Kitchen Table

I am a bit behind -this story began in September last year when Cousin Tom and his friend Linda came to visit.

We've had a round marble-topped table in our kitchen since forever.  And it's been really great and we've used it well, but somehow the "round" wasn't serving us so well anymore and we wanted something else.

During our various adventures last September with Tom and Linda in the cold north, we stopped by an antique shop we'd visited before.  Werner and I were on the lookout for a table we could use in the kitchen, something that we could make smaller or bigger depending on what was going on.  So, ten folks here for dinner?  Make it bigger so we can put out the serving dishes and such.  Or put out the dishes for a little buffet.  No one here?  Make it small so we have a bit more room to move around.  Those of you who have been here know that a bit more move-around space is not bad.

Great, we found a table! And Tom and Linda thought that was a great gift for us. THANK YOU!!

Bad, the top was warped!  See that gap at the corner??  Yeah, a warp.

We tried to un-warp it, but that turned out to be a losing battle, so we had a new top made - there are more than a few carpenters around here willing to take on such a task.

But the carpenter only made the top - finishing it was up to us (read:Werner).  We had to find just the right stain to match the base.

And then there was the sanding and the shellacking and the sanding and the shellacking and the sanding and the waxing and the waxing.  Everything takes time.

But finally, we have a finished table!  It's satin smooth and just the right size. When it's closed we have more room in our little kitchen.

When it's open, we have lots of room for serving dishes and such.

And at other times it sits quietly in the kitchen, waiting to serve, covered by a cloth that was made by Werner's mother when she was a young bride.  Love it!

Easter Feast

It's spring and it's Easter Sunday.

 And sometimes it snows. Wow. It wasn't much - only a dusting that was gone by 9AM, but still....

Mutti was happy to join us and we had lamb again.  It seems to go with the season.  And green beans.  That seems to go well with the lamb.  But we also had radish greens soup for a starter and oven-roasted potato stacks to round out the servings on the plate.

I've done the radish greens soup several times and it's always good and always a conversation starter.  After looking up recipes on the internet, I would still recommend the one I use - I think it is much heartier than others I've read:

Sauté two chopped shallots in 2 tablespoons oil.
Deglaze with a scant 1/4 cup white wine
Add 3 cups chicken stock and cook to reduce by 1/3
Add 1/2 cup heavy cream (or a bit more) and cook to reduce by 1/2


While all that's going on, put the greens of 2-3 bunches of radishes in the processor with a clove of garlic.  When chopped well, add 1/3 cup or more of olive oil and make a fine paste.


Squeeze a bit of lemon in the soup, add the pureed greens along with 2 tablespoons of whipped cream and then use your magic wand (or immersion blender) to make it really frothy and smooth.


Serve with thinly slice radishes.  It's so good for you!

 And it's pretty, too.

 This year it was a rack of lamb with herb crust, green beans and the potato stacks.  Mine weren't as pretty as a picture, but they were tasty.

And because it 's so good and filling, then you have to take a nap.

And when you wake up you have to have some tea and cake.  We substituted Rhubarb Apple Crumble, but there were no complaints.

Mutti

We have to pay a bit more attention to Werner's mother these days - she's getting older (she just had her 95th birthday!) and naturally she's just weaker.  Everyday things are a bit more of a challenge and it helps when your son (Werner) comes now and again and takes care of changing the bed and making sure the door isn't so squeaky and organizing the kitchen and cleaning out the fridge and so on and so forth.  We don't mind at all.

When Werner went to see her after we got back from our US visit, he noticed how worn her apron was.  Would you like a new apron, Mutti?  Yes, but I hate to ask - Sharon is always so busy!


Now, let's agree Mutti's apron needed replacement.  It was / is 20+ years old.  It definitely shows its age!! Frayed edges, already poorly replaced ties, just old.  But I am too busy to make a new apron for Mutti?  Really?

Do I have some fabric?  Well, yes.  Do I have time?  Well, of course.

And the lady needs something bright and spiffy and - ladylike!  Color and lace is what she needs.

She was tickled.  And I was tickled that she was tickled.  Hey, everybody's happy!!

Cleaning Out

Mutti had the Spring Cleaning bug this week - she just had to clean out a few cabinets.  We understand that of course, currently in the middle of spring projects ourselves.  But what it means for Mutti is that WE have to clean out the cabinets for her!  Hey, not a problem.  When you're 93, you get to ask for help.

And at 93 she frequently says  I don't need it anymore - throw it out!  Well, our recycling tendencies come into play and we can't just throw it all away.  That curling iron - wow!  We'll take that to Paris.  Same with the portable hair dryer.  The old cotton flat sheet is exactly the right size for the base for the new bed skirt.  And that carved wooden tray, umm.  Well, maybe that goes in the flea market box (not all that cute).  

And then there was the "rag" - Oh I cut that up sometime to clean up with - just toss it. I don't think so, Mutti.  It's an old hand towel.  I'll do something with it - lavender sachets maybe.

At home on closer inspection, we saw a small monogram and then saw that there were other letters woven into the fabric.  It was an old damask-weave hand towel, probably intended as a guest towel or one to hang as a decoration to cover the ones that were in use. (It's actually bright white, but I had to play with the contrast so the initials and weaving showed up).

I called Mutti.  

Who's EB, Mutti?  Oh, well that must be my grandmother. She died at 82 or so in 1942 or so.  She was born a Behrens and then she married a Niemann, my mother's maiden name.  

Good grief.   So sometime around 1880 or before Mutti's grandmother embroidered her initials into this cloth and then more than 100 years later, Mutti cuts it up to dust?  Oh well, to her it was just another cloth.  To me it is a bit more. 

The saying is:  Denke edel, handle hilfreich.  Roughly translated:  Think nobly, act accordingly. Or:  Think nice things, then do them!  One hundred years later, it sounds like something we could still aim to live by. 

It'll become a pillow cover.  The part that's left, that is.  Maybe I'll over-embroider the saying.  I'll let you know.