Now, more than ever, I'm reminded how important it is to keep close the people I love. My maternal grandparents Dottie and Eddie—or Mom-mom and Pop-pop, as I call them—are still with us today and for that, I'm so blessed. If you could meet them yourself, stay for dinner and hear their stories of a Life lived together, you'd know immediately the gifts they've passed onto me. From Pop-pop, a horticulturist for an estate in Greenwich, I learned to appreciate the beauty of flowers. And from Mom-mom, a homemaker in the purest, more inspiring sense of the word, I learned to cook, to bake and to take pride in creating a beautiful home.
In her prime, Dottie loved to entertain, gathering friends and family every chance she got. She was a collector, too, of beautiful things for the table and used them often. Growing up, there was always one particular collection I loved, a set of pink swirl dishes from Anchorglass, a gift at her engagement party 60 years ago—and a gift she has since passed onto me.
Now these were Dottie's everyday dishes, so with time—and countless peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—they've since faded, their pink hue growing paler and more beautiful every year. But that's why I love them so much and continue to use them myself. 60 years they've been together, growing closer every year, so what better way to celebrate than by setting a joyful, summery table with the dishes she received so long ago? To start, there would have to be a big, beautiful cake with buttercream frosting made from farm stand eggs and local, homemade butter.
After baking and refrigerating overnight each of the four layers, I cut the crusts off from every side, leaving nice, even layers of yellow cake, ready to be frosted. Be sure to save the crusts for a toasted crumble over ice cream!
Mom-mom and Pop-pop share a favorite layered cake—buttercream on the outside with a lemon custard filling.
Here's the first coat of icing I did to hold in the crumbs, then let refrigerate until hard.
The final coat is much smoother, tinted pink like Dottie's dishes.
Next, using a pastry tip, I gave the cake a simple pearl edge of buttercream.
Then I went into the garden, gathering pink strawberry blossoms and pretty white roses inspired by vintage kitchen curtains from a thrift shop in New Orleans.
I layered them like runners, topped with miniature strawberry arrangements in slag glass flower pots.
The finished cake I'd serve on Dottie's pink swirl plates, a perfect pairing to celebrate their 60 years.
But first, I thought I'd do a casual buffet on the porch of some of their favorite summer foods, served on vintage jadeite servingware at varying heights on the table.
Of course, everything I'd planned ahead of time, including another gift from Dottie—vintage red Bakelite flatware in a slag glass pot from a flea market in Lambertville.
The macaroni salad was Dottie's own recipe—her secret is chicken bullion—while the BLTs I made with peppered bacon, together with lettuce and tomatoes from the garden.
To make them feel more special, I cut the bread out with a biscuit cutter, brushed the pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper, toasted them in the oven, then rubbed them with garlic. It's an unexpected touch to an everyday meal just about anyone can do!
And finally, the best part of the day—Mom-mom and Pop-pop's favorite lemon buttercream cake, celebrating 60 years of marriage on the very same plates that started it all.
Life can change in an instant, but it's the memories we create that live on forever…
So beautiful and especially heartfelt. It was like being there. Thank you for sharing, Eddie! xoxo, P
Really sweet and lovely post. Miss you guys and cannot wait to hug you both in person. Love xx, Jacks, Chris, Teds and Mrs. B
Eddie, I love you. You’re a good soul!
Eddie — what a great story! How lucky you are to still have them in your life — and how lucky are they to have you in their lives. You and they are very special people and those of us who “follow you around” have recognized this. Thank you for all your shared thoughts and adventures.
This is an adorable post. Thanks so much for sharing! I love the little strawberry arrangements!
Love this post!You are so lucky to still have your grandparents to hang out with, I miss mine terribly.
Oh my, Eddie, the cake looks deliciously stylish! aw I’m drooling over it! Congratulations to your grandparents, they are adorable! The gift from your grandmother is so darling, that pale pink is so beautiful! xoxo
This is soo beyond beautiful! The cake is drop-dead and reminds me of a wedding cake for sure. So gorgeous is everything. PLEASE SHARE THE RECIPES!! 🙂
What a sweet commentary on love and longevity. May you and Jaithan be as blessed.
