Autumn Sunday Dinner

Our homes should tell a story – where we have been and what is meaningful to us. I’ve collected a lot of items over the years, from flea markets to out of the way antique stores.  We all have those treasured items we have inherited. A few on a shelf, but many that are often tucked away and forgotten about.

One of the best pieces of advice I received about 30 years ago from my friend Barb (who is also a talented designer), is to keep things in sight and not hidden away in the back of a pantry. I think we unintentionally hide things or put them away, which can be a huge mistake because these are the treasured items that add personality to dining and entertaining. 

All of this had me thinking when I wanted to have a cozy dinner for 4 outside on my patio. I needed a small table, and on a whim, decided to use an old wooden table located behind my sofa  (that was originally a desk for my boys when they were young). Who knows, maybe it was originally a dining room table in Paris! I dragged it outside, added 4 chairs and it worked out perfectly. Not wanting to hide the beautiful patina with a tablecloth, I used my old monogrammed napkins as the placemats and bowls I found on the Food52 website. I also converted an old cutting board to serve my bread, and sliced it with an old knife I found in Napa, California.  

Soup was on the menu, always a family favorite, especially in the fall. It’s easy and along with a salad and crusty bread makes a perfect meal.  I made a Farmers Chowder – using chicken instead of seafood.

My son was skeptical as he immediately thought chowders are meant for seafood. However, at the end of the meal, he admitted that the chowder was delicious. It’s an old Martha Stewart, which can be found here. and the best part is making the chicken stock the same day, which is all part of the same process. I swap the cream for 2% milk, but do what you prefer. At the end, I add a healthy dose of dill – as we are a “dill family” and it looks quite pretty on top of the soup. Feel free to use parsley instead. 

Hoping this post inspires you to bring out and use pieces that you may have stored away. Be sure and let me know below any of your favorites and creative ways you have used them. 

Hoping this post inspires you to bring out and use pieces that you may have stored away. Be sure and let me know below any of your favorites and creative ways you have used them.