Old Fashioned Cake Plates

Last time I shared at Vintage Thingie Thursday (thanks to Susanne for hosting each week), I shared a sampling of my collection of vintage pickle dishes. Today I thought I’d give a peek of my collection of vintage cake plates. You might be detecting a trend here. I love glass…especially old-fashioned pressed glass. So sweet and sparkly…they come in all shapes and sizes, some with pedestals, some without, some in colored glass, most in clear. All beautiful and think of all the cakes they have probably displayed in their *lifetime* (you know cake is a pretty vintage thing when you think of it). I have no will power to resist when I come across one in the thrift stores or at a garage sale. So while I never intended to collect vintage cake plates, a collection of them I have. I use them a lot when catering. They come in handy for displaying the obvious, cake, but also cupcakes, muffins, cream puffs, tea sandwiches, fruit, and the list goes on. So, they rarely get the opportunity to collect dust in my home.


I LOVE Vintage Cookbooklets and this one ranks as a favorite. I've never heard of SnoSheen Cake Flour.


A Sweetheart Cheesecake on an Old-Fashioned Cake Plate


A sampling. Don't they look so festive!


A Triple Layer Raspberry-Filled Coconut Cake from a recent catering.


Triple Chocolate Cheesecake from the same catering (you can see cream puffs in the background also on a vintage cake plate)

St. Patrick's Day Crawl & Tablescape Thursday!

Editing to add to Susan's Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch.



Posting to Kathleen's 2nd Annual St. Patrick's Day Crawl. Check out all the posts and join in on the St. Paddy's Fun.

We had our St Paddy's Dinner on Saturday. We invited 2 families to join us in the fun.

Irish music playing to set the mood!

The candle holder is from TJMaxx a couple years ago and the vase green bud vase was my Grandmother-in-law's.

Wonderful Irish cheeses made up a cheeseboard with homemade whole wheat crackers on the side.

Festive table set with a green plaid tablecloth I picked up at TJMaxx a few years back on clearance. They only had 4 napkins so I bought a second tablecloth and made some more. Now I have a cloth, 15 napkins and a table runner, all made for about $10.00.

My everday white dishes and flatware

and water goblets from Dollar Tree.

The lovely white bowl with the shamrocks was a gift from a friend.



Some of my vintage pickle dishes...I love these shamrock ones!

Beautiful fresh white tulips in an old green florists vase from the thrift store.


On the menu:
Corned Beef
Sauted Cabbage w/Bacon
Colcannon
Roasted Carrots
Mashed Turnips
Irish Soda Bread w/Irish Butter
Old Fashioned Bread Pudding w/Vanilla Sauce

In A Pickle.....

Today for Coloradolady's Vintage Thingie Thursday, I thought I would share one of my MANY collections.....Vintage Pickle Dishes!

I started collecting vintage pickle dishes shortly after I learned how to can...actually more specifically, pickle. My first dish came from my grandmother-in-law. She encouraged me to bring out my pickled goods and serve them to company and for special occasions. Then I started noticing these pretty little dishes when I frequented garage sales and thrift stores. Most of the ones I have are from depression era to the 1960's, when the pickle or relish dish pretty much fell out of vogue...probably about the same time as home canning became a thing of the past. I have never given more than a couple dollars for a dish. Some are divided and some are not. Some were originally giveaway items in boxes of detergent and when you filled your car with gasoline. Some are small and others quite large. While you can find them in all colors and patterns, I am especially fond of the clear glass ones. I have to say that a pickle dish almost always is recieved with wide grins and a story of what wonderful pickles someone made or a sweet memory.

A vintage pickling booklet.

A pickle dish ready for serving

A sampling of my collection (the one from Grandma is in the middle)

3 compartments..I love the pattern on this one

I have this same dish is both a 3-compartment and 4-compartment

A sweet clover shaped dish

A sunburst pattern

A nice medium-sized dish

Book Review - The Kitchen Linens Book

I am sharing for the first time at Vintage Thingies Thursday. I found this a couple weeks ago and promised I'd be back to post.



