are made at the table. Start the tradition today!

Rosanna: In the olden days neighbors used to stop by for a cup of coffee and for a visit. Our lives seem so fast-paced that this practice has nearly disappeared. What recommendations do you have for “spontaneous entertaining”?

Family Eats: Just the other day while Greg was out front watering the garden, he ran into some friends returning from the library and invited them to come on in. When I offered them something to drink and eat, they refused, saying that they didn’t want to intrude.

The ritual of dropping by – or spontaneous entertaining – shouldn’t be an intrusion, rather it should be treated as a celebration, a time to connect with friends and neighbors. Unfortunately, I think the joy of spontaneous entertaining is something our society has lost.

Gathering with friends and family on a moment’s notice is about building community, building relationships and building memories. When it comes to offering food for guests, it doesn’t have to be anything complicated requiring much preparation, just something simple such as crackers and cheese, premade pastries or cookies that are stored in the freezer, or chopped fruit and nuts. My mother always has some sort of baked goods in the freezer ready for whomever it is that stops by, even it is me.

Welcoming guests into your homes for a bit of spontaneous entertaining doesn’t require too much effort – just a bit of planning. If you routinely keep your home stocked with healthy foods for yourself and your family, then you’re all stocked and ready to welcome whoever may stop by.

Rosanna: Please share some practical tips on how to integrate healthy eating into our children’s everyday menu?

Family Eats: It is very hard for parents to fight the ‘healthy eating versus junk food’ battle with their children. But a lifetime of healthy eating habits starts at home, which is why a discussion about food needs to be a continual discussion you have with your children.

We don’t lecture our kids about food, demonizing snacks and candy, but rather make them aware of the goodness that can be found in certain foods, and how they can help the body grow. (You know, the old ‘carrots are good for your eyesight,’ type of discussion.)

It is also important to surround your children with good food choices. Having a kitchen stocked with healthy choices, and making meals at home is a great way to involve the children in the discussion about foods. Because children learn from all their parents do, it is important to make healthy choices yourself, so that you send a message to them that food is important.

And, when it comes to snacking, we don’t keep cupboards stocked with an endless supply of boxed cookies, crackers, chips and other convenience foods, allowing them to grab a handful whenever they want. Instead, we have set specific times for meals and snacks. I plan what and when snack time will be, then give them a specific portion of snack.

Because my children are young, I feel it is essential that I make the choices for them, guiding them to make better decisions. And, yes, I do allow them to enjoy ‘unhealthy’ snacks from time to time. It just isn’t an option on a daily basis.

We always have fresh fruit available, and prepare cut vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumbers or red peppers ahead of time, and place them on a plate with a dipping sauce or hummus and crackers during late afternoon snack. On occasion, I make muffins or scones in the morning to serve for both breakfast and as an afternoon snack.

We talk about choices, we offer variety, and make healthy food choices a part of our every day lives. Now I find the kids starting food conversations among themselves at the dinner table. They ask for olive oil to dip their bread into instead of butter. They participate in a “Who can make the largest crunch with their carrot” competitions, ask for juicy apples in the afternoon, and tell me that they’d like my homemade granola bars in their school lunch the next day.

I feel that this is because we have had discussions about food on a continual basis. And by making the connection with food a positive experience, I feel confident that they will be equipped to make better decisions when they are away from home.

Rosanna: How often do you serve your family vegetarian meals? Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

Family Eats: We try to incorporate vegetarian meals at least once a week into our menu. However, it doesn’t always turn out that way, partly because I don’t always have it in me to fight the vegetable fight with the kids.

With that said, we have made an effort to cut back on our consumption of meat, trying new recipes with the goal to incorporate more meat-free meals each week. In the process, the family has enjoyed more grains, beans, and vegetables. And, I haven’t heard them comment, “Is this all we’re having?”

It was hard to do at first, but once we made the decision to do so and followed through with it for a few weeks, it became habit. It is still a challenge from time to time, but it is a challenge that I think is well worth it.

Family Eats' delicious Greek white
bean soup. Click photo for
recipe.

Some of our favorites are quick, easy and familiar meals such as a vegetable stir fry, a Greek white bean soup, and Grilled Cheese with Smoked Mozzarella and Basil.

Another one of our favorite recipes is for Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles, and one I have enjoyed ever since I interviewed Helen Chen for Family Eats. It appears in her book Easy Asian Noodles (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2010). It is a quick and easy recipe to prepare, and one that is a hit with my peanut-butter loving kids.

1 lb. Chinese wheat or egg noodles, or thin spaghetti

3 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp raw sesame seeds

½ cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup canned chicken broth, warmed

3 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp chili-garlic sauce, or to taste

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp thinly sliced scallions

1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

½ seedless cucumber, shredded

¼ lb snow pees, ends snapped off, strings removed, parboiled 15

seconds, drained, rinse in cold water and shredded

1 medium carrot, shredded

¼ cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil and stir in the noodles. Cook until a little more tender than al dente. Drain and rinse noodles under cool water. Drain again and toss with 1 tbsp sesame oil, place in large bowl, and set aside.

Toast sesame seeds in ungreased pan. Transfer all but 1 tbsp of seeds to a mortar and pestle and crush until most of seeds are broken.

In a small bowl, blend the peanut butter with the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, chili-garlic sauce, and sugar into a smooth paste. Stir in 1 tbsp of the scallions, the ginger and crushed sesame seeds. Cover until ready to use.

When ready to serve, gently toss the noodles with the cucumber, snow peas, carrot, peanut sauce and cilantro, if using, and the remaining 2 tbsp scallions. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds.

Note: I leave out the chili garlic sauce and allow anyone who wants, to add to bowls individually.

Rosanna: Your recent blog post is titled, “Gathering Around The Table in Style: The Table and its Cloth”. Share with our readers how your use of table setting has encouraged family traditions.

Family Eats: The ritual of setting the table – with dinnerware and not to-go containers – is an essential part of creating a family tradition. Even if you bring a take-out dinner home, transfer the meal to serving dishes and set the table.

Simple table decorations set the stage for a pleasant dinnertime experience. Whether it is the everyday placemat with the day-to-day dishes, a holiday table decorated with Grandma’s tablecloth and set with themed dinnerware, or a small vase filled with flowers, creating an enjoyable atmosphere in which to eat is important.

I love my collection of tablecloths, but we don’t always use them (I’d be washing it every night!). When not covered with a cloth, I try to have something on the table that has a story to it. Sometimes it is a vase filled with flowers cut from the garden. Other times it is a casserole served in the cazuela I bought while in Portugal years ago, my grandmother’s covered glass bowl in the shape of a chicken, or olive oil and vinegar cruets from Italy. These little appointments make the table feel like home – and that is a wonderful tradition to have.

Rosanna: What are your must-haves in the house for healthy eating?

Family Eats: A well-stocked pantry is essential for healthy eating. If you’ve nothing in the cupboards, then you’ll tend to grab whatever you can find to munch on – and most likely it will not be a healthy choice.

I am a perimeter shopper, buying a lot of bulk foods – from rice to beans and grains. They are a versatile way to mix things up for dinner – and, when you have these items on hand, you’ll be ready to create a wide variety of healthy mealtime options from bean soup to barley salad or quinoa cakes. Other essentials for the kitchen include a healthy dose of olive oil, garlic, and spices, which can also help transform the mundane dinner into something different. As well, I keep a couple of cans of San Marzano tomatoes on hand. They are great for making a quick salsa when you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, are the perfect addition to a slow cooked pot roast tacos, as well as the go-to choice for creating great sauces, including my new favorite, Rosanna’s Tomato Vodka sauce.

Don’t forget the produce aisle. Although perishable, it is essential to have a healthy dose of fruits and veggies on hand, especially when they are prepared and ready to eat. If you shop on Saturday, make Sunday the day you wash up the veggies and chop them for the new few days. When they’re prepared and ready to eat, you’ll be more likely to grab them for a snack or a meal.

Finally, and perhaps the most important ingredient to have on hand to ensure calm nerves in the kitchen, is some chocolate. I enjoy breaking off chunks from a bar of bittersweet chocolate, or, when I find some time alone, I indulge in one (or two) of Fran’s Chocolates Smoked Salt Caramels.

