princess Kate's favorite Christmas treats

Kate Middleton is known for her elegant and stylish fashion choices, especially during the festive season. For Christmas, she often opts for classic colors like reds and greens and sometimes incorporates plaid patterns into her outfits.

 

Tartan has a rich history and various connotations in fashion. Tartan plaid is deeply rooted in Scottish culture, often associated with clans and families.

 

I love how Princess Catherine wears plaid, as it can be dressed up or down, making it a versatile pattern that has stood the test of time.

 

During the holiday season, the royal family wears the most beautiful and stylish plaid patterns, especially in red and green to evoke a sense of warmth and festivity at Christmastime.

 

Now here's something I love just as mush as Kate does... Sticky toffee pudding!! It's a Christmas classic, and it’s no surprise that Kate enjoys it during the festive season. Here’s her simple recipe for you to try.

If you've never had Sticky Toffee Pudding, you're in for a real treat!

 

And here’s another traditional Christmas dessert…

 

King Charles also has a fondness for traditional Christmas desserts, including plum pudding. This rich, steamed pudding is packed with dried fruits, spices, and often a splash of brandy or rum, making it a festive favorite.

 

Prince William and the Princess of Wales have several cherished holiday traditions that they enjoy with their family. 

They make sure to spend quality time together as a family, often baking and decorating Christmas cookies, and watching holiday movies like "Elf," which is a favorite of Prince William.

 

Like all of us, they also hang stockings by the fireplace and leave out very British mince pies and milk for Santa and the reindeer.

 

They continue the tradition of attending a Christmas church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, a long-standing Windsor family custom.

 

I love that Kate and William have started creating their own separate holiday traditions, including hosting their own holiday party with Kate's family. This allows them to have a more private and relaxed celebration away from the larger royal family.

Plaid always brings out the true spirit of the holidays, whether it's adding a plaid pillow on your sofa or brightening up an outfit with a bit of tartan. 

ciao fabiana

 

 

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You can check out some of my favorites here at “Tablescaping Essentials” 

 Do you add a little plaid to your Christmas traditions?

Photos and recipes courtesy of People Magazine

 

 

coronation inspiration 2023

 

The coronation of King Charles is just days away, and I’m so excited to watch it this weekend. I came across this gorgeous little alfresco table on the cover of Country Living UK, and it just spoke to me!

 

I love everything about it, especially the darling red and white striped tablecloth. In fact, it inspired me to make my own ruffled tablecloth for an outside table I use in my new potager.

 

Check out my humble little homage to the coronation HERE, set in my new vegetable garden.

 

Dress up and home make cakes by adding whipped cream and berries between layers!

 

This looks scrumptious! 

ciao! fabiana

 

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4 yummy recipes for Labor Day

We’re expecting a very hot weekend, so I’m prepping a few fun weekend meals now to enjoy later and save me from spending time in the kitchen when it gets really steamy out. 

This weekend it will be all about cool picnic type foods: a wedge salad, a couple of yummy finger sandwiches to nosh on and a little appetizer to add to a cheese and nut platter. 

The dressings will be made, the lettuces will be washed, the veggies will be chopped, the bacon will be fried and the tapenade will be made now, so I can relax later. 

All four of these recipes come from Marissa Hermer’s cookbook, An American Girl in London. Marissa and her husband Matt own the fabulous restaurant The Draycott in Pacific Palisades, and you may remember her from Ladies of London. 

Here are the recipes, in case you’d like to try them...  

Iceberg Wedge with a Twist 

Ingredients  

½  cup plain yogurt  

½ cup buttermilk 

Zest & juice from ½ lemon 

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives 

½ cup crumbled Roquefort cheese 

Ground black pepper, to taste 

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 

6 slices of bacon 

1-2 slices of good sourdough bread, torn into bite-size pieces 

Salt, to taste 

2 heads iceberg lettuce, cut into wedges 

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped  

Directions 

1) In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chives. Gently stir in the Roquefort cheese and season with pepper. Set aside. 

2) In a small nonstick frying pan over medium heat, heat ½ tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the bacon and fry for 6 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove and set aside on paper towels to drain excess oil.   

3) In the same pan, add the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil along with the torn bread pieces. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until golden brown and crispy. Season with salt.    

4) To assemble the salad, drizzle the yogurt dressing over the lettuce wedges. Sprinkle on the bacon and toasted walnuts and garnish with the croutons. Serve immediately. 

Coronation Chicken Sandwiches* 

Ingredients  

3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded  

4 dried apricots, finely chopped  

1 tablespoon curry powder  

1 teaspoon ground ginger  

1 tablespoon mango chutney  

¼ cup mayonnaise  

¼ cup plain yogurt  

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro  

Salt & pepper to taste  

8 slices whole wheat or plain bread  

4 leaves baby romaine lettuce  

Directions 

1) In a large bowl, combine the chicken, apricots, curry, ginger, chutney, mayonnaise, yogurt, and cilantro and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. 

2) Divide the chicken mixture onto 4 slices of bread. Top with the lettuce & remaining bread slices. Trim the edges then cut each into 4 finger-sized slices. 

*According to History Extra, “Coronation chicken was created in 1953, when renowned florist Constance Spry and Cordon Bleu chef Rosemary Hume catered for a banquet to celebrate the coronation of Elizabeth II.” 

Tapenade 

Ingredients  

1 cup pitted kalamata olives 

½ cup pitted Nocellara olives (or other green variety) 

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, roughly chopped 

1 teaspoon sugar 

1 tablespoon roughly chopped Italian parsley 

Pinch of ground black pepper 

1/3 cup of good-quality extra virgin olive oil, plus additional if needed 

Directions 

1) In a food processor, combine the olives, and tomatoes. Pulse a couple of times to roughly chop. Add the sugar and parsley, pulsing again until the mixture is coarsely ground. 

2) Add the pepper, 1/3 cup olive oil. Pulse again until the mixture becomes smoother but still has a few chunky pieces. Add a bit more olive oil if necessary. 

3)  Serve with warm, crusty bread slices.

Cucumber Smoked Salmon Sandwiches with Herby Cream Cheese 

Ingredients  

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature 

1 shallot, finely chopped 

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill 

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives 

Zest & juice from 1 lemon 

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste 

8 slices whole wheat or plain soft bread 

½ English cucumber, very thinly sliced 

4 ounces smoked salmon 

1 tablespoon butter 

  

Directions 

1) In a small bowl, whip together the cream cheese, shallot, dill, chives, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. 

2) Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly onto 4 slices of bread. Top with cucumber slices, slightly overlapping, and then a couple of pieces of smoked salmon. 

3) Lightly butter the other 4 slices of bread, then place on top of the ones with the salmon filling. Trim the crusts and discard. Cut each into 4 even finger-sized slices. 

Photos and recipes courtesy of "An American Girl in London"

You can find Marissa's cookbook HERE.

ciao! fabiana

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