The Kitchen Linens Book
Using, Sharing, and Cherishing the Fabric of Our Daily Lives by EllynAnne Geisel

I posted earlier this week on my love of vintage linens……especially kitchen linens. I have found a kindred spirit in EllynAnne Geisel. I reviewed The Apron Book a few months back and loved it…as much as I loved the first book, if I could only own one (thankfully, I own both, lol), I’d choose The Kitchen Linens Book.

I have many memories tied to the kitchen. My Mom and my grandmothers were all great cooks. Early in my childhood, I was drawn into their magical world. I couldn’t wait to take part in the magic they created. I would tie on an apron, drag a chair over to the counter and beg to peel carrots or measure ingredients. Thank the Lord for a patient mother who eagerly accepted my help (I tried hard to be that same Mom for my kids). Attached to those great memories are the fun and whimsical kitchen linens and dishes (we’ll talk dishes another day) from the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s. As I’ve said previously, I just loved that the dishtowels had a task assigned to each day of the week. Of course, as a child, I didn’t know that stemmed from an old English Rhyme…I just knew I loved the orderliness of it all.



Wash on Monday,
Iron on Tuesday,
Bake on Wednesday,
Brew on Thursday,
Churn on Friday,
Mend on Saturday,
Go to meeting on Sunday.

Now that I’ve created a home for my family, I collect vintage linens for enjoyment but also embroider *vintage look* towels for use. Years back I ran into a treasure trove….a box full of vintage patterns at a farm sale. Old Aunt Martha and Vogart patterns……Scotty Dogs, Roosters, Baskets of Fruits, Dutch Girls, Animated Kitchen Gadgets, etc., I’ve made them all…at least once. Some have been given as gifts, others sold and most have been the towels of my own kitchen. One of the things about The Kitchen Linens Book that got my attention is that it includes a Butterick Transfer Pattern for “Vintage Kitchen Towel Motif”. I was very excited about that pattern. I carefully cut out the motif I wanted to embroider onto a towel to feature with this review and was very disappointed that it did not transfer well. Below is the towel, but it is obvious to me that the pattern really wasn’t intended for use....much less repeat use like those old ones were.



Disappointing. That said, I still love the book and will enjoy thumbing through it many times and reading of others with sweet memories like my own. If you are not so into vintage kitchen linens, look for this book at your public library and just see if it evokes memories for you. Maybe you’ll be a convert!




I thought I’d share some great information from the book (page 11).

How to Apply a Transfer

1. Set dry iron to “Linen” setting (350 degrees). Allow iron to reach proper temperature or transfer may not work.

2. Place protective cloth over ironing board to keep excess ink from staining ironing board cover.

3. Place fabric on iron board, right side up, over the protective cloth.

4. Place transfer face down on fabric.

5. Place a clean sheet of paper directly over the transfer so that the entire inked surface is covered.

6. Press firmly and evenly in slow, circular motion for 30 seconds, no longer. BE CAREFUL TO HOLD TRANSFER IN ONE PLACE TO AVOID SMEARING.

7. Allow to cool for at least one minute before removing paper.
Are you looking for hot-iron transfers of vintage designs, check out some of these online sources:

www.sewingpalette.com
www.colonialpatterns.com
http://www.yesterdayscharm.com (my favorite)
www.patternbee.com
http://mytransfers.blogspot.com

Caring For & Storing Vintage Linens

I am sharing today at Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Thanks for hosting, Mary!



I love old linens and always have. I love ALL old linens…quilts, pillow cases, hankies, dish towels, tableclothes…all of them, but I am especially fond of kitchen linens. I remember when I was a little girl and it was my turn to dry the dishes, I always bypassed the lively colored Vera dish towels in my Mom’s kitchen (in the day before Vera was vintage) and dug to the back of the drawer for the hand embroidered flour sack towels made by my Great-Grandma, Lily Caudill Inman. Even then, those whimsical designs would make me smile and I always had to use the correctly labeled day-of-the-week towel.

Using old linens, whether embroidered, embellished with crochet or simple and tailored, creates an atmosphere of nostalgia and warmth in your home. If you are like me and hold on to linens as family keepsakes and rescue them as you happen upon them in antique stores, flea markets and garage sales, you end up with many more lovely examples than you can display at one time. Old linens do require careful cleaning and storage.