While we were talking, Family Eats also asked me a few questions. To read their interview of me, and find my delicious and healthy vodka sauce recipe, visit the Family Eats blog. For more information about Family Eats, visit their website at http://www.familyeats.net/. They also have a Facebook page and a Twitter page.

www.rosannainc.com

A New Discovery of Oldways

2011-07-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: what we eat, how we eat it, and with whom we eat have a significant impact on our health, well being, and sense of community. These notions have provided the foundation for our design philosophy at Rosanna from the start. They are also the heart and soul of my book, Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions So imagine my surprise when I discovered the same core values in another book, The Oldways Table: Essays and Recipes from the Culinary Think Tank by K. Dun Gifford and Sara Baer-Sinnott. These two founded and run Oldways, the self-described “food think tank.” I was intrigued by their work, especially as it applies to the Mediterranean Food Pyramid. The book was so compelling that I contacted Oldways to find out more. Dun passed away last year, but Sara continues with Oldways and was gracious enough to grant me an interview to explore their approach to eating well. I hope you find these answers as educational and inspiring as I did.

Rosanna: What is the bio mission of Oldways? What is its purpose?

Sara Baer-Sinnott: Oldways was founded by K. Dun Gifford, a food enthusiast and advocate in 1990. Dun began Oldways as an educational organization to combat the rising prevalence of “pseudo foods” that were taking over the marketplace. He saw that poor eating habits and chronic disease were spreading he wanted to change the way people ate—the base of our mission still today. He began with the idea that if he could bring people back to the table, reintroduce them to the ‘old ways’ and revive the healthful pleasures of real food he could make a difference and collectively we could change the way people eat.

Although Dun passed away a year ago and many things have changed since 1990, our work continues and his mission lives on through our educational programs including the Whole Grains Council and Mediterranean Foods Alliance.

Rosanna: What is the Mediterranean diet? Why is it beneficial to one's health?

Sara: The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating based on the traditional foods (and drinks) of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The Mediterranean Diet is not a diet, as in “go on a diet,” even though it is a great way to lose weight or improve your health. Rather, it is a lifestyle – including foods, activities, meals with friends and family, and wine in moderation with meals. It has been consistently reported to promote good health. The health benefits are endless, from cardiac to brain function, this tried and true way of life looks at total health and well-being. U.S. News & World Report recently announced their ranking of top diets and named the Med diet as one of the best overall diets. The Traditional Mediterranean Diet, has at its core vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, peanuts, herbs, spices, and healthy fats such as those found in olive oil; fish, poultry and lean red meat; cheese and yogurt; and moderate amounts of wine. Other vital elements of the Mediterranean Diet are daily exercise, sharing meals with others, and fostering a deep appreciation for the pleasures of eating healthy and delicious foods.

In 1993, as a way to help people bring this diet to life, we developed the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. Throughout the years we have introduced modified versions of this pyramid. And have developed alternative traditional diet pyramids for other cultures including an Asian Diet Pyramid, Latin American Diet Pyramid, a Vegetarian Diet Pyramid and we will actually be introducing an African Heritage Pyramid this November, which is very exciting for us!

Rosanna: What are the most important steps to take to begin eating more healthy? Is there a step by step plan? Are there specifics--i.e. what does one need in their refrigerator and pantry to start this process?

Sara: Taking small steps can be the best way to make positive, healthy changes. We are all creatures of habit so it is important to not let yourself feel overwhelmed by an instant overhaul, you should nurture yourself and enjoy the process. At Oldways we offer simple steps to help with better health. It's important to keep meals simple and easy, aim for making every meal taste great, and to eat nourishing foods that promote satiety. We outline these 8 simple steps to help people learn how to adopt the Mediterranean eating pattern: Eat lots of vegetables; Change the way you think about meat and if you eat it, add small amounts to vegetable sautés or use as a garnish for a dish a pasta; always eat breakfast; eat seafood twice a week; cook a vegetarian meal one night a week, and then aim for two nights a week; use healthy fats in daily meals, especially extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, peanuts, seeds, olives, and avocados. In addition, we encourage consumers to discover the wide variety of delicious Mediterranean foods at the supermarket and learn how to routinely break old habits and make healthy substitutions. For example, buy Greek yogurt and use that instead of sour cream; sample different varieties of hummus, find your favorites, and use that in place of mayonnaise.

Rosanna: I’m very intrigued by the section on moderate alcohol intake, especially since many in America are over-drinkers. Explain the health benefits of alcohol intake. Define "moderate."

Sara: The definition of moderate in the Mediterranean diet is they idea of enjoying a glass of wine with dinner. Studies show that this type of moderate alcohol consumption with meals – one glass for women and two for men – has cardiovascular benefits.

Rosanna: Because we design dinnerware with the explicit purpose of bringing people together, this last question is one I attempt to answer every day: How does eating well build a sense of community and bring people together?

Sara: When I learned about you and your work, I was so excited to hear that you’re is so committed to bringing people together to enjoy food. If you're enjoying meals with others, you aren't inhaling a quick meal. And if you eat in the presence of conversation, you're not mindlessly eating in front of the TV. The Mediterranean Diet is grounded on the principles of enjoyment and pleasure. Foods, drinks and meals are especially enjoyable if eaten with others, when possible, and savored. Research is even pointing to more health benefits gained when meals are enjoyed together. From the food to the ambiance to savoring the taste of food and wine to the company we keep while eating—this is all part of the total experience.

What the world needs now, more than ever, is to think like Oldways. We need to come together, eat together, and turn our attention towards the total experience of breaking bread as a community. I second Oldways' ideals, and truly believe this is one of the most important ways to live well.

While we were talking, Oldways also asked me a few questions. To read their interview of me, and find a delicious healthy pasta recipe, visit the Oldways blog. For more information about Oldways, visit their website at www.oldwayspt.org. They also have a Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

www.rosannainc.com

Preparing An Independence Day To Remember

2011-06-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

The USA has a birthday that’s just around the corner, and it’s time to think about how we’re going to celebrate.

Here are some tips to help create a delightful and delicious 4^th of July gathering.

Decorate with Vintage Americana

I like my 4^th of July decorations to make a statement. Over the years, I’ve acquired a collection of vintage flags and Americana, which I mix and match with newer decorations and dinnerware. I find that incorporating vintage and antique decorations into the mix adds some soul to the aesthetic of the event.

There are numerous inventive ways you can decorate with your flags—place smaller flags in a vase as a centerpiece on your table, or use an extra large flag as a tablecloth.

You can collect vintage flags and decorations at flea markets or your local vintage store. You can also find some gems online at sites like Etsy and even eBay.

Tablesetting

Always have a set of 12 white dinner plates and 12 white napkins. This is one of my little secrets. Doing this allows you to mix and match salad plates to create hundreds of possible tablescapes, depending on the occasion. For Independence Day, choose a patriotic-looking or an Americana salad plate. If you don’t have one, find red or blue---after all, you’ve already got the white in your dinner plates!

Coordinate Your Costumes

To create a more festive feel for the event, encourage your guests to wear red white and blue clothing. The sillier, more flamboyant, and outrageous the clothing, the better.

Make One Special Drink

Make sure to have all the usuals—juice, beer, wine, water, and soda—on hand. In addition, make one special, summer-themed punch. This one drink can bring a surprising amount of cohesion to your meal and the event as a whole. Drinks that feature a refreshing summer fruit like peach, watermelon, or strawberry are always well received on hot days.

American Food with a Twist

Because the 4^th of July is all about celebrating America, and America is famous for its cultural and ethnic diversity, take a truly American approach to the holiday by incorporating your family’s food heritage into traditional American dishes. Make hamburgers with the spices traditionally used in your ethnic background. The same thing goes for pies, ice cream toppings, and fruit salads. Prepare a traditional side dish unique to your family’s heritage. Better yet, ask your guests to showcase their heritage through a side dish they prepare.

Honor US History

When my children were little, one of the things they loved most about the 4^th of July was putting on an annual play. In the play, we reenacted important moments in US history. We performed Paul Revere’s famous ride, a scene in which George Washington asks Betsy Ross to sew the American flag, and the Martin Luther King Jr I Have A Dream Speech. We interwove these important events with the story of our own family in America, starting with our ancestors’ arrival to Ellis Island. We always ended the show with a rousing rendition of “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Putting on a play can start with a fun brainstorming activity in which you ask children to think of important events in America. Later you can turn these into the plot for the play. Pick up a few white wigs and tricorn hats at your local costume store to add to what you have at home, and costumes won’t be too hard to devise.

Good, Old-Fashioned Games

Organizing a few games throughout the day, like croquet, bocce ball, Frisbee, softball, or charades, brings guests together and creates a spirit of conviviality. On those sweltering Independence Days, have a water balloon toss with the kids.