You are very lucky and the best part of that is that you know it! Beautiful <3
What a casual-fun-fabulous party!! Your Mommom and Poppop must have completely enjoyed themselves, and the food, and the love and laughter!
Um, if I can somehow give you some pastel dishes, could I get one of those luscious cakes too?
Just wondering…
Loved this post. My grandparents were also mom-mom & pop-pop and this really resonated. I lost pop-pop 25 years ago, but mom-mom just celebrated her 90th in San Antonio. She’s not big on dessert, but managed to tuck into a huge blue cheese burger + hefty bit of potato salad! It really is all about the memories — and the food!
That cake looks too beautiful to eat! Wow!
This is so sweet and beautiful!! I’m sure Mommom and Poppop couldn’t be prouder of you!
Oh my goodness I’m having a hot flash-back…
I slept on sheets in that very same strawberry pattern growing up!
What a moving tribute! How nice that they are still around. Congratulations to them on 60 years! That cake, and the entire buffet, is amazing!
Eddie,
There isn’t anything about you I don’t adore…what a beautiful post!
What a beautiful and loving post. Sounds like they taught you some valuable life lessons. I know they enjoyed their special celebration with you both.
What a wonderful celebration for two people who clearly had such a positive affect on you! Happy 60th to Mommom and Poppop!!!
This is such an inspiring display for such an inspiring couple. You are lucky to have them both around. I am copying some of this for a baby shower in a few weeks. So sorry I missed the shopping even and so sorry for the loss. Thanks for sharing, Julie
It looks so fabulous! What a wonderful grandson you are!
Wish you and Shack were in the kitchen right now – the cake is gorgeous. I learn something new every time I come here – a layer of frosting to hold in the crumbs? Equalling two layers of frosting? Terrific.
Ahhhhmazing!!!!!!
Those BLT’s have my stomach growling big time!
Nobody does it like you do 🙂
Love you!
What a lovely post commemorating the love shared by your grandparents. The cake, the plates, it’s all wonderful! I hope they have many more years together!
Kat 🙂
Yummy. Peace and joy!
Eddie you are just so sweet and thoughtful – a beautiful tribute to your cute grandparents and a beautiful spread of food to celebrate them!
this is absolutely breathtaking! i love how your love for your grandparents just oozes out of this post….what a blessing they are to you! and if i could do a cartwheel, i would over that cake and table setting! can you say sweet as pie? or should we say, cake?
So, so lovely! What a beautiful family, lunch and post. xx
That cake is magnificent. I’d love a piece for breakfast! Happy 60th to your Mommom and Poppop. It is a true display of love and perseverance (we all know the effort that goes into a great partnership) to be together so long!
Oh my gosh! I love the strawberry bouquets!!! Brilliant. Love this post. It is so happy. 🙂
Love this post – so reminds me of my Nana! You are so right, we need to cherish the moments we have with those that we love! xo
Love this post!! Too cute!! Go Mommom and Poppop!! Aren’t you lucky Mommom had good taste and the sense to hold on to those special things!
Eddie, very, very beautiful! I enjoyed seeing you do something that was so personal to you and your family. Your grandparents must be proud of the awesomely creative grandson they have! I can only imagine what might happen to my wedding china one day…Sadly, my mom has never used hers, despite constant goading! Little does she know that one day, when it’s in my hands, we’ll use it to remember her at family dinners.
I noticed that you had a drinking straw in the middle of the cake during the frosting process and I remember Martha S. doing that trick once, but can you please remind me why you put the straw there?
Christina
PS, with a few slightly different touches, your settings would have been awesome as a little girl’s summer birthday party too!
Oh my heavens, so much beauty, so much fabulous perfection all the way around. These images scream HAPPINESS!
