Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2019 i Southern Lady

Fall takes its sweet time arriving in our corner of the South, but when it does, it’s worth every bit of the wait. I delight in all things autumn, and this issue is filled with them, from lovely flowers to elegant china and stylish tabletop ideas. The joy of the season shines from every page! Watching the kids in our family get back into the swing of school this month makes me reminisce about my own school days: pretty skirts and dresses hand-sewn by my mom, a new leather book bag, and best of all, delicious treats to snack on when we arrived home. Our cookie recipes on page 101 keep that sweet tradition alive. The homemade graham crackers are a revelation—I never knew they were so simple to bake.…

For eight years, Rhonda Steger searched in vain for the perfect women’s clothing line to sell in her retail shop. When she couldn’t find the exact fit stateside, she crossed the Atlantic—and her fingers. “I hopped on a plane, went to Italy, and started talking to some manufacturers there,” says Rhonda, who managed to make some valuable connections without speaking any Italian. “Then I came back and started a wholesale business.” Inspired by distinctive Italian silks and the country’s traditions of remarkable craftsmanship, Rhonda founded CobbleStone Living, which she named after the rocky European streets she loves to traverse. “You know you’ll always find something beautiful while exploring them,” says Rhonda. Her first collection offered boutique retailers five different garments in three color options, and they all shared a unique…

At an alfresco table clothed in black-and-white gingham, welcome guests with a place card fresh from the garden. Sunflowers add a dab of color to the locale, while gray details on the rim of Herend’s Fish Scale mug echo the tones of the linen. To create this cheery greeting, attach ribbon to a cardstock tag bearing a guest’s name in elegant script and tie it to the cup handle in a bow. After filling the vessel with water, cut the stem of the sunflower so the blossom peers above the rim of the mug. Extra sunflowers paired with seeded eucalyptus form a centerpiece for this celebration of shifting seasons.…

Rich, earthy florals render a vintage air for September dalliances, often accompanied by favorite books and beverages in cherished resting spots. To create this lush backdrop, begin with burgundy dahlias and eucalyptus pods for a sturdy base, and then follow with ‘Caramel Antike’ garden roses to complete the foundation. Enhance the painterly arrangement with romantic ‘Toffee’ roses, spray roses, and purple bachelor’s buttons for added depth. A copper fish poacher with a warm antique patina serves as the perfect vessel for this display that will bring old-style wonder to your coziest corner.…

Sunrise Smoothies MAKES 6 SERVINGS 4½ cups coconut water, divided 2 cups frozen mango chunks, divided 1 cup frozen raspberries 2 cups frozen strawberries, peaches, and bananas mix* 1 cup frozen peach slices 1. In the container of a blender, place 1½ cups coconut water, 1 cup mango, and raspberries; pulse until smooth. Divide mixture among 6 serving glasses. 2. In the container of a blender, place frozen fruit mix and 1½ cups coconut water; pulse until smooth. Pour mixture over first layer in glasses. 3. In the container of a blender, place peaches, remaining 1½ cups coconut water, and remaining 1 cup mango; pulse until smooth. Pour mixture over second layer in glasses. 4. Using a butter knife, gently swirl layers together in a folding motion. Serve immediately. *We…

Apple, Blue Cheese, and Bacon Flatbreads MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS ½ pound bacon, chopped 1 (8.8-ounce) package naan flatbread 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 (8-ounce) package shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese 2 Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese 1. Preheat oven to 475°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. In a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon using a slotted spoon, and let drain on paper towels. 3. Place flatbreads on prepared pan. Brush with oil, and sprinkle with one-third of Cheddar. Top with half of apple slices, half of bacon, and half of blue cheese. Repeat layers once, and top with remaining one-third of Cheddar. 4. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. KITCHEN TIP: Refrigerate any…

Hello, September! This is always an exceptionally busy month around our house (not least because my husband, son, and I all have birthdays within a single week), but it also kicks off one of the best, most fun times of year. Our calendar is peppered with local festivals, outdoor parties, back-to-school doings, and the occasional getaway. Between clear skies and soft sunshine, dahlias and mums, apple orchards full to bursting, and, of course, football Saturdays, what’s not to love about autumn in the South? The gridiron isn’t the only sports highlight this month. It’s prime time for tennis buffs, with the start of fall leagues as well as the U.S. Open tournament—an exciting finale to the year’s Grand Slam events. Relax over a light, refreshing brunch (page 81) after a…

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. —Proverbs 18:21 NIV This morning when I did not like the look of the jeans I put on, I told myself so. Old Annie would have continued a barrage of ugly remarks about my looks, but instead, I looked in the mirror and said, “Hey, put on a different pair. No biggie.” And I shook it off and changed. See how Proverbs 18:21 says everything you say is either producing life or death? It’s just as true when you talk to yourself as when you are speaking to others. Just like with my jeans this morning, I have to choose words of life over words of death. That’s the kind of conversations…