Fireworks

Every state has different laws when it comes to setting off fireworks, but no 4^th of July celebration is complete without a few flashes in the night. At the very least, make sure to have some sparklers.

Family Tradition

Whatever you decide to do, make sure to create family tradition. Teach your children about their own heritage and how it plays a part of the American Dream. As I mention in my book, Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions, celebrating any festive occasion is always richer when personal meaning is attached.

Note: Photos by John Granen, for “Coming Home,” published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang

www.rosannainc.com

Fifth Annual Tablescape Contest

2011-06-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Years ago, people would invite a neighbor or friend over on the spur of the moment for a cup of coffee, dessert, or for a weekend grill. Our day-to-day lives have become so busy in recent years that dinner parties are planned 3 months out.

Part of my belief in creating traditions is to foster relationships and connections through daily rituals and traditions. Much of the joy in my life has come from informal get-togethers.

This year’s Tablescape Contest Theme is “The Spontaneous Gathering.” It’s time for you to set your table for the spur of the moment get-together. Use your creativity, mixed with Rosanna collections, and remember spontaneous gatherings don’t necessarily take place at the dining room table. Share with us the story behind your tablescape design. Winners will be chosen by Rosanna herself. So join in for your chance to win a $500 Rosanna gift certificate, and be featured on Rosanna’s Table Talk blog.

New This Year

Starting on July 11th, we will choose a Table Of The Week to showcase on our Facebook, Twitter, and social media sites. At the end of the contest, all the Tables Of The Week will be entered into a drawing to win an additional prize.

Get Setting Now

Our Fifth Annual Table Setting contest will start on July 1, 2011 and end on August 31, 2011. Winners will be announced shortly after.

For a little inspiration, take a look at the photographs from our last few contests:

OFFICIAL RULES

1. Anyone with a passion for Rosanna-ware and tablescape design is welcome to compete, regardless of age.

2. Set the table for at least two. No actual food or Rosanna products is required.

3. Contest begins on July 1st, 2011 and ends August 31st, 2011 at 11:59pm PST.

4. Submit up to 2 photos of your tablescape and the story behind the design. Digital submissions must come as jpegs, around 4x5 inches, no less than 72 dpi and no more than 180 dpi.

5. When entering, make sure to include your name, your city, and an email or phone number where we can reach you. We respect your privacy and will not give out any of your information.

6. Photos in hard copy will not be returned.

7. Rosanna Imports, Inc. reserves the right to use and/or publish photos of your table setting submission however we see fit. Photos may be published on social media sites. Publishing does not necessarily constitute a winning entry. By submitting your photo, you agree to these terms.

8. Please email all enteries to info@rosannainc.com.

Mailed entries should be sent to:

Rosanna Inc

Attn: Tablescape Contest

6755 East Marginal Way S.

Seattle, WA 98108

www.rosannainc.com

Connections & Traditions In Every Dish

2011-06-14T09:15:00.001-07:00

The message behind every Rosanna dish is the same: slow down, appreciate one another, connect.

Photos courtesy of John Granen Photography;

from Rosanna's book, Coming Home

Human beings hunger for connection. That’s why a moment of relation to another is often the most fulfilling moment of a day. Because moments make up our days, days make our years, and years make our lives, continually seeking out new ways to connect with each other is of vital importance to our happiness.

I designed the collections below to help with the creation of daily rituals, which in turn allow people to bring connection into everyday life.

Happy Birthday & Petite Treat Collections

Creating traditions around common celebrations is easy. Taking the Happy Birthday plates out on each family member’s annual celebration creates a tradition, a memory. They can provide the vehicle to that special feeling experienced when one knows something exciting is about to happen. The festive Happy Birthday plates can become family heirlooms and continue the tradition throughout the generations. Moreover, our individual cupcake pedestals provide a quirky twist to a birthday celebration, making the celebrant feel extraordinarily special. Or just use them to serve chocolates or cookies---either way the recipients will smile.

Gelato Collection

But tradition and connection should be regular and frequent. I created our Gelato ice cream bowls to encourage people to gather together for a special treat—even if for no particular reason or celebration. Because, let’s be honest, who can say no to ice cream? These bowls also encourage us to eat locally or freshly, providing an ideal way to serve pudding or fresh berries.

Farmer's Market Collection

The amazing and vibrant produce of Pacific Northwest farmers’ markets inspired me to design our Farmer’s Market bowls emblazoned with images of fresh vegetables. Hopefully, the images will inspire you to visit your own local farmer’s market, or at least use some of these delicious ingredients to cook a healthy meal for family or friends.

Primavera Collection

The claim that we have “no time,” is heard in an almost constant refrain these days. People have to plan dinner parties three months out because we are so overscheduled. I designed our Primavera tea set to fight back against this predicament. Hopefully, it will encourage people to spontaneously call up a friend and ask them over for a cup of tea and a chat. Spontaneous gatherings can be so much more fulfilling and less pretentious.

Whether over tea, during dessert, or at the dinner table, these are dishes that encourage connection every day. I myself am a passionate advocate of family dinners, featuring a home cooked meal, nicely set table, candles, and pleasant music. Studies have shown that children who come from families that sit down for a dinner together are better adjusted emotionally and intellectually. So, even if it’s just once a week, set aside a little time to spend with your family. We love connection because it makes us feel so good, but nonetheless it remains elusive. We need to fight to keep it in our lives every day. These dishes are my small contribution to this incredibly important campaign.

Note: For more information about creating your own traditions, living mindfully,
and many of Rosanna's recipes, check out her book,
"Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions."

www.rosannainc.com

Memorial Day Celebration, Re-envisioned

2011-05-31T15:52:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, my family celebrated Memorial Day the same way every year: my grandmother would prepare the most delicious fried chicken, coleslaw, and homemade, hand-cranked ice cream. The whole family would assemble at her house for a sunny, afternoon feast. Before eating, we would toast my grandfather, who fought in WWII. Following the meal, we would all make a trip to the cemetery to pay respects to my uncle, who lost his life in the Korean War.

Although the United States continues to send soldiers overseas to fight, no one from the last two generations of my family has served in the Armed Forces. As a result, Memorial Day has faded somewhat from my family’s collective experience. So this year, I decided to revive and renovate my family’s traditional Memorial Day celebration.

Instead of visiting the graves of my grandfather and uncle, our family had a discussion over dinner about the significance of Memorial Day for all Americans, and what Memorial Day means to us, as individuals.

Below, you will also find recipes inspired by grandmother’s delicious creations, updated to address modern tastes and health concerns.

Regardless of our immediate, individual proximities to war, Memorial Day offers us yet another opportunity to spend meaningful time with family or friends, and to honor Americans who have devoted their lives to service for our country.

Memorial Day 2011 Menu

Fried-Baked Crispy Chicken

Red Cabbage Coleslaw

Strawberry Salad with Lime

Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS

6 drumsticks free-range chicken

4 thighs free-range chicken

1 cup of fresh homemade breadcrumbs (make in the food processor)

1 tsp. ground sea salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 cup of fresh milk

½ cup canola oil

¼ cup salted butter

1. Remove chicken from the package and select a large shallow pan that will accommodate all the chicken pieces.

2. Pour the milk in the pan. Place the chicken in the pan and rotate so the milk coats both sides of the chicken. Place in the refrigerator.

3. Heat the oven to 325 degrees and toast the day old slices of white crusty bread until golden brown.

4. Remove the bread from the oven when golden brown and crispy. Cut the bread into large squares and place in a food processor. Pulse until all bread has become fine breadcrumbs.

5. Remove the crumbs and place in a 10-inch baking dish. Season with sea salt and ground pepper.

6. Take a large iron skillet or stainless steel skillet that can hold all the chicken pieces. Heat to medium high.

7. Add the canola oil and the butter to the skillet. Heat on medium high.

8. Once pan is hot, add the chicken. Brown, and continue turning chicken until all sides are browned evenly. Chicken should look golden brown.

9. Remove chicken from skillet and place in a large baking dish. Salt generously with freshly ground sea salt.

10. Place chicken in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, make a small cut in the chicken to check for doneness. Meat should be white and juices should be clean.

Homemade Red Coleslaw

INGREDIENTS

1 head red cabbage

1 bunch small green onions

3 small carrots

½ cup olive oil mayonnaise

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. freshly ground sea salt

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1. Cut red cabbage into ½ inch slices. Cut again to make shred of cabbage approximately 4 inches long.

2. Place in a 12-inch low bowl for dressing and serving.

3. Cut the white heads of the green onion off the stems, remove the roots. Chop the small white part finely. Add to the chopped cabbage.