Eddie, this is so beautiful and how lucky you are you still have your grandparents! My great granparents both lived until I was in college and I felt very blessed for that. My daughter calls my Dad “pop-pop” and I hope they are around for many years to see her grow. My mom has been battling cancer for two years now and if it has taught me anything it is that life’s success cannot be measured by things….but by being surrounded by family and true friends. It is sad it often takes tragedy to remind us of what is important.
PS–Around Easter I posted a tablsecape that included a layered coconut cake my mom made. This post reminded me of the fun we had making fun of how she molded butter into bunny shaped chocolate molds for the table.
What an occasion, your grandparents are wonderful. That cake and your menu look luscious!!I think the pink even a bit faded are so special and with the jadeite perfect!
Karena
Art by Karena
Aww, I am tearing up right now. Nothing is more touching than two people that are together for so long. We can all pray that we find or have found the same. Your wonderfully sentimental touches of using engagement dishes for the celebration is awesome. Your a good grandbaby!
Eddie,
Such a sweet tribute (no pun intended!) thoughtfully carried out in each detail. I know your grandparents must be very proud of you!
In a word–Beautiful!
The sweetest post yet. In more ways than one! Plus it’s beautiful and reminds each of us to take pride in caring for our abodes and families. Thank you for sharing this side of yourself today! xo
this is one of my favorite posts of yours!!! what a darling family you have. you truly are blessed:) happy anniversary to your mommom and poppop!
I lost my grandma NuNu 3yrs ago. I loved her so much and she taught me a lot. She too, loved to cook and kept a pretty house. She collected figurines, I loved her black figurines they were so beautiful. I miss her, she was a wealth of knowledge.
Dear Eddie and Jaithan,
What a beautiful couple and what a heartfelt way to celebrate their 60 years of love. Your cake, your table, the food…all such a sweet labor of love for your grandparents. You are so lucky to have them in your life, and they are so very lucky to have you.
Happy Anniversary Mommom and Poppop!
xoxoTrina
You are breaking my heart! I love that you see the value in those around you, the love of family is so vital and to honor those we love with pretty cakes a table set to scrumptiously. I love that strawberry fabric. I made a shirt in middle school with fabric like that and red midi braid trim.
What a lucky Mommom and Poppop.
pve
This is so lovely. I’m sure they greatly appreciated your efforts and the little trip down memory lane you created for them.
This post is beautiful~! I am also blessed to still have both of my grandmothers and I treasure them so.
I mentioned you on my blog yesterday Eddie~you are fabulosity..;)
Kelli
http://www.houseofjoleigh.blogspot.com/
Oh Eddie: this is very nice indeed, after all that has happened in the last week. When relationships work….they REALLY work, right? Up and downs for sure, but we’re all just people, in the end!
You’re lucky to be so close to your grandparents: and they to you!
Happy Anniversary to them both!
Libby
What a great post! I love everything about it 🙂 So beautiful and you made it look effortless. Thanks for the inspiration!
This is the most perfect, meaningful entry ever. Thank you so much for sharing this!
That is just beautiful Eddie! Your grandparents are just as lucky to have you as you are to have them! What a wonderful way to celebrate. Christine
Such a beautiful setting and cake. Did you make the lemon curd? If so, wanna share the recipe?
Oh. My. Goodness. Eddie, what a beautiful, sentimental day! oh, and that cake! To die for! What a wonderful job. Any grandma would be proud to have you as a grandson (and decorator!).
xoxo,
Elizabeth
As usual, you got that post just right! What a visual and emotional treat.
Would LOVE to have your recipe for your lemon filled cake!!
Your grandparents look so sweet and I completely understand the connection of the plates to such warm family history.
Love it! Another beautiful job. You are so lucky to still have your grandparents. Happy Anniversary Mommom and Poppop!
that’s so sweet!
Sighing over how gorgeous everything looked including the photos of you, Jaithan and the grands! Very sweet!
What a precious post!
I can totally feel your love for them in between those heartfelt lines. I never knew any of my grandparents but my daughter is so lucky to have hers. This is such an amazing display, those milk glass plates, pedestals & cake stands are so adorable & the cake u baked looks so delish!They’re both lucky to have such a sweet person in their life too!
