Espresso Your Love

Cuban Coffee (Café Cubano), is made with Café ESPRESSO, the bold, strong coffee that we associate with romantic Italian sidewalk cafés (and now Starbucks). Enjoying a cup of it is a deep and almost-revered tradition in my Cuban culture as well.  I have many memories of my family’s after-dinner “cafecito”—a small coffee—as the basis for long (and often-animated) conversations at the table.  (By the way, these after-dinner conversation are such an ingrained and much-loved part of a Cuban family meal that we have a name for it: sobremesa [so-breh-meh’-sah].  Isn’t that lovely?  The family not running off after a meal, but staying to chat and discuss the events of the day?)

Some readers of this blog may stay away from espresso because it has more caffeine per unit volume than most drinks, but because it’s served in small vessels—usually in a demitasse or even smaller cups—it actually has less caffeine than an 8-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee! Now, that’s a surprise! The brewing process makes the flavors more concentrated, which tend to be a bit too concentrated for me, so I make a cortadito, which in Spanish means “small cut,” meaning that you “cut” the intensity of the coffee by adding steamed milk to it.  Not to be confused with lattés and cappuccinos, and café au lait (or since we’re “speaking” Spanish today, café con leche), a cortadito is still served in a demitasse.

Yesterday was a lovely day in central Ohio; the perfect time to serve ESPRESSO cortaditos for two in the garden.

But first, how to make it.

Nothing fancy…the stove-top ESPRESSO maker I’ve had for years. This is the small version, which makes 1 or 2 cups, and I have a much larger one for family serving.

My family’s espresso of choice is Café Bustelo, now available at many large grocery stores or online. (It’s also available as decaf, as well as instant. I use the instant to make a bold cup of American coffee—it’s delish.)

This won’t be a complete how-to, nor will it be technical, but the reservoir below the coffee basket holds the water, and the coffee basket is filled completely, and the coffee tamped.  I use the bottom of my coffee measure to tamp it.  There is no measuring—you fill the basket, tamp, and refill and tamp as necessary.

Can you smell it? The brewed coffee bubbles up through the central core. The wonderful aroma of coffee wafts through the house.

This is how we enjoyed our cafecito in the garden.

The demitasses are fairly new to me—an auction win I was thrilled about. Six blue and white demitasses! And the darling demitasse spoons I’ve had for years.

Steamed milk to make our cortadito…

And of course, sugar…LOTS of sugar (or in my case, Splenda). Warning: This is not a drink where you want to cut back on the sugar! Such bold coffee needs the counterbalance the sugar provides.

And I should add that the flowers are real. I am NUTS about these two geraniums we have this year. Don’t they look like they have been hand-painted?!

As the sun moved it created wonderful shadows. I’ll share some of the pictures for your enjoyment.

Of course, we couldn’t be al fresco and not have a few of these!

 

It was lovely in the garden, and the cafecito…perfect. Won’t you join me? I’ll have it ready in a wink.

So tell me—are you a fan of ESPRESSO, or not so much? Have you ever tried it as a cortadito? I’d love to hear from you—even if you like the setting more than the café.

Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! And if you like what you see a lot, maybe you’d like to Google+ this post or pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you!

I invite you to follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back.

Sundays at The Tablescaper: http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Tuesdays at http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Tuesdays at http://hickorytrailblog.blogspot.com

Wednesdays at Let’s Dish: http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Wednesdays at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/

Wednesdays at Wow Us: http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/

Thursdays at Tabletop Thursday: http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Thursdays at No Minimalist Here: http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/

Be Inspired Friday at http://www.Commonground-do.com/

Fridays at Feathered Nest: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Fridays at http://rootedinthyme.blogspot.com/

Fridays at Home Sweet Home: http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

From my nest to yours~

Zuni

Blue and White in the Old/New China Cabinet

I was ready to be done with the Valentine’s red in the china cabinet and go to the more serene and perennial favorite, BLUE AND WHITE.  I’ve also been ready—for a long, long, long time—to make a major change in our china cabinet.  I mean for YEARS.  So after having gone to the Pine Tree Barn for our Valentine dinner, and once again seeing a cabinet/hutch there that I love (see below), I decided that the time had come to take the plunge and give the china cabinet an ALLOVER MAKEOVER.

