Innholdsfortegnelse for May - June 2017 i Victoria

As the flowers of the season bloom in profusion, we thrill to the sight of garden terraces and pastel bouquets brimming from homes and villages throughout France. This issue is particularly exciting, as we explore the vineyards and estates of the Aquitaine and Bordeaux regions and beyond. Within these pages, you will find the best of Gallic décor, scenic destinations, and inspired menus. It’s hard to think about France without considering the art, beauty, and, of course, the cuisine—très délicieuse. We offer an en plein air picnic, complete with freshly picked wildflowers and settings in delicate bone china. See page 75 for a guide to planning your next alfresco affair. For a fête fit for a French Bistro, peruse the delectable menu, created by Victoria’s recipe developers, on page 33.…

“ To launch a regatta of billowing sheets lets me set sail in my own backyard.” Like most writers, I spend nine-tenths of my time waiting for inspiration. I am fortunate in that I do my waiting at home. When ambition outstrips my talent, which is more or less a daily occurrence, there are dozens of simple, even moronic tasks that I can do while the Muse is hiding behind a curtain. In the winter months I polish silver, make quilts, and write letters. But come spring, I unplug my dryer, slip my cellular phone into the clothespin bag, and hang out the wash. I do not descend from women who viewed laundry as a creative fallback position. My mother hung out the wash on a pulley line that ran…

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“HAPPINESS FLUTTERS IN THE AIR WHILST WE REST AMONG THE BREATHS OF NATURE.” —Kelly Sheaffer…

WRITER-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 13–14 : For more information about author and teacher Phyllis Theroux, visit her website, nightwriters.com. ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE Pages 15–16 : To learn more about Carolyne Roehm, visit her website, carolyneroehm.com. RHAPSODY IN BLUE Page 17 : Deshoulières: Orsay Powder Blue Dinner Plate, $115; 843-577-6811, vieuxtemps.net. Raynaud: Allee Royale Salad Plate, $104; 732-751-0500, devinecorp.net for retailers. Yamazaki: Victoria Gold Accent 5 Piece Place Setting, $69.99; 800-441-3675, yamazakitableware.com. Fleur d’Andeol: Antique Damask Tablecloth and 12-Napkin Service Monogram LM, $685; 646-475-2250, fleurdandeol.com. Port 68: Sanibel Oval Cream Planter, $387; 866-960-7930, port68.com for retailers. Saint-Louis: Thistle Gold American Water Goblet, $585, Thistle Gold Hock in Sky Blue, $695; 855-240-9740, saint-louis.com/en. Page 19 : Yves Delorme: Roma Queen Fitted Sheet in bleuté, $225, Roma Full/Queen Flat Sheet in bleuté, $245, Roma Standard Sham in…

Take a closer look at some of our favorite May/June features: Exploring Aquitaine Venture to a land where vineyards flourish and storybook villages thrive in the shadows of grand, time-burnished castles. The Courage to Fly Home Julie Huh-Currie restored what was once known as the Château des Echerets, and today, the petit château welcomes guests as The French Manoir. Ambrosial Delights Savor the sweet taste of honeysuckle, blended into our sure-to-please recipes in fresh and unexpected ways. Pictured below left is our Honeysuckle Meyer Lemon Panna Cotta. Where Love Grows Immerse yourself in the floral jubilee of 10 acres of fragrant gardens on the serene haven of Prince Edward Island, where Carolyn Aiken cultivates bliss. We love your ideas! Do you have any suggestions about something you’d like to see…

Home to fruit orchards, fields of vegetables, and vineyards, the Loire Valley is often referred to as the Garden of France. The lovely formal gardens of the region recall a treasured past and an ever-present dedication to beauty. The Château de Villandry, built in the sixteenth century, has maintained gardens since its establishment. Their design has changed with time, ranging from formal to functional, but today, owner Henri Carvallo maintains the renaissance gardens his great-grandfather, Joachim, reconstructed. “Most renaissance gardens,” Carolyne Roehm explains, “have three levels. Often, the lowest level is the potager.” Parterre and water gardens typically complete the trio, but recent additions also include the sun and herb gardens. For Carolyne, the visit proved inspirational. “Vegetables and fruits needed no longer be in regimental rows,” she says, “but…

“I WONDER WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE IT WAS ALWAYS JUNE.” —Lucy Maud Montgomery As Carolyn Aiken takes an early morning stroll through her garden in the idyllic Canadian community of Warren Grove, the cheerful lilt of birdsong and the staccato whirr of darting dragonflies blend in a stirring symphony that accompanies her steps. There is a hushed serenity here among the magnolias and peonies that harks to an earlier, less-hurried way of life. “I find gardening relaxing,” says Carolyn, as she dons a broad-brimmed hat to shield the sun’s rays. “I love being out here surrounded by beauty and all the sights, sounds, and fragrances of nature.” The 100-year-old farmhouse—where she and her husband, Andrew, raised their seven children—sits amid ten peaceful…