Where do you start when you acquire an old tablecloth or set of embroidered dish towels, believe it or not, you start with your vacuum. Vacuuming textiles can be a very beneficial and safe way to remove dust and dirt that can damage and cut fibers, according to the Nebraska Cooperative Extension Office. Use low suction, with vents open. For items too fragile to take direct suction, placing a clean piece of tulle over the cloth will help to protect it during vacuuming. If linens are soiled, it's important to clean them before storing them away for future use. Proper cleaning will keep insects from being attracted to food and grease as well as improving the appearance of the item in most cases. Keep in mind that cleaning should only be done if it will not affect the color, shape and strength of the fabric. Using water on cotton and linen removes acid build-ups and actually makes them more flexible. The extension office also recommends checking fabrics for colorfastness by using a few drops of water in an out-of-the-way place. After the liquid soaks in, blot with white cloth or tissue to see if any color is present. Try it with detergent solutions too before immersing linens and don't forget to check each different color in a multi-colored item. Some conservators recommend using distilled water to reduce the likelihood of depositing lime and iron in your vintage fabrics which can cause deterioration and discoloration over time. When we lived with a well full of iron, I was in total agreement with this recommendation. Now, our water isn’t so hard and the minerals are not such a concern. When you’ve determined the fabric is colorfast, use a mild soap like Fels-Naptha to clean your linens. Never use an automatic washing machine and dryer. If you have discolorations and/or stains, try a lemon juice and salt mixture for removing stains. Another thing you can try is drying the items in the sun to help to bleach out any yellowing. Be careful with this technique. Many conservators believe this is too harsh for fragile fabrics. I tend to chose a day when the sun is dappled by a few clouds and keep out only until dry. Do not drape over the clothes line. Dry cleaning is not recommended for fragile textiles because of friction and abrasion agitation causes as well as the damaging effect of excessive heat and the harsh chemicals involved. If you do chose to dry clean, request fresh or filtered solvent and ask them not to steam or press the linens. Dry your linens flat to avoid mishaping. Linens should be pressed carefully and quickly with a hot iron and starched sparingly.

When storing most linens, avoid folding them. If you are short on storage space, roll your linens as an alternative to folding. Folding stresses fabrics. If you must fold, use acid-free tissues or muslin to ease the stress points. Refolding often to distribute wear will also help to minimize damage. Storing linens flat is ideal. Wrapping or layering in acid-free tissue or muslin will also protect your linens. This is especially important if you store your linens in cardboard, paper, metal or wooden boxes which can deteriorate textiles with direct contact. Unsealed wood (read cedar chests) can stain and damage textiles requiring expensive treatments by professional conservators to reverse. Plastic totes should also be avoided since they do not allow air circulation and could trap moisture inside resulting in mildew....the enemey of textiles. Another issue with plastic totes is that they create static electricity which can draw in damaging dust.

Seems like a lot of fussy steps but with tender care, your keepsake linens can live happily in your home for years and years to come. Now that you know how to care for and store your linens, use them and enjoy them! They will bring a smile to your face!

Cast Iron Cookware/Bakeware

I love my cast iron cookware and bakeware. It is just the best! So much beauty in those old black pots & pans. My favorite pieces are the ones that were my dear grandmother’s (at least 70 years old). What stories they could tell....so well seasoned and used with lots of love to cook many, many meals. And talk about being economical, not only are these timeless wonders not a large investment to begin with, they are something you will use and then pass along. No new set a pots and pans every few years.

When I publicly make my declaration of love for my cast iron, I am usually met with horror stories of how someone has a skillet that they just hate for some reason or another. In my experience, that is due to simply not knowing how to properly season before using or they don’t know the simple steps involved in caring for cast iron. I thought I’d share what I have found to be the best way to do both.

Seasoning Cast Iron:

Well-seasoned cast iron is the original "non-stick" cookware. Properly seasoned cast iron will last a life-time (or several).

Heat the oven to 250-300°F. Coat your cast iron piece with solid shortening, lard or bacon grease. Avoid using a liquid vegetable oil for seasoning purposes because it may leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned. Place in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease. Wipe well with paper toweling and then place the pan back in the oven for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Repeating this process several times is recommended to create a stronger "seasoning" bond. The first time you use your newly seasoned cast iron piece, it is recommended to use it to cook something high in fat, such as bacon or hamburger to add to the seasoning.

