Holidays At Home by Get Lost Houston

Dressing the table with holiday finery helps make the occasion truly special. Reprinted from the book Martha’s Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations by Martha Stewart. Copyright © 2011 by Martha Stewart. Photograph copyright © 2011 by Frédéric Lagrange. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.

“Something as simple as changing a light bulb can create an entirely new ambiance.” —Ann Morgan, The Lighting Gallery

Holidays at Home A D V I C E F R O M P R O S T O M A K E G AT H E R I N G S M E R RY A N D B R I G H T B Y H O L LY B E R E T T O

No other time of year brings more joy and anticipation

THE ART OF AMBIANCE

than the stretch from November to January. Holidays mean gatherings of friends and family, gifts and parties, and celebrating traditions both ancient and new. With your home as a center for holiday cheer, there are endless ways to incorporate seasonal surprises into your space.

“The heart of the holiday home is the dining room,” says Ann Morgan of The Lighting Gallery, who thinks the image of the family gathered around a table for that Thanksgiving or Christmas meal is powerful. She offers several ideas for gently sprucing up your décor without breaking the bank.

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“Something as simple as changing a light bulb can create an entirely new ambiance,” she says, recommending that you use bulbs that offer a soft, incandescent glow to provide a feel of holiday warmth. “And another quick fix is to use mini lampshades on the bulbs of your chandelier.” Morgan says you can find them in several patterns and colors and they’re easy to use, attaching directly onto the existing light bulbs. She also loves simple iron chandeliers, and glass fixtures. Water carafe and candle from Buchanan’s Bungalow.

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CHEF’S CHOICE

Jeramie Robison, the executive chef at CINQ at La Colombe D’Or, agrees with Morgan about time spent with family and friends, sharing a special dinner. “Food brings the family together at the holidays,” he says. Robison loves seasonal fare, and offers quail as an alternative to the traditional turkey or ham, saying quail lends itself to a variety of ways of preparation. “You can do a beautiful quail gumbo,” Robison says. “Plate the quail in the bowl and then have the gumbo base in a vessel and pour it over the quail tableside for a great presentation.” Robison also recommends using citrus in your holiday meals and in décor. “Citrus is at its peak in the winter here in Houston,” he says. See recipes, p. 42.

LEFT: Pinot Noir, Syrah or Meritage wines pair well with poultry and other holiday fare. Photo courtesy of Central Market.

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HOLIDAY FLOURISHES

Natural elements offer excellent options for décor, and Rodney Brown, of Buchanan’s Bungalow says he’s seeing a trend this year in having more natural and vintage components in decorating. “A lot of mercury glass,” he says. “I notice many people are going vintage with tinsel trees. People are using fewer ornaments and more garlands.” Buchanan’s has myriad leafy garlands and rustic twig wreaths. Brown thinks that natural garlands along mantles and staircases can give a home a wonderfully welcoming look, embracing the idea that less can be more. He also agrees with Morgan that small details make a big impact. LEFT: Fresh floral arrangements add a special glow to holiday gatherings.

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“I love to use pretty disposable hand towels in the guest bathroom,” he says. “It’s a nice touch that shows guests you care about the small things. If you have a nice decanter, fill it with water and place it by the bedside table in the guest room. These little touches add beauty.” Mary Lindsey Wilson has spent her interior design career enabling clients to discover beauty, both in their homes and in their lives. Her holistic approach to décor is designed to showcase the best aspects of a home and the personalities who inhabit it. “Our homes say so much about us,” she says. For the holidays, she recommends decluttering first and then adding small touches. “Put away summer accents and vacation pictures,” she says. “Bring out pictures of the kids with Santa. Have them nicely framed and have them out throughout the holiday season – then put them away.” LEFT: Continue the festive mood with houghtful additions to a guest bathroom, such as a tiny tree and special hand towels from Buchanan’s Bungalow.

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Wilson is an advocate of presenting your treasures in unexpected ways. Maybe instead of hanging heirloom ornaments on the tree, you display them in a large jar. Surround a poinsettia with moss and plant it in an old silver punch bowl. Or, perhaps put out a variety of pillows in colors that accent your room and harkens to the colors of the season. “Color is a phenomenal way to freshen a space,” she says, suggesting homeowners think about an accent wall with a glossy paint on it. She says that brighter colors show up beautifully with gloss finishes.

LEFT: Designer Ja Lane used brightly colored gift wrap in shiny and matte papers and a large glass vase filled with brightly colored ornaments to brighten his living room. Photo by Miro Dvorscak.