Deep in the countryside of France’s Pays de la Loire region, wrought iron gates swing wide in welcome, revealing the verdant grounds of The French Manoir, abloom with rivers of tulips. A breeze rustles a nearby cherry tree, sprinkling the path with drifts of blush-pink petals. Buds are already starting to appear in the rose garden; soon, showy blossoms will perfume the idyllic setting with heady fragrance. A reflecting pool mirrors clear skies, and a petit château overlooks an ancient chapel and barn. Getting here was a long journey, in many ways, for Julie Huh-Currie, but one that has led to bliss. “IF YOU HAVE BUILT CASTLES IN THE AIR, YOUR WORK NEED NOT BE LOST; THAT IS WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. NOW PUT THE FOUNDATIONS UNDER THEM.” —Henry David…

Although pencil, drybrush watercolor, gouache, silverpoint, and egg tempera are the media that Linda Funk uses for depicting plants, the poignancy of their portrayal comes from within her heart. The self-taught Maine artist—also an avid gardener and a respected teacher—endeavors to please both the scientist and the untrained lover of flora through a varied portfolio that includes book design and illustration, fine art, and decorative furnishings. Botanical artists, Linda explains, strive for sensitivity and precision—goals best achieved with live specimens. “Subjects are moving and changing ever so slightly moment by moment, testing the eye and hand,” she says. “Petals open and close; stems flex and curve.” Rendering hue, vibrancy, and proportion faithfully presents an exacting challenge that can only be met in natural light. “ THE FLOWERING PLANT IS A…

As a little girl, nothing seems quite as large as the ocean, and no hero quite as large as Daddy. For me, no joy was greater than summers shared with my father on Cape Cod. The cape is part of the canvas of memories I have been painting since childhood. In her later years, my mother revealed that I was conceived there one summer, and that has always felt particularly right to me, a validation of my attachment to this long-ago place. To this day, whenever I hear its name, I can’t help but recall those childhood summers—the feel of the salty air on my sunburned skin, the gray-pink of seashells found on the edge of the ocean, and the warmth of my father’s hand as we walked the shoreline,…

When I was a college student in Philadelphia, out exploring the city with friends, we stumbled across a bohemian restaurant called The Gilded Bird Cage. Intrigued by the name, I persuaded my companions to venture in for dinner. Dishes jumped off the menu: Salade Niçoise, Coq au Vin, Vichyssoise—so exotic to an 18-year-old girl. I became a regular patron, befriending the chef so I could pepper him with questions about how to prepare French food. Through his tutelage and extensive knowledge, I learned the art of French cooking. Words can’t describe the incredible, unique marrying of just the right ingredients, which is so unmistakably French. I just know that when preparing a dish—from a simple onion soup to a more elaborate Coquilles St. Jacques—I feel a special kinship, as if…

“LET US ACCEPT THE INVITATION, EVER-OPEN, FROM THE STILLNESS, TASTE ITS EXQUISITE SWEETNESS, AND HEED ITS SILENT INSTRUCTION.” —Paul Brunton “COOKING IS AT ONCE CHILD’S PLAY AND ADULT JOY. AND COOKING DONE WITH CARE IS AN ACT OF LOVE.” —Craig Claiborne “OH! ‘DARKLY, DEEPLY, BEAUTIFULLY BLUE,’ AS SOME ONE SOMEWHERE SINGS ABOUT THE SKY.” —Lord Byron…

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“AN ESSENTIAL ELEMENT OF LA VIE PARISIENNE, FLOWERS EMBODY ALL THAT IS ROMANTIC ABOUT THE CITY OF LOVE.” —Georgianna Lane As the sweet scent of overflowing cherry blossoms envelops Paris in the midst of a budding afternoon, it becomes evident that the magnificent gardens alone are worth a trip to the city. Georgianna Lane’s book guides readers through the various gardens of the arrondissements, from the Palais-Royal to the Jardin du Luxembourg. “This book is my love letter to the French capital, an unapologetically romantic celebration of her abundant floral charms,” Georgianna says. The inspiration for Paris in Bloom came about as her appreciation grew for the beloved metropolitan area and the flowers it encompasses. She became well-versed in the inflorescences and characteristics of numerous blooms, discovering floral…

“THERE IS A GARDEN IN EVERY CHILDHOOD, AN ENCHANTED PLACE WHERE COLORS ARE BRIGHTER, THE AIR SOFTER, AND THE MORNING MORE FRAGRANT THAN EVER.” —Elizabeth Lawrence…