A Fantasy Tea Party Celebration Interview Showcases How to Balance Family, Career, & Community, Plus Tablescape & Menu Ideas

 

It seems like almost yesterday that my dear Homegrown friend, Nancy Valarella, reached out to me to suggest that she and her culinary cohort, Myra Naseem, be interview guests on my recently-launched Ladies Who Lunch Conversations show on Facebook. 

She had me at Tea Party!

Nancy suggested our upcoming interview segment feature a Mother’s Day Tea Party theme. 

Oh the possibilities!  I was transported to visions of elegant Bridgerton, Barry Lyndon, and whimsical Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter for a fantasy tablescape and fashions ....

Meanwhile, Nancy was explaining that Myra is affectionately known as “Mama” Myra by her family and close friends. This prompted me to invite my own Mother, Virginia, to co-host the special Mother’s Day Ladies Who Lunch tea party with me. 

This was to be my first "Double Feature" interview, meaning two ladies to interview on the guest side, and in turn, two at my table: Me and Mother. Just to balance things out. And allow me to showcase my beautiful Mother :)

I know Nancy from my Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook. As you will see and hear in the Ladies Who Lunch interview, we have had a few Thelma & Louise adventures! 

From the start, Nancy was abuzz with the food and drink possibilities and ideas about their pretty table design to highlight the springtime tea party. See, Nancy possesses not only a culinary cachet but also a “look-book” styling talent that embellishes an entertaining composition, in every season. From the get-go, the stars were aligning portending this was going to be a truly elegant episode. 

From her first postings on social media, Nancy showcased the incredibly beautiful, antique china sets her father-in-law brought back from Japan where  he was stationed while in the service.  

 

I was gobsmacked. Not only for their delicate charm and macaron colors but also because they are still in pristine condition. Not a broken handle or chip in any of the pieces!  That’s surely tender loving care and respect for the entertaining tableware…

You can view Nancy’s china art sets on her Facebook page: @What’sCookinLongIslandLocavore and at her Instagram: @lilocavore495 to see her museum-worthy china art. 

We also owe deep gratitude to SerendipiTea   

Flavour Fields, and Hither Brook Floral & Gift Boutique. Nancy, Myra, and me thank you from the bottom of our homegrown hearts for sharing your exquisite products - the best ingredients ~ that elevated our cocktail and food recipes. We unabashedly recommend these tea blends. And don’t get me started about Flavour Fields’ microgreens, herbs, spices, and be-still-my-finishing-touches heart: edible flowers. Please check out these inspired growers and small business wonders. 

Speaking of wonders, during the Ladies Who Lunch episode, we learned how Myra acquired her “Mama Myra moniker.” (Wow. I always love a kind of alliteration but I think this is a first for me to showcase three!) and how her B.S. in Home Economics from SUNY and a master’s degree from NYU, and teaching job in Patchogue High School all continue to contribute to what is now her decades-on success in her catering and cooking classes career. Listen to how she describes her teaching and instructional pedigree… 

Along with her partner, Neil, Elegant Eating has been a catering gem in the Smithtown/Stony Brook area for over three decades. 

Nancy noted that “Elegant Eating food tastes as good as it looks. In addition to putting food in our bellies and smiles on our faces, both Neil and Myra have been actively supporting the community. In 2017, Myra and the team were honored by the Smithtown Children’s Foundation for their effort and support within the Smithtown community.”

This fall, 2021, the Smithtown Historical Society is honoring “Mama” Myra for her steadfast support and will be recognized with the “Rockwell Award.” 

Here’s a bit of context for the Rockwell Award: 

The Rockwell Award honors the memory of Charles Embree Rockwell, who through his generous donation of Roseneath Cottage and the surrounding property has enabled the Society to grow and become an integral part of the community. This year’s recipient Myra Naseem, co-owner of Elegant Eating demonstrates this same generous spirit through her contributions of goods and services to the Smithtown Historical Society’s many events. By donating numerous culinary creations and exquisite tablescapes as well as providing top level service, Myra has helped to make our events beautiful and successful. It was because of Myra’s generosity and talent for adapting during the pandemic, that the Historical Society was able to hold a compliant celebration of our 2020 honorees this past October. Myra has also generously provided delicious treats for other events such as our Honoree Breakfast and our Evening with a Star Interview series; garnering praise and appreciation from attendees. Additionally, Myra has brought many new sponsors to the Historical Society and it is for this generosity of spirit and willingness to work for the good of the Society that we wish to thank Myra.

