Last weekend’s storm cloaked Pine Hill Farm in white, leaving an icy chill in its wake. After a couple of selfies in the snow, my friend Austin and I were craving a hearty, warming pasta…
…and for that, I knew just where to go.
Every Villarina’s store feels like a beautifully curated pantry full of fresh, artisanal foods.
The pasta and sauces are all homemade; my favorite is the lobster ravioli with vodka sauce, but tonight we’re having cavatelli with fresh broccoli rabe, parmasean, plenty of garlic and turkey sausage in place of pork.
A quick stop at a local Goodwill produced two treasures: an All-Clad non-stick pan, gently used, for $8.99 (new ones run for over a hundred) and a Danish blue and white porcelain ice scoop from the 50s. The pan was in perfectly good condition; it had simply never been cared for and was now baked-on with grime. After soaking it in a solution of boiling hot water and OxiClean to release the grease, I cleaned it as I normally would with dish washing liquid and water, leaving it sparkling like new.
Before putting my new pan to use, browning the turkey, we needed a little something to snack on while we cooked: a light Pinot Noir in handblown crystal glasses and manchego cheese on a Paris porcelain platter with creamware shell dishes from an antique mall outside of Boston, 10 dollars for the set.
While Austin worked her magic in the kitchen, prepping the cavatelli for boiling…
…I assembled the trays for our fireside dinner. The bowls are Eggshell Nautilis from the 30s, the goblets are smoked glass and the napkin rings are cloisonné.
The vintage bamboo trays I picked up at thrift shops, one or two at a time, until I’d completed a set of 12.
Dinner is served: a warming winter pasta for a cold, Connecticut night.
And for dessert? Snapping up from the dishrack my new Danish ice cream scoop, I served caramel-creamy dulce de leche from Häagen-Dazs with ginger snaps in champagne coupes from Crate & Barrel.
Enjoy the weekend, everyone! Back on Wednesday with a fresh take on a quirky set of vintage pillow cases you’ll love!
What a great deal you got on the All-Clad pan! I’m a big fan of the all-clad, but they are super expensive to collect! I never thought of using vintage bamboo trays like placemats – such a great idea! It’s so cold her in upstate NY as well. Have a warm & relaxing rest of the weekend!
Yuko Jones @ northfield gate
Eddie, you always make even a simple pasta dinner a special occasion. Presentation is everything and you have that mastered. Stay warm this weekend by the fire. We have springlike weather, all my windows are open airing out the house. We have dubbed it
June-u-ary!! xo Kathysue
I am so happy you two are back to the blog! I’ve missed you! I loved the update of the previous year and Pine Hill, are you kidding me?? Blueberries, those peaches, apples, that outdoor fire pit?? HEAVEN! the house is lucky to have you two caring for it. I always love hearing about all of your finds, but my favorites are always the glassware, those lavender bowls, the turquoise and opaline glasses…so beautiful. Looking forward to learning more {and thank you for teaching me how to clean a pan, that’s amazing!} Welcome back.
Cozy perfection! I live up in Haddam, CT and it has been cold! This meal is wonderful and I love that you set each bamboo try individually, clever 🙂
Seriously fabulous dinnerI’m sure. I’m dying over your finds. That ice cream scoop is divine 🙂
I’m in love….with your ice cream scoop. franki
I wanna come for dinner too. Looks amazing. I love all of the attention to details. So cozy. Beautiful.
I have several All Clad pans with baked on “stuff”. Will this technique refresh to “new” status?!Thanks for the tip if so!!
Eddie, I want to share a fireside meal with you and Austin. Between the yummy food and the yummy presentation, it must have been a truly enjoyable meal!
Love, love, love that you’re back!
Warm and cozy; the best.
I am so glad you are back on your blog! What a treat to see your name pop up in my in box and know that eye candy awaits. Thanks for this lovely post. You a a wealth of inspiration to so many.
Lunch idea!
xo
Love the place setting! And the meal looks absolutely delicious! With those picturesque winter-time views, you’re making me think it’s time to get a house in Connecticut!
My MIL has a set of those bamboo trays that I’m sure she brought back from her military service time in Thailand in the 1960s. I’ve always thought they were terribly ugly, but I admit that your photos have me looking at them with new eyes!
Just took a break from
cleaning/organizing (must
be cabin fever here in MIN!)
to take a peek at my email.
What a treat to be swept to
the fireside in Connecticut!
Thanks for sharing all the
beautiful details–looks like
a fun and cozy evening : )
xo Suzanne
Totally jealous of that scooper! My grandmother collected Blue Deflt and I have inherited her collection… but I don’t have a scooper yet.
It has been a long year – so, so glad you are back. I better renew my subscription to BH&G.
Happy New Year to both you and Jaithan.
~Becky
you are the thrifting master.
Eddie! After reading this I went out and found my very own All-Clad at the local thrift for $5! I normally would have passed it up, but your post inspired me. Thank you
Love your wonderful finds, love the pasta and I wish I were there having some pasta and enjoying the wonderful fire….I love when you go out shopping in thrift stores and goodwills and garage sales and just junkin and find the coolest things and use them, sounds like a great saturday afternoon tv show with you and your partner as the stars, bringing everything back home and cleaning and using or selling, such fun…
I have those trays, Eddie. I got them in Fortunoff’s in L. I., NY years ago. Still have the 1.29 price tag. They called them galley trays, 😉 Waiting for another storm out here in Southampton, they were ice boating on Mecox last weekend!