4. Cut the carrots into 4-inch pieces, by slicing in half and then cutting into fine julienne strips. Add to the coleslaw.

5. In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper vigorously with a fork until smooth.

6. Place tablespoons of the dressing scattered across the top of the coleslaw. Toss with salad tongs until coated.

7. Add salt or pepper (if necessary) to taste.

Serve healthy portions with Fried Chicken.

Strawberry Salad with Lime

Make this strawberry salad with fresh strawberries from the farmer’s market. You don’t need much else. Strawberries that are truly in season speak for themselves!

INGREDIENTS, serves 3

Fresh strawberries

Juice of 1 lime

Zest of 1 lime

2 tbs brown sugar

1. Wash, de-stem, and cut strawberries in bite-size pieces.

2. Zest whole lime. Set zest aside.

3. Cut lime in half and juice. Set juice aside.

4. Pour strawberries into a large bowl.

5. Mix in zest, juice, and brown sugar with a large spoon.

6. Cover bowl with saran wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for one hour or more. The longer you let the berries sit, the juicier they’ll become!

Serve salad on its own, or topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

www.rosannainc.com

A Trip To The Far East

2011-05-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

Taken as I browsed a local flea market

I have always been a great lover of Europe. As our designs show, a great deal of the inspiration for Rosanna product comes from Italy, Britain, and France. However, for everything I know about the artistic and cultural eras in Western cultures, I know just as little about countries and cultures in the East. I never imagined I’d find inspiration from China, must less travel there. But when business took us to Guangzhou, we decided to make a family vacation out of it and use the opportunity to explore China.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed learning about the design history and intricate craftsmanship that distinguishes the arts in China. It was amazing to see firsthand the production of porcelain, jade, and silk, to name a few Chinese innovations that Westerners have enjoyed, admired, and employed for centuries.

The Chinese people, culture, landmarks, and history inspired me greatly. They broadened my worldview and provided me with a host of fresh ideas for new Rosanna products. Our trip to China extended my appreciation for the fine arts beyond the West in surprising and gratifying ways.

Here are some photos from our trip, including shots of the Great Wall and from one of my favorite flea markets we visited. When you look through these photos, even though I’m only an amateur photographer, I think it will be easy to see why I was so struck by this extraordinary culture.

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Living In The Seasons--Spring

2011-05-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

For centuries people lived in the seasons. Their diets were determined by their geographic location, the temperature, weather, and the food they had access to. Nowadays we are able to shop in grocery stores where most fresh fruits and vegetables are available year-round. However, as we learn to eat fruits and veggies in their seasons, the tastes are so much more vivid, alive, and delicious. Every spring I look forward to the fresh crop of artichokes that hits the local farmers markets. The artichoke is an unusual vegetable, and some may find its spiny appearance intimidating, but it's so easy to prepare and so rewarding--especially when you get to the toothsome, flavorful heart--that it will likely become a regular feature of your spring menus as well. A special bonus that the artichoke offers is healthfulness: One large artichoke has only 25 calories, no fat, and 170 milligrams of potassiums, and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Artichokes also contain folate, magnesium, and lots of dietary fiber. Try this delicious and healthy recipe from my book, Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions.

Spring Artichokes With Lemon Butter (serves 4)

4 large California globe artichokes

Juice of 2 lemons

1 clove garlic, smashed, plus 2 cloves minced

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) good quality-salted butter

ARTICHOKES

Wash the artichokes under cold water.
Cut off the stems at the base and remove any small leaves.
Fill a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of water.
Add half of the lemon juice and the 1 smashed garlic clove.
Bring to a boil.
Place the artichokes upright in the pot.
Cover and cook at a low boil for 35 to 45 minutes, until the artichoke's base can be pierced with a fork or you can easily pull off a leaf.
Drain the artichokes upside down.

LEMON BUTTER DIPPING SAUCE

In a small saucepan, heat the butter, minced garlic, and the remaining lemon juice.
When the butter is melted, pour it into individual ramekins.
Serve the artichokes with the lemon butter as a dipping sauce.

Tell your guests to pull one leaf at a time from the artichoke and dip it in the sauce, then scrape the leaf with their teeth to pull off the tender inner flesh of the artichoke. After the large outer leaves are all eaten, paper-thin leaves remain. These can be pulled out in sections and eaten, but the best part of an artichoke is the heart. After you've eaten all of the leaves, remove the hairy choke with a tablespoon until you reach the heart. Dip the heart in the butter sauce, and enjoy!

www.rosannainc.com

The Arts

2011-05-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

The poet Gary Snyder defined my first passion—art—as “an assimilator of unfelt experience, sensation, and memory for the whole society.” The arts are a crucial part of any well-rounded education. They connect us with our human past, present, and future.

Encounters with the arts of any kind give me immense satisfaction. The most fulfilling work I’ve done for Rosanna Inc. has involved designing projects for arts organizations, including the Pacific Northwest Ballet in Seattle and Metropolitan Museum of Art and Met Opera in New York.

These projects require me to draw on material I learned as a student, but also to research genres about which I know only a little. Since we began working with the Met, my knowledge of opera has grown incredibly. Through our work with the Met Museum, I’ve developed an appreciation for art from the ancient Chinese Qing Dynasty, a delightful surprise.

Because the products we’ve designed specially for these arts institutions don’t appear on the Rosanna Inc. website, I’m providing links here to share this work with you.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Qing Famille Rose Teapot
Qing Famille Rose Dessert Plates
Qing Famille Rose Mugs

The Met Opera
Evening at the Opera Plates
Carmen Mug
Rigoletto Libretto Mug
La Traviata Paperweight
Limited Edition Muse Collector's Plate

The Muse Collector’s Plate has also been featured in Gotham Magazine, below.

www.rosannainc.com

Helping Japan

2011-04-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Rosanna Inc. is proud to announce that for the month of April, we will be donating a portion of all proceeds to relief efforts in Japan. Our office is also participating in our neighborhood donation drive to send non-contaminated, non-perishable food items to victims of the tsunami. 

Many of us are still feeling the effects of the recession, and don’t have much extra income to spare. But even in lean times, it's still possible to give. Non-perishable food items from the pantry were the first items to go from my home as contributions to the airlifts for the tsunami victims. Soaps and bath products collected from hotel bathrooms, extra bedding, unused clothing, and toys your children have outgrown are other options that you may find lying around the less frequented corners of your house. To determine what would make an appropriate and helpful donation, try to imagine what you would want or miss if you were in this same situation.

Across the country, organizations are orchestrating airlifts for Japan. Google your local charities and see what’s available, drop off what you don’t need to help those who so desperately do need our help.

Get creative with your giving; for people who have lost everything, anything helps.

www.rosannainc.com

Improvising

2011-03-15T13:31:00.001-07:00

Quiche is a culinary treat. It’s one of my favorite dishes for a few reasons, but namely because it’s so easy to improvise. Recently, we arrived home from a trip late and hungry. No one felt like going to the grocery store, so I looked in the fridge to see what I had: eggs, butter, cheese, and some assorted vegetables. What to make? Quiche!

Another reason I enjoy quiche so much is because of the way the textures and flavors combine to create a complex flavor profiles. A quiche custard done right is light and delicate. The vegetables and cheeses stud the egg with delicious pockets of flavor, and a crisp, buttery crust rounds out the dish. A crust that melts in your mouth provides the perfect complement to a light custardy, cheese filling. A true quiche isn’t far from ambrosia.

This is a perfect time of year to make quiche, as the first spring vegetables come into season. Quiche is a dish easily adapted to seasonal offerings. Quiche is a good way to take advantage of ramps, peas, asparagus, and artichoke. Mix and match the vegetables, cheeses, and seasonings for a selection of diverse outcomes. Here’s my basic recipe to get you started:

Rosanna’s Mediterranean Quiche

INGREDIENTS

Pie Crust

2 1/2 Cups Flour

1 1/4 Sticks Organic Salted Butter

3 Tablespoons Crisco or other vegetable shortening

1/4 Cup Ice Water

1/2 Teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

Vegetables

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking

1 bunch loosely chopped asparagus (preferably thin)

1 bunch green onion, greens and whites loosely chopped

2 cups fresh peas

3 Cloves of Garlic, chopped finely

Custard

6 Eggs

3 Cups of 1% Milk

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Cup grated Reggiano Parmiggiano Cheese

8 Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls, cut in fourths

DIRECTIONS

Vegetables

1. Heat olive oil in medium sauce pan, add garlic and stir briefly

2. Add chopped vegetables and sauté at medium-high heat until wilted and soft

3. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Crust

1. Cut the butter into 2-inch pats and set aside.

2. Prepare ice water and set aside

3. Combine flour and salt in the food processor, mix in the butter pats and shortening.

4. Process the mixture until the flour, butter, and shortening are totally incorporated- the mixture will look like coarse sand.