If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of the seasoning wears off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.

Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. Dry the pan thoroghly. Season as if the pan was new.

Caring for Cast Iron Cookware

Now that you’ve worked to achieve that non-stick surface to your cast iron, you want to take special care to not damage that when cleaning.

Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping up any bits that are stuck. A plastic scraper works well (I have one from Pampered Chef). Do not use a scouring pad or soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan's seasoning. It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, never place your cast ironware in a dishwasher. I always dry my pieces on the stove top with a medium-high flame until dry and then allowed to cool to room temp before storing away. Never store food in cast iron. High acid food are hard on your seasoning, so be sure to wipe down with some solid vegetable shortening after cooking something high in acid. Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off, especially in humid weather, because if covered, moisture can build up and cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be seasoned again.

Most if all, use and enjoy your cast iron. This week I’ll be sharing some of my favorite pieces and how I use them.

Sharing at Mary's Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Thanks for hosting, Mary.

Snow, AGAIN!!

It has snowed here in Nebraska....A LOT! And the trust Farmer's Almanic says there is more on it's way.



North Central U.S. Weather
January 2010
4th-7th. Milder, then snowy from Rockies east. 8th-11th. Fair, then stormy. Heavy snows across Plains, up to 20" possible. 12th-15th. Fair, cold. 16th-19th. Light snow across Plains, windy. 20th-23rd. Becoming stormy, milder. 24th-27th. Stormy. Snow Southern Plains. 28th-31st. Fair, then showers.
February 2010
1st-3rd. Light snow Colorado, Plains. 4th-7th. Major storm brings heavy snow from Montana east. Accumulations of 8"-16". 8th-11th. Clearing, colder. 12th-15th. Fair, then flurries Plains. 16th-19th. Stormy over the Rockies. 20th-23rd. Snowstorm for Plains heaviest in Kansas. 24th-28th. Becoming unsettled Rockies. Fair, cold Plains.
March 2010
1st-3rd. Fair, cold.



Since there isn't a thing I can do about the weather, I'm trying to remember that being house bound can a good thing. I'm being more deliberate about trips out and combining trips when possible and working at home when I can.



So while sticking close to home, I'm thinking about warm drinks and pots of soup and fresh from the oven loaves of bread to make the winter days less dreary. Stay warm!

Me, The WINNER?

Linda from Prairie Flower Farm from neighboring Kansas, hosted the most lovely giveaway and I still am in amazement.....I was the WINNER! I never win anything..thus the continued state of amazement. This very large box arrived at my home on Friday. When I opened it, I was absolutely speechless. Linda, this window fits perfectly into my home and is something I certainly would have been drawn too and it is a perfect fit in my home. Thank you for your generosity and thank you for hosting such a beautiful blog. It is always a treat to visit.



The window now resides in my entryway. Doesn't it look like it has always belonged there with the grouping on the wall? Thanks again Linda!

Cleaning for the Holidays!

This last weekend I started my late fall/holiday cleaning. Each year, I try to do a really deep clean and have my carpets done just before the holidays so I am ready for entertaining. Fall/Holiday cleaning looks very similar to spring cleaning except that the spring is when I tend to paint, replace and spruce up as well as clean. Fall/Holiday cleaning is all about the deep clean and getting the house ready to rearrange for the putting up of the trees (yes, there is an S at the end of trees….I put up a few).

With that in mind, I thought I’d post a few tips that help me to reduce stress, to save time, and make the holidays merrier. Oh, and I end up with a clean house too!

Start NOW!
There's so much to do between now and the end of the holidays season - decorating, entertaining, gifts buying and/or making, baking and candy making, programs and special activities, Christmas cards and correspondence. How and where do you make time for all the cleaning that needs to get done? It really is pretty simple, if you take the right approach. Begin your holiday cleaning before the seasonal rush. This lessens stress, and gives you time to tackle bigger projects, such as polishing the silverware, having carpets cleaned or rearranging furniture.

Making a list, and checking it twice
Start by making a list of all the things that need to be cleaned. Divide chores by room and make an estimate of how long each task should take. Some tasks like changing linens in the guest bedroom will not take long and can be squeezed in between your regular activities, other tasks may require setting aside an hour or an afternoon to get them accomplished. Tick off each item as you complete them. You’ll feel like you are making headway.