Please view the Ladies Who Lunch episode to understand better Myra’s advice for female entrepreneurs looking to start and grow a burgeoning business…“If you are willing to put the time and effort into it, anything is possible” are some of Myra’s pearls of wisdom and inspiration.

Nancy, too, is an inspiring woman. After a career in technology, Nancy became a full-time Mother and caregiver to her three daughters. When the youngest entered middle school, the desire to re-enter the world was fulfilled by food writing and volunteer work.

While writing for hyper-local publications, she was asked to chair fundraising events for Stony Brook University’s Nutrition Department and the Smithtown Children’s Foundation. Nancy later became an Advisory Board Member and Public Relations contact for the Smithtown Children’s Foundation.

You can purchase Myra’s cookbook and help support this effective community Foundation. In 2015 Nancy was honored with the Inspirational Community Leader Award given by the Smithtown Children’s Foundation.

Nancy is proud to note that she has had the honor of cooking alongside regionally renowned Chefs Guy Reuge and Tom Schaudel, has rubbed elbows and has shared banter with culinary icons Martha Stewart, Chefs Bobby Flay, Tom Colicchio, Michael Symon and restaurateur extraordinaire, Danny Meyer.

Nancy’s foodie chops include: recipe development, cooking contests winner.  I regret that I only recently learned she had a recipe featured in the Wall Street Journal!  

Nancy also had a recipe featured in Newsday for her Spiralized Zucchini Noodles with Poached Chicken Tenders.  

I so love that Nancy wrote that she has stopped counting the number of cookbooks in her collection. We all need more cookbooks!

In fact, as you’ll hear on the Ladies Who Lunch Conversations I am going to strongly advocate that a smart publisher take on Nancy to create a Polish inspired cookbook, with a kind of deconstructed or derivative take on some classic dishes.  I think this style of ethnic recipes is ready for its moment! All good, healthy, traditional comfort food with a twist of updated elegance and style. 

Don’t you agree? 

Nancy has also been a catalyst for all things local in her environ as a Farmers’ Market Manager & Cooking Demonstrator at Long Island Greenmarkets. In addition to numerous local publications, Nancy’s writing has been published regionally in Edible Long Island and the Long Island Press. 

Nancy and Myra are truly inspirational: managing family, career, and community. We salute these great dames and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to explore their journeys.  Not to be outdone, my mother Virginia also shares her ability to balance a career as a registered nurse with raising a family.  

I’ve always admired that Ginger Rogers’ quote about “doing everything backwards in high heels” to emphasize that ladies make it look easy in spite of difficulty.  

I bow to you inspired ladies. I salute you.  And really ~ every day is Mother’s Day.   Thank you, Nancy, Myra, and Mother!  It is a lovely Tea Party indeed. And you not only inspired my early-May tablescape but you also prompted me to showcase my childhood tea party set! Girls love tea parties.

This episode fueled a unique, fun, Bridgerton meets Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter tea party tablescape! You all can see a video capture on my YouTube. (and subscribe too, please.) wink. 

Entertaining table decor and inspiring women is a potent combination for fun and fantasy and all good things…. Cheers. 

 

 

House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year

It was white.  
Lots of white cabinets.
Glass doors.
A wood and marble-like island.
White tiles. 

Not blinding snow white. Rather calm, tranquil cloud white.
With gleaming silver tiles and drawer pulls, black lacquer shelves and confidently placed cabinets. And elegant glass front display "storage."

It was an orchestration designed by Mick De Giulio, kitchen designer since 1984. De Giulio knows his way around the heart and soul of a home. 

In fact, the House Beautiful literature for the 5^th Anniversary of this summer rite of passage notes, De Giulio believes that kitchens can be more than workrooms. He believes they can be artful compositions that feel the soul.”

So it is that even in one of the world’s busiest, buzziest tourist sites, with an added attraction on the site of the Today Show’s morning outside features, the Kitchen of the Year is poised as a welcoming, calm respite and heart of this pulsing city. 

Chef Lisa Pensiero cooking demo

There were eager-looking yet respectful visitors watching the cooking demonstration by a soft spoken, focused cookbook author and chef Laura Pensiero of GIGI TRATTORIA.

Others were lounging in the kitchen’s sitting area fronted by a fireplace and big screen TV.

Others at the dining room table,

and still more coming and going leisurely to the outdoor garden kitchen. 

It didn’t look like a major magazine and manufacturer demonstration so much as a casual, family party. 

Oh, but one with lots of media video taping and photographing the cooking action in the kitchen! 

The Look

The 1,000-square-foot kitchen conservatory featured two fully functioning kitchens, indoor and outdoor, where delectable bites and sips were offered throughout the day.