5. Add ice water slowly. Process in the pulse mode until the dough forms a rough ball.

6. Place the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Custard

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add in the milk, salt, grated parmesan, and mozzarella, and whisk together with a fork.

3. Remove the vegetables from the refrigerator (make sure that they’ve cooled down to room temperature), and add to the egg mixture.

4. Mix with a fork and place mixture back in the refrigerator.

Quiche Assembly

1. Remove dough from refrigerator.

2. Spread a pastry cloth over a large, flat surface.

3. Fit a stocking on your rolling pin.

4. Scatter flour on the pastry cloth and rolling pin.

5. Coat the dough with a light dusting of flour.

6. Flatten dough with your hand and slowly begin rolling out in a firm even manner. (Don’t over handle the dough or add too much flour as it will become tough and not flaky).

7. Once the dough is rolled out, slip a pie pan under the dough and gently transfer to the pan.

Leave at least three inches of extra dough all around the edge. Cut off excess.

8. Remove the egg mixture from the refrigerator and pour into the shell.

9. Gently crimp the extra dough around the edges of the quiche with your thump and forefinger into fluted edges.

10. Cook quiche at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. The quiche is done when the custard has risen and solidified, and when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

11. Let the quiche rest on a wired baking rack for 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Enjoy!

*Photo by John Granen courtesy of Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Traditions. Published by Abrams: Stewart, Tabori & Chang

www.rosannainc.com

Sisterhood

2011-02-23T09:03:00.000-08:00

This past President's Day Weekend, my husband and I got a taste of what it's like to be Empty Nester's. On Friday we put Francesca, our youngest daughter, on a plane to Berkeley, CA to spend a few days with her older sister, Alessandra.
At first, I was nervous about Francesca's trip. She's my baby! But, when she arrived back home that Monday night, emitting an astonishing and unmistakable new aura of confidence, I forgot about my concerns. I knew that agreeing to the trip had been the right choice.
I realize now that encouraging your children to spend an extended period of time together on their own can be one of the most powerful ways to perpetuate close bonds between siblings. Something magical and crucial to closeness happens when siblings hang out without their parents around, at least that's what my older daughter tells me.
For my girls, who are eight years apart, this year couldn't have been a better time for this trip to happen. Francesca, who's 14, and Alessandra, who's 22, are finally starting to relate to each other as peers; their age gap is finally starting to close.
For a younger sibling at the seminal point of transition into life as a young adult, spending time with an older sibling can be an especially profound and impactful experience. I didn't realize it until after Francesca's trip, but an older sibling can be an incredible resource in raising younger children. Here is another person who can provide perspective, introduce new worldviews and get your younger children to start thinking about the life stages that lie a little further down the road. As an added bonus, because younger siblings generally regard older siblings as the most gloriously cool humans to ever walk the earth, they're much more likely to incorporate the values we hope to teach them when those values are modeled by their big brothers and sisters.
We all know that it takes a village to raise a child. But as you search out role models and mentors who will help your children grow into their full potential, don't look too far; they may be right under your nose. They may even call you "mom."

www.rosannainc.com

Music

2011-02-07T14:58:00.000-08:00

Music is a primal pursuit. In the bustle of activity, it can slip easily out of our days and we forget the power it holds. Making the effort to keep music in your life is worth it because music is vital. As we open our ears, we also open our eyes. Music creates new awareness of the world in which we live.

In my book Coming Home, I talk about the crucial role of music, and dance, to building an enlivened existence:

"Music and dance can temper any mood, elevate the spirit and release a rush of endorphins. The sense of well-being that comes from dancing is a priceless gift that we experience far too infrequently. Music and dance release tension, allowing our souls to become free."

Today I want to talk about the music that, the first time I experienced it, touched me deeply and now enriches my life on a regular basis.

Five years ago, a friend brought me to the opera. We saw La Boheme by the composer Giacomo Puccini. Experiencing this tragic story through arias that trembled, glimmered and thundered with emotion changed my life in more ways than one.

Opera has a rich legacy with influences, contributors and innovations from all over the world. It is a medium that spans a wide swath of eras and finds inspiration in some of the most unlikely places. Attending operas has given me a blossoming awareness of its many traditions in opera. And the more I learned, the more the music opened me to the spiraling complexity of this beautiful art form.

About a year after I saw my first opera, I began designing products for the Metropolitan Opera. This ongoing project has been immensely fulfilling and vastly educational. It has allowed me to delve deeper into the music, and, in so doing, feel more alive.

Music of all kinds frees our souls. Different sounds speak to different people. Opera may not be the music that touches your soul, but there is music out there that will call to you, wake you and transport you to new places. All you have to do is find it and listen.

www.rosannainc.com

*Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions, Published by Abrams: Stewart, Tabori & Chang

Birthday

2011-01-24T16:40:00.000-08:00

About a week ago, I celebrated another birthday. I love birthdays because they offer the opportunity to do my favorite things--gather, connect and create joy together.
However, I've never liked birthday celebrations that are all about me. This year, I wanted all the good things that come along with a celebration--festivity, laughter and community, but I didn't want the focus on me. So, instead of having my friends or family throw a party in honor of me, I threw a party in honor of something very important to me: women.
This birthday party in which I focused on celebrating a group of people I feel passionate about was a perfect solution--it allowed me to celebrate a community I love and myself, at the same time.
Here are some tips to plan your own birthday party premised on one of your passions:

Think about the identities that define you the most. Are you a painter? A triathlete? A gardener? What communities do you belong to? Think about which activities make you feel most yourself when you're doing them. If you're drawing a blank, start out by making a list of your five primary identities and choose one to inspire your birthday theme.
Decide on an activity. It may be related to the identity of pursuit you want to celebrate, like a day in the garden with your gardening friends. Or a studio night with your artist friends. Maybe, it's simply a shared meal together or a good old-fashioned party.
Choose an aesthetic theme for your celebration. If you're a gardener, maybe the theme is green. If you're a writer, maybe you'll incorporate words. If you're a world traveler, you could start by replicating the aesthetic from one of your favorite countries. Because my theme was women, I decided to throw a dinner party where everyone would be free to chat and connect without distraction. I set a feminine table incorporating fresh cut roses, my finest linens, my most delicate china, beautiful crystal stemware and antique silverware. The guests oohed and ahhed, appreciating every element on the table.

Other helpful questions I asked myself to round out my birthday theme included:

What time of day should this party take place?
What kind of music fits this theme? Which kind of menu will enhance the party the most?
In lieu of gifts, is there a project or activity related to the theme that we can do together in honor of my birthday?

This years birthday celebration was a beautiful gathering. I felt both celebrated and fulfilled, having spent the evening in a community I love, honoring and sharing all the things we have in common. I can't think of a better way to commemorate the passage of another year, than that.

*Photo by John Granen courtesy of Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Traditions. Published by Abrams: Stewart, Tabori & Chang

www.rosannainc.com

Chicken Soup

2011-01-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

"It's so cold outside!"

In January, the heart of winter, staying warm is just about the only thing we can think about. In this time of year, we crave food that heats us from the inside out. However, we're not so far away from the holidays either. Light, clean cooking is the order du jour. But there's the bur--we want warm and filling but also light and clean. How to strike a balance? It's tricky.

I start with Leftover Chicken Soup. The clear broth keeps this dish from becoming too substantial. The vegetables make it fresh. The carcass of a previously roasted chicken imparts a wonderful, satisfying depth of flavor, and the noodles make this soup a classic comfort food dish. Leftover Chicken Soup makes a good winter meal because you can cook a big pot, eat some and freeze the rest for another blustery winter's night. Enjoy with a full-bodied red wine, Umbrian Montefalco and Montepulciano from Tuscany are two of my favorites, along with a loaf of fresh, crusty bread.

Leftover Chicken Soup (serves 8)

Ingredients
2 large carrots - cut into 1/4 inch rounds
2 large celery ribs - chopped into 2 inch crescents
Carcass and pan drippings from a roasted chicken
1 lb parpardelle noodles (wide egg noodles)

1. Fill a large stock pot halfway full with water. Add the carrots, celery, chicken carass and pan drippings. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Boil for 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer.
3. Remove carcass, stripping off all loose meat. Add meat back to pot.
4. Cook over low heat for 1 hour.
5. Just before serving, add the pasta. Parpardelle comes in nests. Crack the uncooked nests in two before adding so the noodles aren't too long.
6. Cook at a simmer for 15 min or until noodles are soft.
7. Serve hot in low, shallow bowls
8. Make sure to save some for your children's lunch tomorrow!