Love everything about this story! You really know how to make a special event out of the simple things in life.
Keep up the great work Eddie & Jaithan!
How very blessed you are to still have them and how blessed they are that you treasure them so. Enjoy them while you can and your lunch looks delicious!
I love the story, the food, the table – everything. Lynn
Beautiful and Inspiring. Thank you again, I always enjoy your posts.
You are truly so dear and special….from the heart….
xoxo
Evy
Eddie, I truly think this is one of my favorite posts ever and my favorite setting ever! Simple. Pure. Lovely. Full of Love! Thank you so much for sharing and I’m soooo envious of both the pink anchorglass and the Jadeite! …but really the anchorglass!
Happy, Happy, Anniversary to your sweet
grandparents! You can just see how proud they are of you! Everything is so lovingly thought out and executed, here….and I would so love to have that cake recipe, unless it’s a top secret one that you just can’t share : )
xx Suzanne
Such a touching post….a beautiful love story. And, gorgeous food, decor and that cake! My mouth is watering!
this is one of my favourite blogposts you’ve done. i love the dishes and the way you stage them, as always!!! you are blessed to have such inspiring mom-mom and pop-pop 🙂
Loved hearing about your grandparents and especially, the many memories you have shared with them. It’s nice to see how simplicity and beauty can be such an effective combinaation.
Would love if you could share the recipe for the lemon cake. It looked scrumptious!
Oh, WOW! Can feel all the love coming through on this one!
Beautiful presentation for your grandparents, Eddie! How pretty that cake is, yum it looks great.
Eddie, this is just one of the many reasons I love you so much. The way you talk about your grandparents brought tears to my eyes. I can only hope that someday my grandkids feel that way about me. What a beautiful table you made and a wonderful lunch with special touches. The way you presented the cake was spectacular. I can only imagine how special they felt eating it off of their very own pink dishes from 60yrs ago. You are one special young man, Love you,Kathysue
Very touching Eddie and Jaithan. Beautiful job.
That is one of the most beautiful cakes I’ve ever seen, and this was a very touching piece about your grandparents. I’m sure they are proud of you.
Wonderful post, yummy looking food, beautiful couple (Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop) and what a wonderful tribute you paid to honor their 60 years together.
Love to you and Jaithan!
Judy
Perfection!!! Happy Anniversary, Dottie & Eddie! May God bless and keep you both healthy and safe!
Everything about this is wonderful but the very best part is the love you share with your Grandparents. You just cannot duplicate that! You have a great heart. Mona
what an absolutely lovely post…so much love…so many memories encircling your table…what an amazing legacy. Thank You for sharing.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the glassware. the pinks, greens and reds work so well together.
Thanks for allowing us a peek into such a special occasion! I’m sure everything tasted as good as it looked. Happy 60th Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop! I sure hope my husband will keep me for that long 😉
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story and photos of all things precious including your grandparents.What a lovely cake you made, the flowers on top were a perfect mix.
This is the sweetest summer table!
And how nice to share it with people who have inspired you….My nana was Dorothy too! Every visit to Traverse City, Michigan she’d make a homemade meat pie…..We laughed about what a creature of habit she was but today I really appreciate how much love she put into those meals.
awww man..can i get the lemon custard recipe?
Touching and wonderful! What icing did you use around the outside of each layer of lemon custard. Was that buttercream?
Absolutely magical!
Dear Eddie & Jaithan,
The way you elevate the every day…..elevates us all.You ARE inspiration.
Happy Anniversary to Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop!!!
Love, Elizabeth
Very sweet (literally!) post. You’re so lucky to have your grandparents still with you Eddie. I used to have tea parties with my Grandma when I was little and now I have the little set of breakfast dishes that we would use. I always love using them as it brings me right back to her table.
