Indholdsfortegnelse for September 2022 i Southern Lady

The September issue of Southern Lady is always one of my favorites, because it gets me excited for my most cherished season: fall! As we work on it earlier in the year, I can already picture the first tinges of red and gold on the trees and feel the crisp morning air on my face. In the pages that follow, we welcome all things autumn, from a simple bouquet of dahlias and roses tucked in a tea canister on page 35 to a brunch gathering on page 95 that’s topped off by a scrumptious apple cider cake. We also take you to one of the top hidden gems in the North Carolina mountains for the changing of the leaves: the beautiful Lake Toxaway, page 43. One of the only ways…

Pink peonies, blue-and-white porcelain, party planning, and Winston Churchill—these are a few of Kathryn Greeley’s favorite things. In her latest coffee-table book, The Collected Cottage: Gardening, Gathering, and Collecting, the acclaimed designer and hostess extraordinaire reflects on the memories and treasures she’s amassed over decades at her beloved North Carolina home, Chestnut Cottage. “I felt compelled to share these things with people in hopes that they would be inspired to create their own homes into sanctuaries for themselves,” says Kathryn, whose second hardback hit shelves this summer. A thoughtful collection of memoirs, decorating advice, and entertaining ideas, The Collected Cottage speaks to confident and apprehensive hosts alike. “You don’t have to be a gourmet cook; there are caterers. You don’t have to be good at floral arranging; there are florists.…

Delight dinner party guests with a mini plate of morsels at each place setting—a fun twist on a traditional charcuterie board. Arrange a selection of cheeses, crackers, nuts, salumi, and fresh or dried fruit on a small dish that coordinates with your china. For place cards, use a 2-inch circle punch to create disks from softly tinted paper. Pen one disk with each guest’s name, use double-sided tape to sandwich a short skewer between the inscribed card and a blank disk, then nestle into the tempting assortment.…

DASHING BLUES September skies inspire this table that punctuates nature’s chosen celestial color with lively green tones and crisp white, a combination always on point. Watercolor branches and petite flowers sprawl across table linens in a meandering cottage-garden fashion and coalesce with the soft sky tones of the surrounds. A salad plate that blends brilliant sapphire and lime provides the focal point for the soirée, its exotic flora and fauna framed by a midnight-hued charger. The layered settings take on a gentle allure flanked with flatware and hexagonal water goblets in compatible shades. Herb topiaries add aromatic charm, intermingled with vases holding pink and white garden roses, alstroemeria, hydrangea, scabiosa pods, lisianthus, and ranunculus. Weave in organic texture with wooden candlesticks and rattan place mats, and lift the presentation with…

Fusilli Col Buco with Butternut Squash and Parmesan MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 1 tablespoon olive oil4 cups diced butternut squash2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided¼ cup unsalted butter2 teaspoons chopped garlic½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley1 (16-ounce) package fusilli col buco pasta, cooked according to package instructionsShaved Parmesan cheese, for toppingGarnish: chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh thyme 1. In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash and ½ teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 2. In the same pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter is lightly browned and toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, remaining 1½ teaspoons…

TABLETOP NOTIONS When I was very young, I loved to poke through the odds and ends in our china hutch, including a set of tiny crystal stem glasses that enchanted me. They were cordial glasses, of course, but back then I had no idea what they were called; I just thought they were the last word in elegance. My mom would sometimes let me get them out when I had a friend over to play—though they couldn’t have held much, I remember feeling so sophisticated as we sat there and sipped our juice or water. While I know more about stemware these days, I never outgrew my fascination with specialty table goods like porcelain butter pats, silver tomato servers, and cut-glass relish dishes. That’s the idea behind our food feature…

When Willa Allen was asked in 1976 to provide dessert for a special event, she went searching for a trusty shortbread recipe from a friend that she felt sure would be a crowd-pleaser. With a little bit of butter and a lot of love, Willa’s small-town home bakery would later become a national sensation, selling her tasty treats in almost all 50 states. After the success at her event, neighbors and friends convinced Willa to begin retailing her delicious cookies. Starting in the small kitchen of her Hendersonville, North Carolina, home, the popularity of Willa’s Shortbread opened the door to selling at local markets and shipping across the South. Once she expanded to mail orders, Willa began shaping the original wedge into bite-size cookies for easier transport. Willa ran the…