*Photo courtesy of John Granen for Coming Home: A Seasonal Guide to Creating Family Traditions. Published by Abrams: Stewart, Tabori & Chang.

www.rosannainc.com

Nesting: Part 2

2011-01-06T09:22:00.000-08:00

By Rosanna's eldest daughter, Alessandra Wollner

A few weeks ago I wrote a post called Nesting: Part 1. It explored the experience of setting up house in one’s first “Big Girl Home,” paying special attention to the magic formula that makes a house a home.

The recipe, I’ve found, is endlessly adaptable and more than amenable to improvisation.

I discover new ingredients every day. The best part is that these ingredients show me how to combine them so that together, their contributions make this new home sing.

Here are some words to describe what I’m talking about:

Sleepover Magic

I want to live in a space where guests feel supremely comfortable. In fact, my secret goal is to make them feel so comfortable they never want to leave. When guests end up feeling that good you know what happens next—sleepovers!

Making people feel welcome is a priority. Having a place to put them is an imperative. I don’t have a guestroom yet. Somehow, that never seems to deter our friends from bunking down. Besides, extra sleeping accommodations that are finagled rather than formal seem like much more fun to me. To arrange your own ad hoc sleeping arrangements, consider buying one of the following:

Sleeping bag and inflatable camping pad

Air mattress

Futon

Extra-wide couch

Fold-out couch

Each space asks for a different approach. It depends on the room and furniture you have to work with. Extra sleeping space in Magic House came to us in the form of a large, overstuffed green couch from our local second hand store. Like the house, the couch is magic. It’s so inviting that to look at it is to hear it issuing its sole command:

“NAP ON ME. NOW.”

Magic House, meet Magic Couch

Dishes For The Masses

Always have enough dishes to set the table for a crowd. Being the daughter of a dinnerware designer and therefore guaranteed free dinnerware for life, telling other people to make sure they have enough dishes might be a little insensitive. Let me qualify that statement:

Having lots of dishes doesn’t mean owning 20 identical place settings down to the fish forks. Just make sure you have enough surfaces for people to eat off of. Mismatched settings don’t have to be a last resort. It can very easily look deliberate. In fact, my favorite dining room aesthetic is mismatched vintage silverware. Making your own set is a simple matter or rescuing it from your local junk shop and investing in a jar of silver polish.

Also, make sure to have a collection of real dinnerware—ceramic, porcelain, melamine, or bamboo—whatever. It may look like a hodgepodge in the cabinet, but once the table is set, it won’t make a difference if not a single plate matches. You’ll be surprised how far a little intentionality can go.

My mom's ode to mismatched dishes- Boho Holiday

I like mismatched silverware.

Systematize Your Sounds

iHome, subwoofers, floor speakers—do it an way you want, so long as it amplifies sound.

Like ambient lighting and original art, audible music plays a crucial role in the creation of an atmosphere. While you’re at it, whip up a handful of go-to playlists for different kinds of gatherings—brunch/drinks/dinner party/partyparty/outdoor picnic/teatime/late night rendez-vous.

Bring the World Home.

I spent 1/3 of last summer in Morocco. While there, I sat on the ground a lot. I loved the laid-back feeling of Moroccan floor seating. Sitting on the floor instantly makes thing less formal, more egalitarian, and a little sillier. After traveling through Morocco, an incredible, fulfilling, and profoundly educational experience for me, I knew I wanted floor seating in my home.

Let the world make impressions on you. We’re all just little lumps of clay waiting to be shaped by our experiences, right? Create a living space that incorporates the places, people, and adventures that have impacted you. This is what makes us who we are. Keeping them in front of your face, and part of your daily life can become a potent reminder of selfhood.

My sendup to Moroccan floor seating

I didn’t realize it at the time, but when I wrote Nesting: Part 1 I was a little cuckoo. Completely in the clutches of homemaking-mania. Fortunately, an enforced nesting hiatus due to a trip to Seattle gave me some valuable perspective on process.

Before the holidays, I was running around like a frantic squirrel to secure every single solitary element that would transform this naked space into Magic House. I toggled between hunting down the vintage typewriter I’ve been fantasizing about to securing a decent-looking kitchen table (both of which, by the way, we still don’t have). I was Veruca Salt from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; I wanted it all and I wanted it now.

By the time I left for Seattle, we had most of the basics—a couch, a coffee table, beds, ambient lighting, towels, pots and pans. Wine glasses. Like I said, the basics. As I looked around at what we had accomplished, this Something we had already whipped up out of Nothing, I thought, “For now, this is enough. More than enough, it’s good.”

There comes a moment in moving when it’s time to stop pushing. We have entered that phase. Now that the sundries are all here, it’s time to allow our home grow into itself on its own terms and time frame.

I still have dreams about how Magic House will eventually look. And make no mistakes—we will find that typewriter. Someday.

For now though, what we have is more than enough. In fact, for now it’s perfect.

And guess what?

It feels like home.

Me and Patrick, my lovely friend and roommate

The Calm After the Holiday Storm

2010-12-29T23:38:00.000-08:00

I love the time between Christmas and New Year’s. It’s a small respite from the winter months that has a little bit of a magical lull. Kids are on school holiday, and business operations have slowed down. To me, this is the perfect time to take advantage of a little hit of quietude, and enjoy the calm after the holiday storm.

Here are some ideas about how to make the most of the halcyon days between holidays:

-Spontaneously invite friends over for drinks, dinner, or Christmas cookies. Keep these gatherings simple. Don’t worry too much about the food. It’s all about spending time with friends and staying cozy. Everyone has so many Christmas dishes and holiday treats still floating around, it’s easy to cobble together a meal or a festive get together from holiday odds and ends.

-Spend time with your family. Play games, go see a movie together (there are lots of fantastic, big-budget holiday productions of all genres in theaters now) or rent a movie and stay in. These family activities can be as simple or elaborate as you want to make them, thanks to the little extra slack that comes at this time of year.

-Cultivate quiet. Everyone talks about peace this time of year; make some for yourself! Light candles, take a bath, make tea, or curl up with a new book you received as a gift this year. Take stock of this past year, and think about the things you want to bring into your life in the new year.

The peace, silence, and stillness of late December is something to cherish. Extend hospitality, spent time, express gratitude, bring light, and have a very happy holiday.

www.rosannainc.com

Blending Christmas Traditions

2010-12-24T14:36:00.000-08:00

Hot Toddies-continue traditions...

...and add new ones-No-Bake Missouri Cookies

Holiday time is a season rich with tradition. Now especially, we invest great energy and care into continuing the traditions we’ve grown to know and love. In my last post about Christmas Eve, I wrote about reinventing old Christmas Eve traditions or starting new ones tonight. The idea behind introducing a new activity or meal on Christmas Eve was to refresh the holiday experience. However, I realize that abandoning a timeworn tradition can feel strange. We feel hesitant to take the leap and try something new.

I was puzzling over how to solve the dilemma when I had a Eureka Moment, thanks to a friend’s tree trimming, cooking making party we attended last weekend. When she extended the invitation, this friend explained that her family’s tradition was to invite their friends over to help bake and decorate the tree. I loved the way her tradition cultivated community. I also shared with her a tradition of ours: making hot toddies, our way to take that tiny edge off the stress off hanging breakable ornaments and attempting complex cookie recipes. Without missing a beat she said, “Will you make those for us on Sunday then?” And that’s when I had the Eureka Moment:

Instead of abandoning old traditions in favor of new ones, blend and trade traditions with your friends and neighbors. Kind of a similar idea to the lesson in the saying “make new friends, but keep the old.”

Everyone was happy as a result of our tradition trade. The hot toddies were a hit with my friend’s family, and her family’s favorite Christmas cookie, No-Bake Missouri Cookies, were well received by mine.

We also thoroughly enjoyed helping our friends with their holiday preparations. Many hands made light work. And at the end of the night, we went home with a tin full of freshly baked cookies!

What could be better?

I’m wishing everyone a holiday filled with love and light.

Merry Christmas to you and yours,

www.rosannainc.com

Christmas Eve Traditions, New and Old

2010-12-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day is for the traditional dishes, time with your relatives, and the hubbub of a full house. On Christmas Eve, you’re allowed to improvise.