The colours so fresh and great for this wonderful summer. I like the Buttervream – Cake…mmmm…great idea for this weekend. Thank you regards jürgen
Beautifully done! You not only have a simple but elegant style when it comes to all things home, you have a lovely writing style as well. Write a book Eddie! And gotta love the grands, you’re so so lucky.
What a gorgeous celebration of a Great Love of Life! Well done — honestly — that whole party should be in the pages of a magazine! What a treat for us all — thank you for sharing such a joyous couple and their contributions to both of your lives together too!
And that cake would make a BRILLANT summery wedding cake!
Jan at Rosemary Cottage
Eneryone should have a mom-mom & pop-pop!
Reminds me of sitting with my great Aunt Eloise on her front porch on hot west Texas afternoons.
A memorable story Eddie & a beautiful lunch & dessert. Thank you for sharing & reminding us to keep loved ones close.
Lisa
I want you and Jaithan to be my Mom-mom and Pop-pop! Oh my! What beauty you surround yourself with everyday. You always live so beautifully, Eddie! An inspiration!
lovely all the way around. congrats to all.
Oh, wow, Eddie!! Your mormor and morfar (the Norwegian words for them) are SO lucky! And how chic!! You always make me want to tablescape!!
xx
dagny
Very nicely done Eddie. Beautiful images and perfect narrative.
As with all the other commenters, I was very touched by your post. You are very lucky to have your grandparents still with you, and they are very lucky to have you!
I cherish the items I have that belonged to my grandparents. They evoke wonderful memories, and touching something they touched gives me comfort. One of my most treasured things is my grandmother’s recipe box.
What a touching post. I think we have so much to learn from those that are older than us, and so much to appreciate them for.
As for the party, gorgeous as always.
Beautifuly done. Now we know where you get all your talent from. Grandparents are one of the greatest gifts and you are wise to enjoy the many moments with them. They look like the most precious couple and you honored them well! Love it all!!!
Eddie that is so true and you are so blessed to still have your grandparents. Reading this made me think about both of my grandmothers all of the beautiful dishes that the both had and cookware cooking and proudly serving food to their family and friends. Both of my grandmothers really loved to entertain. The memories of our family is so important my son passed this past September his name was Brandon he was 29 years old and tomorrow is his birthday so we all went out to the cematery earylier today and took ballons and flowers we all said something about Brandon prayed and let the ballons go up far into the sky into the universe. I can’t believe my baby would have been 30 years old tomorrow. I am so thankful for all of the memories that we have with Brandon.
When it’s all said and done we will all still have our memories that’s why we have to cherish each and every second that we have with our love ones. Your table is beautiful and the food looks so good. Thank you for sharing with us
Eddie, This was such a wonderful post about your grandparents. I love that you have learned so much from them. It speaks volumes about who they are as a grandchild can show such love for them! Your party was lovely and the cake, just beautiful. The collection of dishes are fabulous!
Hope you guys are safely back from Atlanta. Looking forward to hearing your adventures.
Jen
How lucky you are indeed! And what wonderful gifts they have bestowed on you!
Your cake is beautiful, and with Dottie’s perfectly-pale pink dishes…. stunning!
joan
Such a nice post, and beautiful pictures. I too have inherited a ton of pink depression glass…when given to me my brother in law said “oh you have that ugly old pink stuff that has been in our attic forever”. To some ugly, to me gorgeous and I LOVE IT. I use it all the time to celebrate baby showers, wedding showers, and just about any get together. It makes people feel special that I have pulled out all of the antique stuff. Anyway, LOVE your blog. Thanks for the inspiration!
OMG this looks heavenly!!! You have out Martha’d Martha on this one…you are Martha 2.O!
July 15th (the date of your post) would have been my grandmother’s 99th birthday, and I still miss her a lot. Like you, I learned so much about making something special out of nothing, looking for quality and being creative from my grandmother. Thanks for the tribute to your grandparents and the reminder of mine!
wow, those blt’s do look special. i am going to try that for my next party-appetizer. that’s lovely that you still have your grandparents in your life!
everything looks too beautiful!
make me cry..what a beautiful post. A tribute to mom mom and pop pop and an even bigger tribute to where you came from and who you are. beautiful beautiful. My grans call me mom mom and now I know I am in good company. xoCarol
Soo sweet of you to do that for them and I just love how it all came together. That cake is really beautiful! I LOVE how the pink of her dishes has faded too. pretty pretty!