The kitchen brought together a wide array of premiere building and home decoration companies, including Belgard Hardscapes, Caesarstone, Kohler, KraftMaid, Whirlpool, Aircraft Scentsticks, Ann Sacks, Circa Lighting, The Container Store, de Giulio kitchen design, Frontgate, Glidden, Grandin Road, Grothouse, Hickory Chair, iRobot, Kravet, Michael Aram, Napoleon Fireplaces, Shaw Floors, and VTech.

I liked the clever the spice rack and the pin-door like sliding cover. 

However, after more thoughtful inspection, I thought it was a design conceit that was better looking than practical due to the fact that the spices were lined up along the back wall, next to the stovetop burner.  And for diminutive folks like me, that could mean a Biiiigg stretch to fetch the pepper across the stove abyss!

I liked the idea of the indented or square-shaped area built into the wood island counter top – much like a built in bowl – for fruit or other display.  How intriguing… Yet here again, I’m thinking if one is a semi-serious cook, or even an absent-minded one, you could inadvertently put the oil or mixed ingredients down into an “empty” sloping bowl.  It could spell disaster.  It's a design solution in search of a need....
And I'm not entirely sold on the idea of the mix of Caesarstone and wood island counter top. It looked nice but is it enduring?  I thought it could appear as if one or the other textured material was added in rather than designed in.  Not sleek.

The only other challenge is the cook top. It’s electric. I asked chef Laura if it posed a problem as she was trying to demo her recipe. She gamely came round to the answer, saying "It does get hot fast -- It just took some getting used to." (Most chefs use gas powered stove top burners.)

All together, the Kitchen was very, very good looking and the overall, open layout was smart.  Of course every imaginable appliance was included yet due to good design, it wasn’t overwhelming.  On the contrary. It was all easy functionality. The wine cooler, ovens and refrigerator were within easy reach.

The use of glass was elegant.

The flooring was handsome and practical.

The shelves for easy access to cookbooks was enlightened.  Except they didn't showcase my Hamptons & Long Island Homegrown Cookbook. ha! 

The shelves displaying vases and bowls was artful; a stunning effect. 

The Kitchen was as engaging as a couple’s rainy Sunday romp through a Home Depot Expo.  There was lot’s of “Honey, look at this.” And “Check this out.”  Nice inspiration.  

All events were open to the public.

A complete schedule of events http://www.housebeautiful.com/KOTY  Here online there are lots of design tips and tricks for small kitchens. 

Highlights included:

            * Todd English of Olives restaurant demonstrates Korean Style Grilled Skirt Steak

            * Highlighting the locavore culinary movement, star chefs from New York-area restaurants 
Peekamoose, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and Gigi's Trattoria will prepare dishes and 
beverages with locally-sourced ingredients (

            *  Made In America: American Treasures Culinary Experience that recognized individuals 
and small producers in America  

            *  Miles Angelo of Caribou Club demonstrated Cappalletti with Duck Confit

Other culinary craftsman as part of the showcase were Food Network's Sandra Lee, The Chew Carla Hall, and Prune Restaurant's and James Beard Award Winner, Gabrielle Hamilton.

Outdoor Kitchen and Dining

The Belgard stone cooking island and bar in the outdoor dining area was a terrific design.  

Don't you just love the pop of green sink color?  Convenient, hidden trash receptacle

The aluminum island front and backsplash – not unlike my own inspired mirror backsplash design in our home kitchen – is just a brilliant detail.  

It opens up and reflects the light and space.  Not that one needed that in Rockefeller Center, but you will at home…

The Pizza Oven seems to be a must-do in today’s outdoor kitchens.  Men love them. And this Napoleon model was said to heat up very fast to a very high temperature.  

The Frontgate seating was conservative and rich-looking, indulgent  -- and made for relaxing while reading a good magazine or enjoying a pitcher of sangria with friends. 

The planters and island planters offered symmetry and contributed to a tranquil outdoor living composition.  There were nice container display gardens with a mix of grasses and vines and flowering plants.  

I liked the transition to different levels too – it gives a sense of being transported even if in a modest space.

I especially enjoyed chatting it up with House Beautiful's associate publisher Sean - the brains behind the entire culinary and design concept!  

We bonded over culinary design, foodie interests -- especially jam and local homegrown ingredients.  Instant friends.  Food can do that... 


House Beautiful is the leading authority on American home design and decoration.  Founded in 1896, House Beautiful is the oldest continuously published shelter magazine in the United States. In May 2012, House Beautiful won the American Society of Magazine Editors award for General Excellence in the Lifestyle Magazines category.