Make Christmas Eve a night for your family and about your family. Make it about what you love. The Christmas Eve and dinner that night can be special without being over the top. This is an evening that should feel comfortable, relaxed, and casual. Plan a meal of your family’s favorite food that reflects your everyday family culture at its best. I know one family that makes hearty American chili on Christmas Eve. Another family that lived in the Southwest makes tacos and chiles rellenos. In my family, a few years ago we started making osso bucco, a stew-like Italian preparation of veal shanks my girls and husband love.

This Christmas Eve, try a new recipe, break tradition, or start a new one. Be unconventional! Every Christmas Eve, my girls each get to open one gift each. I can’t remember how this tradition started, but it stuck and became part of our family. When the girls were little, it boosted their anticipation of Christmas Morning, which I loved to watch. As they grew, opening one present became an opportunity to savor a special gift on its own without the clutter and chaos of Christmas Morning.

I encourage you to start a new tradition in your family this year. Invite over close friends, play a new game together, or transform your Christmas Eve dinner.

Tonight, you can do whatever you want.

www.rosannainc.com

Nesting, Part 1

2010-12-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

By Rosanna's eldest daughter, Alessandra Wollner

About a week ago I signed the lease on my first post-college house. Despite the house’s quirks, I’ve fallen in love. From the moment I stepped across the threshold, I could feel it inviting me to fill these rooms, to make a house a home. It was an invitation I was more than happy to accept.

It’s a big thing, moving into the first home of one’s own. Throughout this process, I’ve devoted significant psychic energy to one question:

What makes a house a home?

Nearly every waking hour finds me working on the answer to this question. The more I mull it over, the more answers I find. For now, here’s what I’ve got:

Name Your Home

In Morocco, people name their houses—Dar Dmana, Dar Zaman, Dar Malek, Dar Afram. In Arabic dar means “house.” Morrocan transplant and writer Tahir Shah devoted two whole books to depictions of life at Dar Khalifa (The Caliph’s House), his home hidden deep in the heart of a Casablancan shantytown.

I like the idea of naming a house. It acknowledges the fact that every house has a personality and a story, like us. Naming your house works the same way a pet name does; it deepens your fondness, drawing you closer to the object of your affection.

Everything about our new house, from the inlaid wood floors to huge, verdant garden, feels charmed. And somehow, each furniture piece and decoration we add looks like it belonged here all along. In light of this enchanted environment, it felt natural when we started calling our new home “Magic House.”

"Dar Danai"

The Usable Used and the Free Store

“Home” to me means a place with soul. Homes acquire soul over time, which is why I much prefer to live in old houses rather than new ones. Magic House was built in 1890.

The accrual of soul is the reason I furnish my home with previously owned or vintage objects and furniture. Chips and paint scratches welcome. Some people prefer the look of new Ikea products to found objects from their local thrift shop—that’s fine. Aesthetics are, after all, a matter of taste. I will maintain one thing: it’s easier than you think to find what you’re looking for secondhand; you just have to put a little time into the search.

Almost anything you can imagine wanting already exists out there, slightly used but still perfectly usable. All it takes is a trip to Goodwill and a quick jaunt through ebay to realize that our world is stuffed with stuff. Now that I’ve seen what’s already out there, I find it nearly impossible to justify the purchase of anything new. Buying items secondhand is the way to go. It’s environmentally responsible and pretty fun, thanks to the thrill of the chase. Finding the thing I’m searching for often requires a little digging, but when I stumble upon it at last, the discovery always thrills me. Be forewarned: it’s also a little addictive.

If you don’t care for Goodwill or flea markets, and lack the patience for online trolling, there is another place you can look. It’s close to home, you never encounter other shoppers there, and the prices can’t be beat. I’m talking about your parents’ basement. I call it “the Free Store.”

Luminescent, Not Fluorescent

I detest overhead lighting. It’s unpleasant and harsh. Buy lamps. Floor, table, wall, whatever. Use 60-100 watt bulbs. If you’re not in the mood to buy new lighting, at least replace the harsh bulbs in your overhead fixtures with lower wattage alternatives. Full disclosure: these bulbs aren’t environmentally noble like halogen bulbs or fluorescents, but in this case I’m willing to bend my environmental ethics a little for the sake of an agreeable ambiance.

Candlelight

This one is obvious, and almost stupidly easy to execute. Here’s how:

Buy a bag of votive candles.

Take them home.

Put them in holders.

Light them.

If you don’t have holders, light the candles anyway.

Any candlelight, even naked, adds instant warmth and sophistication to a space. Whenever my friends come over for dinner, they’re always inordinately impressed by the presence of lit candles. At which point I pull out the bag of unlit votives and reveal their country of origin: CVS.

Original Art

Original art and ambient lighting are the keys to making a space your own. Original art displays your aesthetic and creates an atmosphere unique to you. Note the adjective here—original art. Van Gogh still lifes, Matisse cutouts, and Warhol Campbell’s Soup prints do not count as original art.

If you’re worried about cost, don’t be. Original art doesn’t have to be expensive. Take a trip in to your local thrift or antique store. I guarantee you’ll find at least one thing worth hanging on your wall that costs between $5-$50. Another good place to keep an eye out is at your weekly farmer’s or flea market. Local artists often make appearances at these venues to get their work out to the public. Etsy is another place to find a treasure trove of cool, original art. Watch out though—the site is extensive. Sucks me in every time.

My favorite way to procure original art by far is to collect work done by friends and family. When I can, I buy their pieces to support their work. Sometimes though, I get lucky and they give me a painting, print, drawing, or sculpture, much to my delight. A growing collection of paintings by my stepmother, Barbara Van Wollner, populates my walls. Whenever I move, I find a new place of honor to hang a painting by a visionary family friend, Carols Perez. Recently, we received a housewarming gift from Janet Delaney, a photographer who also happens to be a friend, mentor, and the mother of a college friend. Seeing her print in our kitchen every morning never gets old.

I love looking at these pieces and knowing someone I love created them. Needless to say, owning pieces by such brilliant artists whom I personally know also comes with an excellent set of bragging rights.

By Janet Delaney

By Carlos Perez

By Barbara Van Wollner

Returning to the original question—What makes a house a home?—it’s obvious that our answers will vary; our homes are intimate reflections of our selves. Our homes telegraph our personalities and values to everyone we invite inside. In them we display items that expose our passions and hang photos that reveal whom we love and where we’ve come from. Regardless of how differently we answer that question that inspired this post, it’s undeniable that all of us seek the same essential things from our homes: comfort, safety, and rejuvenation. So—

How does comfort look?

What makes you feel safe?

What restores you?

The key to figuring out what makes a house a home hinges on articulating the answers to these three questions and envisioning them. Once you do that, then congratulations—

you’re home.

*Still thinking about what makes a house a home. Check back soon for Nesting, Part 2

Magic House

Holiday Prep

2010-12-06T09:40:00.000-08:00

The holidays are coming. This is an exciting time of the year filled with parties, special events, and family gatherings. For precisely the same reasons, the holiday season can also be hectic.

Anyone who’s been responsible for holiday preparations knows what a challenge it can be to manage the many obligations surrounding this time of the year. The holidays require a lot of prep work and produce that nasty, all too familiar byproduct: stress.

The holidays give us two wonderful opportunities. This time we set aside to celebrate ensures that we join together and experience community, for a moment at least. These moments are precious, and unnecessary stress should not mar our happiness during this time of year. The best way I’ve found to take the edge off the holiday season is simple: plan ahead, which is especially helpful when it comes to one very important holiday activity—baking cookies.

Before the holiday festivities get into full swing, I try to do as much legwork as possible. That way, when the time rolls around for parties and gifts, I can enjoy these special moments with my family and friends to their fullest. When it comes to holiday cookies, I have two tricks.

Trick 1

Make and freeze the dough first, then thaw and bake the cookies later. This is a great strategy for cookie-making gatherings, to keep the time commitment reasonable and the labor pleasant.

Trick 2

Make and bake the cookies, then freeze them and bring them to room temperature in the tin. To thaw frozen cookies, just take the tin out of the freezer and let the cookies warm up; you don’t even have to turn on the oven. Afterwards, I make sure to store the cookies in the same tightly sealed tin in a cool, dry place.

By prepping the dough and getting a few batches baked before the holidays rev up, it means I have enough time to make cookies to give away as gifts. Every year, I bring a batch of cookies to our neighbors, either on a Rosanna platter or accompanied by a set of our holiday mugs. Heartfelt gifts are my favorite gifts to give. Homemade gifts are the most heartfelt, the clearest way to express love and goodwill. I often don’t find the time to make gifts but, with a little bit of planning ahead, I’ve found a way to find the time.