Hi Eddie!
Wow! How super-lucky you are to be honored with such a priceless gift! I’ve been collecting jadeite and milk glass for years and good pieces are few and far between (and costly), but to have something like this with such fond memories attached is something else altogether! Again lucky, lucky you!
I’m new to the blog world where your name comes up repeatedly so I thought I would ‘check you out’, lol! So glad I did! Please pop into the Beach Bungalow sometime
and say hello.
Sue
eddie, this may be one of my favorite tablescapes you have ever done. truly, truly gorgeous! how very lucky of them to have you, and vice versa. and my grandmother is a dot, too!
Everything is so beautiful about your post but the one thing that stands out to me is the photo of Jaithen and Dottie. Love and acceptance. I am envious but warmed by the sentiment.
PLEASE SHARE YOUR RECIPE FOR THE CAKE!!!!! I have always loved real buttercream frosting…like one you would find on the most beautiful of wedding cakes! I still have not uncovered one that would pass a perfect inspection. The cake you made is just beautiful and admirable in every way. Would love to experiment with your recipe!
PLEASE!!!!!!
You come by your love and creativity quite honestly. I’m sure they were both so tickled to see their old dishes so lovingly used. My father gave me a lot of his Depression glass when he moved to a smaller home. “For goodness sakes, use the stuff!” he said. These old designs, like good relationships, stand the test of time.
wow. Such a beautiful spread. How inspiring!
Beautiful cake and such beautiful dishware. I love all things old. They always have a story to tell. Thank you for sharing.
I called my grandmother Mom Moms too. The lemon cake is making my mouth water! Come see us when you come to High Point in October, and I’ll do another video!
So lovely it brought tears to my eyes
What an amazing tribute to a beautiful couple! I love every detail of the day and wish I could have been there for a slice of that cake! I would say my husband and I share that cake as a favorite too…perhaps I will try to recreate it for us this weekend! I love your style and your blog… many more comments from me to come, I promise!
This has got to be the most precious post ever. Memories, heirloom pieces passed on, wonderful, and meaningful stories and more. I’m ferklempt! Your grandparents are absolutely priceless…what amazing pieces of wisdom and craft that they’ve shared with you! Cheers to all of you and a huge group hug! To honor them with this delicious and very personal luncheon and THAT CAKE….well now, I’m downright bawling!!
Eddie…this tender post rings so true to my heart. I’ve posted on my “Mimi” often. We ARE blessed to have grandparents that loved us well and taught us well. This was beautiful! (and thanks SO much for stopping by…I was over-the-moon thrilled to find your comment). BIG hugs from Texas!
WOW ! is all i have to say, that and i miss seeing you on TV!
Ok you got me…! I read your post on Breast Cancer and then see this post. Now ok I had a little wine LOL..I’m crying..only because your post so reminds me of my grandparents who I miss dearly – hence “Peggy and Fritz” my grandparents nicknames. Fritz had the largest garden in town and gave out veggies and fruit to everyone and Peggy was Suzie homemaker and introduced me to Bavarian China..and Limoge. They were married for well over 50 years and died three months apart…my grandmother first of cancer and my grandfather of heart failure three months later because he missed his Peggy. I didn’t cherish them until I graduated college and i use to drive from Boston to CT for the weekend to have hot fudge sunday night on Saturday nights…thanks for bringing back such super memories…I think Dottie and Ed would have loved Peggy & Fritz.
How darn sweet of you to make Mom Mom and Pop Pop day extra special. I am so glad to have had great grandparents and you do also.
What a great day and photos
Janice
your love for these beautiful folk just shines thru 🙂 in all your words and action le xox