SEASONAL MÉLANGE Each year, autumn arrives with a graceful leisure that grants us time to bid the best of summer goodbye. Capitalize on this spell of blended beauty, and host an affair that echoes both the vibrance of lingering bounty and the rich hues of the harvest to come. Set the scene with layered linens, a nod to the cozy season ahead, using the top cloth to introduce a mingled palette with an oversize floral print spanning pink, teal, taupe, and pale green. A mix of complementary china patterns continues the subtle contrast with bright and cheery designs, such as Wedgwood’s Kutani Crane, and those bearing shades of changing leaves, like Mottahedeh’s Sacred Bird and Butterfly. FLORAL FINERY At the heart of the presentation, a bevy of blossoms bursts forth…

BUCOLIC BEAUTY A cozy nook that exudes French elegance begs for an occasion inspired by the country’s glorious northern reaches. Swathed in an ecru linen, a table set for six awaits honored dinner guests. Gien’s Pont aux Choux earthenware, named for a famous Parisian street where 18th-century farmers grew vegetables, furthers the understated sophistication. Salad plates bearing a mottled green border call to mind the verdant hills of Normandy. A lavish floral display—anchored by a medley of deep burgundy and off-white dahlias, chocolate cosmos, and purple Matsumoto asters—features Gunni eucalyptus and ornamental cabbage while apples, plums, and foraged greenery spill forth in a nod to the region’s orchards. Potted herbs create a lush and fragrant table runner. Top off the ageless scheme with burnished steel-handled flatware, hand-blown glassware, and embroidered…

After walking away from modeling in the 1980s, Deborah Rhodes was ready to add a new feather to her cap, but she never imagined her line of tailor-made hats and hair accessories would segue into an international tabletop décor enterprise. She had stepped out of the camera’s spotlight and back into her artistic comfort zone, having studied weaving, painting, and pottery in college. After a few years of selling her handcrafted frills exclusively to Manhattan retailers, a lovely braided detail on one of her designs caught the eye of a Henri Bendel buyer. “They looked at some of my braids and said, ‘Can you make something round, about 15 inches, that we can put in our home area?’” says Deborah, whose eagerness to meet the challenge outweighed her initial uncertainty.…

Mottahedeh’s Chinoise Blue salad plate graces tables with the same agreeable air as a fall breeze, bearing layered borders with decorative leaves and flowing ribbons that span shades of cobalt, rust, and gold. Highlight the quiet intricacy of the design with neutral accompaniments that bring interest to the presentation in shape and texture. A white dinner plate edged in rosette-inspired curves finds balance against a distinctive place mat with a profusion of bamboo beads. Its circular motif is repeated in polka dots on drinkware and abstract sea stones atop a napkin ring, while flatware with embossed stripes and fractured lines on crackled wine glasses create contrast. A fringed chambray linen adds a final tri-toned note that pulls the look together. (Opposite) Elevate the salad plate with a touch of French…

There’s something about the arrival of autumn that calls us back to the gratifying comforts of home. Make the most of the season’s simple pleasures by inviting friends together for a tea party centered around a perennial favorite, blue-and-white china. On the heels of summer, September in the South allows us to drink in the final days of warm sunshine while also offering us a taste of the beautiful and bountiful days ahead. It’s a month of new beginnings in so many ways: back to school, a return to routines, and leaves taking on a patina of crimson or gold—a prelude to fall’s most captivating color show. Before harvest motifs and pumpkins make their annual debut, let timeless collections such as Staffordshire’s Calico Blue and Spode’s Blue Italian take center…

Salted Caramel Snickerdoodles MAKES 40 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2¾ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup caramel baking chips*, chopped 20 caramels*, halved 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Garnish: flaked sea salt 1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add egg, beating well. Beat in vanilla. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined. Beat…

COVER: See KEEPSAKE SOUTHERN SPOTLIGHT: FASHION FORWARD Page 23: Wavy Marble lacquer place mat in plum, Reversible linen napkin in cranberry, and Spring Sedum napkin ring in plum; Deborah Rhodes. Page 24: Napa Stripe 16”x96” runner in mustard, Medallion Sinamay place mat in gold, Cabana Border flax napkin in mustard, and Mixed Stone Burst napkin ring in tan; Deborah Rhodes. ENTERTAINING TOUCHES: SUNSHINE LINGERS Page 25: Herend Fish Scale mug in gray, Bromberg’s. MIX & MATCH: TRACES OF AUTUMN Page 31: Mottahedeh salad/dessert plate in Chinoise Blue, Replacements, Ltd. Bella Bianca Rosette dinner plate and Mariposa Blue Dotty DOF glass, Bromberg’s. Round bamboo place mat in brown and Sea Stone napkin ring in navy, Kim Seybert. Essex Chambray napkin, Hugo stemless white wine glass, and L’Andana Bright Satin 5-piece place…