Pre-baking your holiday cookies is just one example of how to plan ahead during the holidays. Use this idea as a rule of thumb—apply it to gift shopping, party planning, and holiday meal preparation to ensure you enjoy this holiday season to its fullest, brightest extent.

www.rosannainc.com

Holla Hallah!

2010-11-23T19:20:00.000-08:00

by rosanna's eldest daughter, alessandra wollner

When people invite you to their home for dinner, don’t come to their doorstep empty handed.

My mother never told me this lesson in so many words, but she did raise me well. Countless times before we went over to someone’s house, I watched her wrap up a pair of taper candles, stop to pick up the prettiest bouquet from the market, select a bottle of wine before leaving the house, or present a host with a set of Rosanna mugs.

Fresh out of college, the prettiest bouquets are the ones I filch from someone else’s backyard. The bottles of wine are, more often than not, two buck Chuck. Because I live in California, I can’t avail myself of free Rosanna product from my mother’s Seattle warehouse, much to my chagrin.

Besides the challenge to find cost effective gifts for my hosts, I want them to know how much I appreciate and value their hospitality. This is why I have started making bread.

I’ve discovered that bread is an ideal item to bring to dinner. Presenting your hosts with something homemade is a heartfelt way to say thank you. And the best part about bread is that it doesn’t disturb anyone’s menu planning. Bread is a food that is incredibly beautiful and tremendously comforting. There’s such variation to this food that you can almost always find a recipe to suit the occasion and will mean something to the people who are feeding you. Lately, I’ve been going to a lot of dinners celebrating the day of rest, and so I’m making and bringing along hallah, a Jewish egg-bread similar to brioche.

Not all of us have time to make bread. I didn’t either until just recently. Not only that, all manner of dough used to deeply intimidate me. Now, I’m working through that fear. Making bread works for me. It might not work for you, but who knows?

Maybe it will.

p.s. Thanks to Smitten Kitchen for this bomb hallah recipe!

Heritage

2010-11-23T10:38:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving a time when we celebrate a variety of important things. To name a few: harvest bounty, community, and being American. regardless of religion. Thanksgiving is also special because it is an adaptable holiday. It give us the opportunity think about our heritage as a country, all that’s good and what needs to be improved, as well as the heritage that is unique to our family. We are free to give thanks for what we have in whatever way we like.

For all these reasons, Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to share, especially with foreigners. Inviting someone from another country to participate in this quintessential American tradition is to learn what the United States is all about. After all, the first Thanksgiving was multi-cultural—a moment celebrated by colonists from different places in Europe and Native Americans together.

It’s also true that the best way to learn something is to teach it. If you want to understand what the United States stands for, and think carefully about how it prompts us to be grateful, here’s your opportunity.

Here are some things to think about this Thanksgiving, whether you have a foreigner at your table or not:

-What does this country have that you couldn’t live without?

-What is your favorite aspect of “American life?”

-What about this country do you hope will never change?

-What makes you proud to be an American?

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to all.

www.rosannainc.com

NEW DATE & TIME - WAREHOUSE SALE

2010-11-22T16:50:00.000-08:00

Reminders

Visa & MC accepted on purchases over $50

Cash is faster! We only have one credit card machine and the line gets backed up

NO CHECKS PLEASE

Parking is on street or in the gravel lot across Holgate. We kindly ask that you do not park in the Goodwill parking lot.

Must be present to shop. Orders will not be accepted via phone or email.

Please, for safety reasons, do not bring small children.

No refunds or exchanges. Please check all items for damages and defects before leaving. We also ask that you make sure all sets are complete, we will not be able to issue a refund after the sale is final.

www.rosannainc.com

Thoughts on Thanksgiving: Part 2

2010-11-19T10:36:00.000-08:00

In response to the question

What do you think is the most important thing to put on a Thanksgiving table?

I have two words:

Fresh food.

At Thanksgiving especially, I strive to make sure everything on the table is homemade and make a point of using only natural ingredients. No margarine, no cranberry sauce in a can, and no instant gravy. This meal is as much about the time, effort, and love it takes to prepare as it is about the actual eating of it.

Growing up, I remember my grandmother made every single Thanksgiving dish from scratch. If you don’t know where to start with from-scratch cooking, you don’t have to look much farther than two generations back. Refer to old family recipes from your grandparents’ generation, before ready-made, instant food became widely available. During that era, there was nothing but homemade.

A Thanksgiving made with fresh ingredients from nature instead of from a can make for a meal that has something special. The extra effort and mindful attention to detail set this dinner apart from the everyday meals. The long hours in the kitchen are something to take pride in and to cherish. Cooking, after all, is one of the most basic and intuitive expressions of love.

This Thanksgiving, I encourage everyone to make their holidays as fresh as you can —

Not organic,

Not green,

Not eco-friendly,

just fresh.

www.rosannainc.com

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

2010-11-16T15:43:00.000-08:00

Only nine days until Thanksgiving, and counting.

Thanksgiving is an especially significant American holiday because every one celebrates it—regardless of religion. As most holidays do, Thanksgiving marks a moment when families come together. I have quite a lot to say about Thanksgiving and its significance, but what I’d really like is to hear from you. I want to use this blog as a place to start conversations, which are crucial components that help create community.

Ready? Here’s the question:

What do you think is the most important thing to put on a Thanksgiving table?

Make your answers as personal or as widely applicable as you like. I'll post my answer at the end of the week.

I'm excited to read your answers!

www.rosannainc.com

Warehouse Sale

2010-11-11T13:10:00.000-08:00

* * *11/19 UPDATE* * * We are no longer having 2 sales. The new date is December 10-12.

Rosanna wanted to be able to say THANK YOU for the continued support through the years. She will also be on hand to autograph Coming Home.

Fri - 12/10 from 9a-5p (Rosanna appearance 9-5)
Sat - 12/11 from 9a-5p (Rosanna appearance 10-2)
Sun - 12/12 from 9a-5p (Rosanna appearance 10-2)

IT'S SALE TIME...but instead of 1 sale, we're having 2! Both sales will be held at our current location of 440 S Holgate St Seattle, WA 98134. Rosanna's warehouse is moving locations in January and we want to start fresh! Beyond collectible Rosanna tableware, Deruta and some slightly defective pieces, we'll have furniture (antique & office) available. For those that attend the Warehouse sale and spend $150 or more, you will receive an additional 10% off your purchase at the Moving sale (receipt required.) Hope to see you there!!!

Warehouse Sale

December 4th & 5th from 9a-5p

Moving Sale

December 17th & 18th from 9a-5pm

Reminders

Visa & MC accepted on purchases over $50

Cash is faster! We only have one credit card machine and the line gets backed up

NO CHECKS PLEASE

Parking is on street or in the gravel lot across Holgate. We kindly ask that you do not park in the Goodwill parking lot.

Must be present to shop. Orders will not be accepted via phone or email.

Please, for safety reasons, do not bring small children.

No refunds or exchanges. Please check all items for damages and defects before leaving.

www.rosannainc.com

The Show Must Go On

2010-11-09T15:29:00.000-08:00

As entertaining as it is to entertain, throwing big dinner parties can get expensive. We all know that keeping connection in your life is important. How to have people over but stay within your budget? Here's one possible solution:

Last week I attended a birthday party that allowed the hosts to entertain on a low budget. The party was both low stress and highly creative.

First of all, the party was a potluck. Spreading out the cooking responsibilities among guests kept costs low and cleanup at a minimum. But the best part of the party was the main event—a reading of the 1940’s play Light Up The Sky by Moss Hart. The hosts assigned each guest a part ahead of time and sent a script.

This kind of party is a trade off. It is less expensive, but it does require more planning. But the planning is worth it. A play reading makes for a creative, unusual, and refreshing gathering. After a glass of wine, shy performers lose some timidity and those of us with frustrated inner actors (yes, that would be me) get the chance to flex our thespian muscles.

If you’re interested in throwing a dinner-theater dinner party, here are a few tips:

-Choose a play available online. That way you can email your guests the script and not worry about making photocopies

-Get your invitations out well in advance, so your actors have time to read their lines through and get comfortable with the play

-Pick a show with a clear era or theme. Encourage everyone to dress the part

-Make the event a potluck or a dessert party to take the cooking pressure off

-Pick a play with a large ensemble so that as many people as possible can participate. If there are too many parts, double up!

Break a leg,