I’ve been in love with this piece since I saw it last Christmas season.  I love that it’s open, and I love the blue, distressed interior.  It seems like everything displayed in it just pops—even the reds and greens of Christmas.

Lo and behold, when we went to the Pine Tree Barn, the cabinet was still there.  The next day I said (in my sweetest voice), “Sweetheart, could you take a look at the china cabinet to see if we could remove the doors (and the stationary center panel)?”  And before I knew it, I had a new piece of furniture!  Really!  Take a look for yourself and see the incredible difference!  Why, oh why, didn’t I do this years ago like I’ve wanted to?!

So we went from this:

Beautiful, arched doors and stationary center panel, with lovely “domed” glass,

To this:

No doors, no arches, no domed glass.  Ahhhh….so much more open and “approachable.”  I had never been able to “make peace” with the stand-offish feeling of the glass, as if to warn, “LOOK BUT DON’T TOUCH; NOT TO BE USED!  ONLY FOR DISPLAY.” 

What do you think?  A new piece of furniture?  More approachable?

And to the BLUE AND WHITE ~

Like I said, I’m not ready for Easter…I need space/time between holidays.  I guess I could never work in retail.  The jumping into holidays weeks and months before the calendar says they’re here, and jumping from one holiday to the next would wreak havoc with my psyche!  I need a calendar, and I need breaks.

So I was anxious to bring out my BLUE AND WHITE Spode “The Blue Room Collection,” mixed with Bianca Leaf by American Pelier—a fabulous Home Goods find.

A very vintage mustard pot holds my “vintage” hydrangeas from last summer that I love to have out on display.  A bird’s nest brings a hint of spring without stripping my gears as the gray days of Ohio linger and the snow continues to fly.

Hydrangea blooms take the place of soon-to-come robin’s-egg blue eggs.

My beloved Nicodemus chubby robin, and others birdies, are harbingers of {wonderful} things to come—in a few months.

The Bombay Company candleholder (left) once again makes an appearance, along with mini cups (larger than a traditional demitasse), which are a new auction find.

This precious little teapot was a gift from my precious friend Cookie, and the bunny is another Nicodemus piece.  The hydrangeas are real, dried from my SIL’s father’s garden.

And this bunny…well, I guess we’re inching toward spring and Easter—putting a toe out there, in a subdued way, shall we say?  He’s of no particular pedigree—he’s completely unmarked, but I’d fallen in love with him at a local store, Harick’s, and after a particularly fruitful shopping spree there with our friends from out of town, the owner offered him to me for a steal.  I just couldn’t wait any longer to bring him out!

Pears, the color of the hydrangeas, also bring a touch of spring, in the Simplydesignz dish from our son and DIL.

So I need your help.  Now that I’m head over heels with my “new” china cabinet, I’m thinking about painting the inside.  But I’m soooo scared!!!  What do you think?  Yes???  No???

If yes, what color?  White?  Cream? Very light teal (my favorite color, but may be too limiting)?  Blue like Pine Tree Barn’s??

I can’t wait to hear from you and get help from all of you super-talented decorators out there!  :)

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Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I love them and read every single one of them! And if you like what you see a lot, maybe you’d like to +1 this post or pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you! I invite you to follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back. 

Here’s where I’m going to party this week:

Thursdays at Tabletop Thursday: http://betweennapsontheporch.net/

Thursdays at Home Sweet Home: http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Thursdays at No Minimalist Here: http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com/

Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/

Be Inspired Friday at http://www.Commonground-do.com/

Fridays at Feathered Nest: http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com

Sundays at The Tablescaper: http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com/

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Tuesdays at http://www.astrollthrulife.net/

Wednesdays at Let’s Dish: http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Wednesdays at Wow Us: http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/

From my nest to yours, ~Zuni

Sooo Versatile, Blue and White

Hi!  Boy, I’ve been a way for most of July, all of August, and part of September…not too sure where the time went, but I do have great memories of summer—family vacation at the beach, time with babies, evening rides in our convertible.  So as you can well imagine, I’m not…quite…ready for fall.  Getting there, as I always do, but not there quite yet.