Blushing purple captured in hand-painted radicchio leaf salad plates by Katherine Young Home enriches the golden browns and distinctive neutrals in this refreshing pair of tabletop combinations. A whimsical scene unfolds in the unexpected fusion of color that looks to nature for its punch. A saffron-gold dinner plate and chestnut charger contribute to the lively tabletop demeanor, punctuated by stunning sunflowers, all in contrast to the cool tones of the salad plate. Amber hues glimmer in a tumbler and a hand-blocked tablecloth that delivers a delightful lighthearted touch; tortoiseshell flatware and a napkin ring tie the knot on the affair. A subtle cream backdrop lets the spotlight shine on the inspiration dish with muted floral linens mingling in the gilded glow of an elegant napkin ring and the rim of…

Dainty demitasse spoons, mini in size but mighty in utility, are the powerhouse of traditional postprandial engagement, swirling sweetness into black coffee with a gleam that puts the perfect finishing touch on any affair. For centuries in genteel circles, as diners relaxed and gathered for conversation after a multicourse feast, a demitasse (literally half cup) of espresso or black coffee was passed on a tray as an option for those who wanted to partake. To sweeten the dark elixir that complements dessert, the diminutive pieces—usually about 4½ inches long—were placed on the saucer behind the cup handle in the 4 o’clock position, ready to stir. While demitasse service fell to the wayside as formal dining waned in the late 20th century, collections of the miniscule flatware are enjoying a resurgence…

COVER See Heirloom Occasion. INVITING ARRAY Page 29: Bernardaud Heloise salad plate and Royal Limoges Oasis dinner and bread plates in purple; Bromberg’s. HINT OF HARVEST Pages 31–32: Radicchio salad plate; Katherine Young Home. Jaune de Chrome Jungle Amber charger; Replacements, Ltd. Gretta napkins, Sabre Paris Tortoise Collection 5-piece place setting, and Amber Palladio tablecloth; Land of Belle. Juliska Tortoise Knot napkin ring; Bromberg’s. Page 33: Vivienne Cream Patine Raffia dinner plate; Blue Pheasant. Sabre Pop Unis Ivory Handle 5-piece place setting; Katherine Young Home. Micheline linen napkin; April Cornell. VIBRANT WELCOME Pages 37–42: Casafina Sausalito Blue dinner plates, Richard Ginori Oriente Italiano Malachite salad plates, and Kim Seybert napkin rings; Table Matters. D’Ascoli Blue Chestnut Linen Collection tablecloth; Eloise Linen Collection napkins; Chambray Blue Hexagonal Tumbler Blue Rim; and…

As garden flowers fade in these final warm days, roses and dahlias make a bold last stand, their perkiness brightening any corner. An informal container like a tea canister will allow the superb blooms to shine. Add butterfly ranunculus to one side, allowing a single sprig to stretch out and give the arrangement a gentle asymmetrical shape. Fill in with viburnum and waxflowers, and enjoy a sip of a favorite brewed tea as you admire the beauty brought forth from your own foraging.…

Southern Highlands Reserve, a high-elevation, native-plant garden lush with colorful azaleas, a spectacular labyrinth, and a towering tree that supports endangered flying squirrels, not only visually delights, but also touches your soul—just as intended. “The first thing we want people to experience when they come to the Southern Highlands Reserve is an almost spiritual connection back to nature,” says Kelly Holdbrooks, executive director of the privately owned garden, open by reservation only April through October. The trails, a seven-ring Wildflower Labyrinth, and other rooms of the 20-acre plot designed by renowned landscape architect W. Gary Smith are masterfully created to include an element of surprise. “We’ve got pathways to purposely hide that big reveal from you so you can have that experience,” says Kelly. With only the sounds of nature—rustling…

PRISMATIC DISPLAY In the wake of summer’s fading vibrance, capture nature’s shift from lively and bright to burnished and bold when welcoming guests for a midmorning repast. The tableau garners vitality from a showstopping linen swathed in green, teal, citron, garnet, and grape. Apricot stripes underscore an artfully rendered motif of birds soaring among blossoming vines, creating a brilliant foundation for tabletop details like ruffled taupe place mats. Acorns and foliage swirl along the edge of a brown-and-white dinner plate, as verdant flower garlands embellish ceramic salad dishes. Complementing tortoiseshell tumblers, tigereye stones encircle the brass rings slipped around napkins that echo the vivid magenta of dahlias arranged on the sideboard with roses, waxflowers, and hydrangeas. A centerpiece of graceful orchids and lush greenery suits the air of sophistication, while…