A little here, and a little there
Don’t put off your cleaning because you don’t have large chunks of time to devote to cleaning. Start small. Set aside 30-45 minutes each day (even if you have to do it in 15 minutes increments). Schedule your time at a fixed time each day and keep to your schedule. Once you’ve completed a task, be sure that everyone is on the same page in keeping things sparkling so you’re not having to redo the same things again and again.

Calling all cars, we need backup here
You're not the only one who will be enjoying the holidays, so you shouldn't be the only one cleaning for them either. Set aside a specific time each week for cleaning and divide up chores so others (kids, hubby, etc.) can pitch in. Many hands make light work.

Keep it simple, sweetheart
Reduce clutter and organize while your cleaning. Less to clean always makes cleaning easier. Organizing clutter is easier when you employee shelf organizers, shoe racks, plastic totes, or under-the-bed storage to help organize clutter.

Are we having fun yet?
Cleaning doesn't have to be all work. Pay a visit to your local public library first….check out books on tape or some new music to get you motivated and keep you entertained while you work. Another idea, download a podcast or 2 of your favorite radio programs and get your IPOD into the action. Don’t forget to reward yourself. A long steamy bath, a bar of GOOD chocolate or a gingerbread latte is great motivation for me to get done with a project.

I'm going to link this to Mosiac Monday (a day late this week) over at Mary's Little Red House. Please stop by and visit all the other wonderful mosaics.

Pie, Pie & More Pie

We're entering pie season and I thought I would share this week all about pie...my very favorite dessert!

Today I am sharing a poem & mosaic and a reminder to get your entry in for my fall giveaway..just another week until the BIG drawing! Don't forget to check out the other beautiful mosaics at Mary's Little Red House.



Pumpkin Pie
Is there anything as pleasing,
in this crisp and cozy season,
as a slice of thick and creamy pumpkin pie?
With a crust all flakes and butter,
and a filling like no other,
I dare anyone to try and pass it by.
Cinnamon and nutmeg mingling
with a hint of ginger, tingling
as it punches-up the flavor in each slice.
Russet-orange, mellow, spicy
with whipped-cream to crown it nicely,
I can't help but fill my plate not once but twice.
By Mary Intardonato

Book Review - The Old-Time Brand-Name Cookbook

I am including this post in Mosaic Monday hosted by Little Red House. Check out the mosaics. Such works of art!

Book Review – The Old-Time Brand-Name Cookbook by Bunny Crumpacker



Before bookcases burdened with the weight of cookbooks in every size, shape and theme, FoodTV, and the plethora of monthly cooking/food magazines, there were manufacturer recipe booklets. Years ago, I was gifted a vintage recipe booklet from a friend. That recipe booklet was published by Hershey. It has wonderful recipes and the cutest graphics. I was hooked. I pick these little booklets up when I run across them at antique shops, garage sales and such. While some of the recipes (or receipts as they are often called) are not current with today’s food tastes (don’t remember the last time I needed to make aspic), many are great recipes. The recipe booklets were all made with flimsy paper covers that really were not meant to stand the test of many decades but they must have been special to the housewives who originally owned them because the ones I own are in remarkable condition.



Recently, I checked out The Old-Time Brand-Name Cookbook by Bunny Crumpacker. A very fun and informative read. This book is basically a compilation of many of these manufacturer recipe booklets and a history of processed foods and how they were introduced to the home cook. The recipes are updated, although I didn’t find many of them too interesting. There is a second book, The Old-Time Name-Brand Dessert Cookbook which I think I may have found more interesting than the first. But alas, our library does not shelf that book. The Old-Time Brand-Name Cookbook was fun, but for me, not one to purchase. Usually, I would sample at least one recipe from a book I’ve checked out and post a recipe from the cookbooks I review. Not this time. Instead, I am sharing a recipe from Aunt Jenny…a character from Spry Shortening fame. This recipe is from Home Baking Made Easy, published by Spry (a shortening manufactured by Lever brothers to be direct competition for Crisco) in 1953…a beautiful example of vintage recipe booklets and one in my collection. I am also including the sweet introduction from that same book.

