Innehållsförteckning för July - August 2014 från Victoria

What could be more delightful on a hot summer’s day than velvety smooth ice cream? Easy to prepare, a breeze to freeze, and ultra easy to serve, this flavorful, versatile dessert suits all ages and most any occasion. Mom’s words, “I am making ice cream,” always brought my siblings and me running to help put ice and salt around the metal canister in the old-fashioned, hand-cranked device that could miraculously produce our favorites. The cool, creamy treat was a regular item on our weekend menus from April through September. With fresh berries available from our grandparents’ farms and other fruits at local markets, we could often expect the basic vanilla ice cream to be studded with strawberries, blueberries, or peaches. The long days of July always send me to the…

Last summer, I spent a week attending Rare Book School at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. What is Rare Book School, you might ask? Some people liken it to a summer camp for librarians, scholars, and serious collectors. During each one-week term, students of all ages gather from 9 to 5 to study medieval manuscripts, the history of bookbinding, or early book-illustration processes, to name just a few of the course offerings. In the evenings, there are lectures, movies, shopping trips, and dinners with colleagues and friends. For a devoted bibliophile like myself, the program is a little slice of heaven. The class I took this time around—it was my second trip to RBS—was titled Provenance: Tracing Owners & Collections. Simply put, we looked at how some individuals had…

In rural towns throughout India, artisans have been handcrafting textiles for centuries, painstakingly creating beautiful, quality fabrics that are quickly becoming obsolete in the industrialized world. It was here that Viji Reddy’s lifelong passion was born. “I have been involved with handmade textiles since I was about 16,” Viji recalls. “My aunt had a block-printing workshop, and I began to learn about traditional fabrics and how they were made.” Inspired by what she observed, Viji visited nearby weaving villages to study fibers. Years later, as an adult, she called upon her art-history background to comprehend how the artisans’ cultural heritage was integral to the cloth they produced. Viji founded Aalamwaar Textiles in 1997, initially using her aunt’s workshop to manufacture her designs. She quickly discovered, however, that if she wanted…

AN AFTERNOON ON THE LAWN Begins on page 27 Beef-Tenderloin Crostini p.30 Makes 6 to 8 servings 1 (3-pound) center-cut piece beef tenderloin, trimmed ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided 3½ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided 1 French baguette, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices ½ (8-ounce) package cream cheese ½ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 cup fresh, shaved Parmesan 1 cup fresh pea tendrils 1. Preheat oven to 425°. 2. Coat beef with 3 tablespoons olive oil, and season with 2 teaspoons salt and 2½ teaspoons pepper. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place beef in skillet, and brown on all sides. 3. Transfer skillet to oven,…

Fruit of the Vine Journey to the heart of Wine Country in the Pacific Northwest, and explore the majesty of Red Ridge Farms, above, in Dayton, Oregon. Situated against a backdrop of snowcapped mountains and cerulean skies, this 120-acre “destination for the senses” beckons with inspiring vistas and gourmet offerings. Wander through the property’s lavender fields, olive groves, and vineyards, pausing to sample wines and olive oils bottled from the farm’s seasonal bounty. Experience the wonder of Red Ridge during a day visit, or linger overnight in guest accommodations. Cherries on Top Michigan’s Grand Traverse region beckons with celebratory events set amidst lush natural landscapes and idyllic attractions. Thousands gather to commemorate the state’s worldrecord cherry production during the annual National Cherry Festival, held in July along the shores of…

ELOQUENCE Just as a book should never be judged by its cover, the unprepossessing exterior of Eloquence belies the trove of beauty to behold within. “Many people call us a hidden treasure because we are in a rather unassuming, unmarked gray building,” says Amelia Cooke, founder and creative director. She and her husband, Kim Redmond, followed their hearts to establish the business in 2002 as a showplace for “objets de charme.” Eloquence is open to the trade and to customers accompanied by interior designers. “We have slightly different styles—I am definitely more inspired by the romance and provenance, while Kim loves the form of a piece,” Amelia explains. The owners visit flea markets in France and Belgium and continually look for new markets as sources. They have found that old…

Marjorie Merriweather Post grew up the privileged only child of Post Cereals company founder C.W. Post and his wife, Ella. Later, as a young wife and mother living in New York City, she fell in love with Louis XVI– era art and cultivated the decorating style that remained a theme throughout her life. In 1914, at just 27 years old, Marjorie assumed the corporate mantle after her parents’ deaths, channeling her father’s entrepreneurial spirit and parlaying the company into the giant General Foods Corporation. But Marjorie’s enthusiasm for acquisition wasn’t limited to the business world. Throughout her lifetime, she amassed amazing collections that encompassed everything from blue Sèvres porcelain and eighteenth-century French furniture to Fabergé eggs and Russian liturgical icons. In 1955, the heiress purchased the 25-acre property known as…

A backdrop of distant, snow-covered peaks seems almost surreal in the verdant, mountainous terrain of Red Ridge Farms, particularly when juxtaposed with a view of lavender fields, olive groves, and vineyards. But to the Durant family, the splendor of these Dayton, Oregon, surroundings is home. In the early 1970s, Penny and Ken Durant felt an irresistible urge to set down roots—quite literally—on a 15-acre tract here. Penny, who grew up on a cattle ranch, felt it important for her two children to learn the value of stewardship. Both she and Ken wanted their son and daughter to be exposed to the labors and joys of reaping nature’s bounty. “My mom’s passion was always the land. She has an affinity for growing things,” says son Paul. Responding to a generations-deep calling…

My passion for blueand-white china began some twenty-one years ago, while reading the June issue of Victoria. The article was about a woman who spied a beautiful blue-and-white platter dating back to 1823 in an antiques store. I was captivated from that moment on! I found my first piece in a little shop in Cape May, New Jersey. It was a lovely little pitcher painted with an exotic scene. Despite its many chips and cracks, it spoke to me, so I bought it for just $10. Since then, I have amassed many objects—from plates to sugar bowls, teapots, and more. My collection has expanded to other colors of transferware, such as red (which is more pink in color), green (harder to find), and brown. I often think about the history…

Hovering cloudlike on two million cherry trees in Michigan’s Grand Traverse region, the delicate blossoms of May quiver and sway, set adrift by gentle breezes. Alabaster petals carpet the hilly terrain, giving way to clusters of luscious red berries set against deep-green foliage. The spectacular display heralds July’s harvest of more than seventy-five percent of the nation’s tart cherries—a boon to the state’s economy and a source of deep civic pride. “Northwest Michigan is an ideal microclimate for cherry production,” Leelanau County grower Midge Werner explains. “Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan keep temperatures cool in the spring and temperate in the summer, creating the consummate growing environment.” Midge and her husband, John, tend land that has been in his family since 1902. Originally a general-farming operation with one small…

“I doubt whether the world holds for any one a more soul stirring surprise than the first adventure with ice cream.” —HEYWOOD BROUN See Recipe Index, page 81, for recipe information.…