Earlier in the summer I did a blue and white table, then made minor changes to it with different color accents to explore the versatility of lovely, bright, serene, blue and white.

Today’s post is about, well, BLUE AND WHITE.

  Isn’t it serene?  The table was set for a romantic dinner for two.

Let’s take a closer look:

Blue, white, crystal, and silver.

Salad plates:  Spode, The Blue Room Collection

Dinner plates:  Spode Delamere

Chargers:  Silverplate, a purchase years ago.

Sterling:  Lunt Eloquence

Individual salt and pepper shakers:  Sterling, purchased years ago.

Linen napkin:  Pottery Barn

Napkin rings:  Sterling, baptismal gift to our firstborn, from his godmother.  One has his name engraved on it, and the other was left blank for his future bride.  Isn’t that a sweet gift?  We must get hers engraved now; it’s time to turn them over.  But it’ll be hard…I’ve loved being their keeper for 30+ years.

Waterford Kinsale vase, silverplate pitcher, and Bombay Company blue and white cut votive cup.

Waterford Lismore Tall goblet, vintage Alana wine stem (now archived by Waterford).  Vintage pressed glass dish for lemon slices to brighten the water in the pitcher.

Do you love the sweet, intricate detail of vintage linens?  I can hardly resist them when I see them in antique shops.

Dessert will also be served.

Pressed glass dishes:  I haven’t researched them yet, but they’re a recent, and now favorite find.

The sweet cordials are very vintage, and very special—they were a gift from my husband’s dear, dear aunt.

The two bowls are sterling, from my collection, and the serving tray?  A garage sale find years ago (a set of 3!)!

The beautiful vintage linen napkins are in perfect condition; a purchase this spring at the Springfield (Ohio) Antique Show.

If you really are looking closely, the dessert spoons are not from the Lunt set.  They are 1847 Rogers Brothers vintage silverplate; a hostess gift from my SIL.

Champagne flutes were a wedding gift from another SIL.  I don’t know the pattern, but they have been used for many, many Mimosas over the years, because I love them.  The stem is frosted.

The lavender is from our garden.

Evening arrives…

Did you think that the daylight table was perhaps a little empty?  There was a plan…for candleholders.

And yes, we DID have a candlelight dinner.

 

Do you love blue and white as much as I do?  I’d love to hear what colors you have woven into your table settings that started out as blue and white.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ll leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! And if you like what you see a lot, maybe you’d like to +1 this post or pin it on Pinterest too! Thank you!

I invite you to follow me. If you’ll let me know that you’re following, I’ll be sure to follow you back.

Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/

Home Sweet Home Fridays at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

Potpourri Friday at http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/

Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com

Thrifty Things Friday at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/

Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/

Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

Fridays Unfolded at http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/

Saturday Nite Special at http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/

Seasonal Sunday at http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com

Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com

Mop it Up Monday at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com

Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/

Cozy Home Scenes Tuesdays at http://cozyhomescenes.blogspot.com/

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com

Tuesday’s Treasures http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/

Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/

Cuisine Kathleen at http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/

Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/

DIY by Design Party at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/

What's It Wednesday at http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/

Thursdays at StoneGable http://www.stonegableblog.com/

Home and Garden Thursday at http://blissfulrhythm.blogspot.com/

Tablescape Thursday at betweennapsontheporch.net

Open House Party Thursday at http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com

Share Your Cup Thursday at http://jannolson.blogspot.com/

Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/

From my nest to yours~

Zuni

Little Boy Blue Spring Table

{Please follow me on my Linky Followers (at right), as Blogger Friends is going, going, gone!}

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Do you ever get an idea for a tablescape that keeps floating around in your head, waiting {IMPATIENTLY} to be created?  The idea came to me around Grandbaby Boy’s birthday in late January—a table in his honor, if you will:  Little Boy Blue.  It can be a SPRING TABLE too—beckoning with the less-traditional, barely there icy blue and white.

…it came together by itself. 

First—the beautiful tablecloth, bought well before his birth, but in anticipation of being blessed with a precious baby boy, for his baptism.  (More on the tablecloth below.)