Dear Friend,

If you don’t happen to be one of those rare women, a “born cook,” you may not realize how really easy it can be to bake. Baking is downright fun when you use the simple proved methods which I have collected in this handy home baking guide. In fact, I can guarantee you perfect results every time when you follow these tested recipes, and use Spry.

You see, Spry’s very special qualities make complicated, old-fashioned baking methods unnecessary. Just try Spry–the mouth-watering results will speak for themselves! And, you know, nothing beats that superb taste of home-baked foods.
Why not bake a pie or a cake today; you’ll be surprised at what an expert cook you really are! In no time at all, your family and friends will be saying, “It’s easy to see, she is a born cook!” Happy Baking!

Aunt Jenny

Rob Roy Cookies

Crisp, spicy oatmeal cookies bursting with nuts and raisins. An old-fashioned golden-brown favorite made by Spry’s modern work-saving “Stamped” Method.
Bake in moderately hot oven (375° F.) 10-15 min. Makes 5 doz. cookies.

1 cup Homogenized Spry (I always use butter)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 eggs, unbeaten
1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon soda
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup nuts, chopped
1 cup seeded raisins, chopped

Combine first 7 ingredients and beat thoroughly. Sift flour and soda together; add to Spry mixture and blend. Add oats, nuts and raisins and mix thoroughly. Measure out level tablespoons of dough on Sprycoated baking sheets about 2″ apart. Flatten cookies by stamping with a flat-bottomed glass covered with damp cloth. Bake as directed. With spatula, remove cookies from sheet immediately to wire racks. Keep them apart until cold. Store in airtight tin.

Bless My Home

Bless My Home

Fill my home, dear Lord, I pray
With blessings from above,
But…most of all…I ask that it
Be always filled with love.

May those who step within my door
Find happy hearts inside,
And, Lord, please may my door and heart
Be ever open wide.

May all who gather round my hearth,
Find kindness glowing there,
And may each soul who dwells within,
Love and contentment share.

So, bless my home and bless each one
Who dwells or steps inside,
And may I find beneath my roof
That peace and joy abide.

Carice Williams (published in Ideals Magazine, 1972)

The Farmhouse Pantry

THE FARMHOUSE PANTRY

From Prairie Home Breads by Judith M. Fertig:

In The Midwestern Country Cookbook, Marilyn Kluger remembers her 1930s childhood in southern Indiana before electricity eventually reached rural communities after World War II and the era she described came to an end. Here she recalls the farmhouse pantry.

The pantry next to our kitchen in the farmhouse had a look of delicious plenty. It’s pine-sheathed walls were lined with sturdy shelves that sagged gently under the weight of sparkling jars of garden vegetables, fruits, and jellies, the overflow from the cellar. Deep covered bins for pastry flour, bread flour, sugar, and cornmeal stood along one wall. On the table under the window were flat pans filled with fresh tomatoes from the garden or potatoes from the cellar, baskets of brown-shelled eggs, shiny tin pails of leaf lard, and earthenware crocks brimming with cream-topped milk. On the windowsill bloomed rose geraniums with the scented leaves, and blue-flowered chives.



I have an obsession with old-fashioned pantries. I can just see in my minds eye the 1930’s pantry that Marilyn Kluger describes in this passage. I’m sure I’ve been there but alas that pantry has never been my reality. Currently, my physical pantry is located in my garage. That is actually pretty convenient since the kitchen opens to the garage. I’ve set up stainless steel shelving to hold my overflow, lesser used kitchen equipment as well as my canned goods and large bins and canisters of dry goods and such. It is a system that works pretty well. After all PANTRY (defined as a room or closet in which food, groceries, and other provisions, or silverware, dishes, etc., are kept) doesn’t have to be that step back in time that my minds eye would like it to be. It is purely utilitarian in theory and is really more about what you have stored there than the actual space where the storing is accomplished. If I take a step back from my *ideal*, I can honestly say my pantry has "a look of delicious plenty".



Recently, I was introduced to Catherine Seiberling Pond’s Blog. It is lovely and I have enjoyed reading about her farm life. I have ordered her book In The Pantry and eagerly await its arrival. Look for a review soon and visit Catherine. You won’t be sorry you did.