by Helen Kain | May 28, 2022 | Best of ET—Much Depends on Dinner
The inspiration for this meal came from some mid-19th century plates by Creil et Montereau. The detailed black and white drawings are by Charles Hamlet, featuring a series of women in Victorian bathing costumes. There are twelve plates in the...
by Helen Kain | May 28, 2022 | Best of ET—The Four Seasons
Outdoor entertaining is one of the great joys of summer. After months of anticipation, we can get together with friends and family in a relaxed environment, taking advantage of the longer days and warm evenings. As a refreshing alternative to burgers or steaks, a cold...
by Helen Kain | May 28, 2022 | Best of ET—The Four Seasons
When the strawberry season rolls around, I’m eager to capture the juicy freshness of the succulent berries at their peak—the flavour is lightyears away from the pallid hothouse varieties with which we are “blessed” year-round. Sorbet is a perfect...
by Helen Kain | May 28, 2022 | Best of ET—The Four Seasons
When I first spotted Mad Hatter’s tea service from Gracie’s Bone china, I had no thoughts of making a cake. But as Entertablement—The Four Seasons began to take shape, the crazy idea of having a coordinating cake popped up. Why not? It’s a Mad...
by Helen Kain | May 27, 2022 | Castles & Stately Houses, Entertablement Abroad, Home, Recent, Scotland
Castles have a long and complex history, much more so than stately homes. Fortified structures built during the middle ages by the nobility or royalty, their primary purpose was defence—keeping those inside the castle walls safe and keeping the violent attackers out....
by Helen Kain | May 25, 2022 | Desserts, Holiday, Recipes By Type, Summer Recipes
Summer is approaching and with it, we will soon see cherries, cherries everywhere! What to do with all that abundance? Make cobbler, of course! Fruit cobbler is an easy way to deal with excess summer bounty, but if you’re not careful, the topping can be a sad...
by Helen Kain | May 22, 2022 | Marigold & Spencer, Pink and Red, Purple, Spring Tablescapes, White
Spring on the Cape is a long, drawn-out affair with lots of sea mist and chilly mornings. The daffodils last for weeks, and the fruit trees blossom slowly and luxuriantly, carpeting the streets with fallen petals. When the flowering cherry trees hit their peak,...
by Helen Kain | May 18, 2022 | Breakfast
For anyone not familiar with these little round pancakes, Ebelskivers hail from Denmark. The fluffy, light balls of pancake dough ooze with fillings ranging from savoury to sweet and are the breakfast of choice when the grandgirls sleep over. In a bid to have at least...
by Helen Kain | May 15, 2022 | Antiques, Blue, Spring Tablescapes, Yellow
It is almost peony time. The plants have gone from little red nubs poking through the ground to three-foot bushes in weeks. The flower buds are waxing fat, and my anticipation is mounting. I can’t wait! But in the meantime, we have peony tulips to help ease my...
by Helen Kain | May 10, 2022 | Holiday, Ready to Publish, Recent, Salads, Sides, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes
Easy to prepare and studded with colourful vegetables, this healthy salad is hearty enough for a summer main course. The slightly chewy farro has a delightful nutty flavour, enhanced by the light vinaigrette. It travels well for picnic season, too! Print...
by Helen Kain | May 8, 2022 | Mother's Day, Pink and Red, Purple, Spring Tablescapes
Luscious lilacs are with us once more. Hooray! I can never get enough of their heavenly scent. Since we lost our ancient lilac bush a year ago, I’ve had to content myself with the relatively meagre offerings from the bushes planted to replace it. They’ll...
by Helen Kain | May 1, 2022 | Marigold & Spencer, Pets
Hi everybody, We’re here! It’s us! The parent humans call us Marigold and Spencer. We’re ten weeks old. Marigold is on the left. She’s a little bit lighter in colour and a touch smaller than me, Spencer. Mum says I’m more serious....
by Helen Kain | Apr 14, 2022 | Blue, Easter, Recent, Spring Tablescapes, White, Yellow
It’s a soft, misty morning here in the South Downs, UK, where Glenn and I are based for the next few days. We arrived in England a little over a week ago and have already clocked several hundred miles in what has to be the worst rental car we’ve...
by Helen Kain | Mar 28, 2022 | Cookies & Bars, Desserts, Easter, Edited in Lightroom, Spring Recipes
Buttery, crisp sugar cookies are welcome at any time of year. Fail-safe and endlessly adaptable, here they are decorated with Royal icing before edible transfer paper adds the final festive touch. Print clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag...
by Helen Kain | Mar 28, 2022 | Blue, Easter, Recent, Spring Tablescapes, White, Yellow
Easter is right around the corner, and the bunnies in this house can’t wait. We have hustled up a batch of sugar cookies to host our Full Nest of feathered friends. The soft, toasty shade of the linen runner and napkins encouraged a woodsy theme. Martillo...