Next, the Heinrich dinner plates with blue and white flowers and gold lattice work.

For the center piece, my vintage blue Caprice candle holders and bowl, accompanied by

Blue Boy and Blue Girl.

 

 

The plates came home with me from an auction—they were in a box lot!  Can you imagine?!

But alas, if you look closely, there were only 3—(I hope the fourth of my imaginary guests is

{GRACIOUS} and doesn’t even mention that her place is missing the lovely plates the others have.)

Replacements, Inc. has none like them…they are now on the “search” list.

I’m so happy they came home with me!  I think they’re lovely.

The Baronial Plate individual salt shaker is the only silver on the table, but they “made the cut” because

their patina is soft enough to not interfere with the gold of the ‘scape.

Blue Boy and Blue Girl are also from an auction—they’ll be available in my Etsy soon, so before

they move to another home I wanted have them grace Little Boy Blue’s table.

The flowers are perfect for a SPRING TABLESCAPE.

The blue Cambridge Caprice candleholders and bowl are gifts—from my mother, and from our DIL’s mother respectively--lovely gifts, yes?

Oh, the light and shadows playing on the table!  That’s one of the many reasons

I LOVE glass/crystal.

And now…for the pièce de résistance….

if I LOVE crystal, I ADORE fine, intricately embroidered ANTIQUE linens.

This tablecloth is an antique—white linen, masterfully hand-embroidered in icy, barely blue floss.

Let’s get a closer look so you’ll understand…

…Richelieu cutwork,

perfectly executed raised satin stitch…

and

…insertions of Point de Venise needle lace.

and a scalloped filet lace edging.

So how do you do justice to such mastery when selecting your napkins?

More mastery:

More of the same stitches of the tablecloth, plus

eyelet stitching and buttonhole-stitched edging.

 

What do you love most? China? Crystal? Linens? Silver?  YES, YES, YES!! All the above, right? :)  That’s why we tablescape!

Thank you for visiting.  I’d love to hear about what you love.
Lenox now-vintage Eternal dinner plates as chargers—wedding china
Gold flatware, a gift from my grandmother 28 years ago
Godinger Sutton Place iced tea stems
Flutes, wedding gift
Linens – my collection
Small white footed dish, Limoges, at auction
Leaf spoon, Table Art, The Morgan House, Powell, OH
Thanks for stopping by. Please leave me a comment to let me know you were here—I read every single one of them! They encourage me and inspire me. And if you like what you see a lot J, maybe you’d like to +1 this post too! Thank you!
I will be joining these fun parties; please stop by to see all the great things there!

Seasonal Sunday at http://thetablescaper.blogspot.com
Sunday Showcase Party at http://www.bystephanielynn.com/
Mop It Up Mondays at http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/ (thru Feb.)
Show Off Your Cottage Monday at http://houseinroses.blogspot.com
Metamorphosis Monday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Newbie Party on Monday at http://debbie-debbiedoos.blogspot.com/
Before and After Monday (1st Monday of the mo.) at http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/
Masterpiece Monday at http://boogieboardcottage.blogspot.com/
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday at http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com
Tuesday’s Treasures http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/
Tabletop Tuesday at http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
Wow Us Wednesdays at http://savvysouthernstyle.blogspot.com/
Winter Blues Party at http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/
What's It Wednesday at http://ivyandelephants.blogspot.com/
White Wednesday at http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com/
Voila! French Inspiration on Thursdays at http://frenchcupboard.blogspot.com/
Gina at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/ for the Valentine Party
Tablescape Thursday at http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
Open House Party Thursday http://nominimalisthere.blogspot.com
Transformation Thursdays at http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/
Feathered Nest Friday at http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Potpourri Friday at http://twenty-eight-0-five.blogspot.com/
Inspiration Friday at http://www.atthepicketfence.com
Thrifty Things Friday at http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/
Vintage Inspiration Friday at http://commonground-debrasvintagedesigns.blogspot.com/
Show and Tell Friday at http://romantichome.blogspot.com/
Home Sweet Home Friday at http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/
Saturday Nite Special at http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/
Weekend Wrap-up Party at http://tatertotsandjello.com/
From my Chickadee Nest to yours~
Zuni