Room at the Table

Come on in, it’s getting cold outside!

Late Autumn is the whistle of wind through bare trees, evening skies streaked with clouds, and kitchens that come alive with the tastes and smells of the season; slow cooked suppers and  “pot luck” dinners, that bring family and friends together. Light the candles, pull up a chair, or the piano bench, set one more place because there is always room at the table.

It’s the season where Sundays are the best days for building fires and watching football and family dinners—people gathering over pasta, mac and cheese, chili, stews, roasts and braises—simple, hearty meals made from memory that make the whole house smell good and feel cozy. These are our favorite meals to cook and to eat, the ones our children miss most when they leave the nest and call to say “Mom, how long do I need to cook Nana’s…”

No matter what we serve or who shows up to eat it, dinner is an expression of love and an opportunity for gratitude; join hands, bow heads and reconnect just for a little while before Monday morning obligations call us back out into the wider world. Of course, the grand dame of family dinners is just around the corner…Thanksgiving. No two grand moms make their macaroni and cheese the same way, but at each of their tables it is the world’s best.

At Cutlery Couture, we love this holiday. Our own tables are already set while our menus are being finalized; new recipes to prepare the humblest vegetables are clipped and copied-will roasted brussel sprouts with shallots be as good as green bean and mushroom soup casserole? We will let you know!

This Thanksgiving we honor all the food makers and bakers, the designated choppers and napkin ironers; the table setters and dish doers and “kid’s table” dwellers who opt to stay at the kid’s table when they rightfully can move up to the big leagues; and don’t forget the extra table leaf brought up from the basement so the dining room table can accommodate new loves and old friends who join us. We raise a glass to the many who start their Thanksgiving with giving, donating turkeys, helping to stock food pantries and providing a feast where none would be otherwise. Salut!

This year, we are especially thankful to all of you who have invited us to your family’s feast, for adding a little couture to your holiday meal. From all of us at Cutlery Couture, we are honored to be at your table.