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SPARKLING CHEER

With entertaining, what you serve is as important as where you serve it. Jorge Valencia of El Grand Malo says any holiday party should have a bit of bubbly. “I think sparkling wines always make people smile,” he says, offering his recipe for a Champagne cocktail (see sidebar). He recommends using a budget-friendly Prosecco or a Cava. Jeannmarie Lesseraux, the owner of Cellar 17 in Champions agrees that wine can help make a holiday party. “When you have something original, it helps get conversations started,” she says. Her shop offers an array of wines from boutique producers and will help you find just the right to fit your budget and affair. She highly recommends the Kiame meritage, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. “Make everything as easy as possible. A huge variety is never necessary,” says Marcy Jimenez, manager at Houston Wine Merchant, who says Cotes du Rhones (reds and whites) are great for holiday crowds. Above all, remember that the holidays are about joy and gathering together those we love most. Handmade touches laced with love ensure a celebration that brings out the best of the season.

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Recipes from Chef Jeramie Robison Executive Chef CINQ and La Colombe D’Or SMOKED SAUSAGE, GULF SHRIMP, AND GRILLED STUFFED QUAIL IN A SPICY GUMBO BROTH Serves 6 Spicy Gumbo Broth 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp cayenne 1 Tbsp filet 6 oz smoked sausage (sliced in thin rounds) 2 qts chicken stock 1/2 C white wine 1 C all purpose flour 1 C yellow onion (diced) 2 peeled tomatoes (chopped) 1 C celery (diced) 1 C green bell pepper (diced) 1 Tbsp garlic (minced) Salt to taste Black Pepper to taste 8 dashes Tabasco In a 6 qt sauce pot add smoked sausage over medium heat. Once the sausage is almost crispy add the onions, bell pepper, celery and

garlic. Cook until the garlic is toasted. Add the flour and reduce heat to medium low. Stir constantly until the flour is dark brown. About 20 minutes. Add the white wine and tomatoes. Reduce liquid by half. Add all dry ingredients and the chicken stock. Simmer for at least one hour on low heat. Remove from heat. Pour hot broth into a blender and spin on high for 1 minute. Pass through a fine mesh strainer. Place hot broth back into a pot and place back on the stove on low heat. Stuffing 4 C jasmine rice (cooked as directed and rinsed under cold water) 3 bunches green onion (sliced in thin rounds) 2 Tbsp parsley (chopped) Smoked sausage (cut out of casing) 1/2 lb par-boiled 16-20 shrimp (chopped) 1/4 C white wine 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp Tony Chachere’s seasoning 2 Tbsp butter Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once the butter begins to foam add smoked sausage and sauté for 1 minute. Add the white wine and all dry ingredients. Add the rice and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for another minute. Remove from heat and refrigerate. Once cooled stuff seasoned quail.

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Quail 6 each boneless quail 1/2 tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/4 tsp cumin 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp pepper 5 sprigs tarragon(chopped) 4 oz olive oil DIRECTIONS: Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Place the quail in a 9” x 12” pan and coat the quail with olive oil. Season the quail inside and out with the spice and herb mixture. Place stuffed quail on grill and close the lid. Let cook for 6 minutes and turn once to get a nice cross hatch grill mark on the quail. Cook for another 6 minutes and remove. Set the quail on a plate and reserve.

Note: You can also bake the quail in the oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Place the grilled or oven baked quail in the bottom of 8inch soup bowl. Pour the gumbo broth around the quail. About 1/2 way up the quail. Place one whole grilled green onion over quail and serve.

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Chill 6 long rectangular plates. Slice the avocado in half and remove the seed. With a spoon, remove the avocado from the skin. With the avocado flat side down, slice in 1/4 inch slices. Lay 5 grapefruit segments down on the plate 2 inches apart. Place the sliced avocado in between the grape fruit. Season avocado with kosher salt. Pour olive oil over baby arugula and season with salt and pepper. Crumble blue cheese over grapefruit and avocado segments. Place arugula over blue cheese and put one teaspoon of grapefruit juice over the arugula.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Turn on your convection setting if applicable. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, bourbon, and milk. Whisk until the eggs are incorporated. Pour batter into a 12 x 20-inch baking pan. Place bread into batter and smash bread down so it begins to soak up the liquid. Let it set for 30 minutes then bake for 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown and there should be no runny liquid seeping around the bread.

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