Table Talk

Table Talk


Join me to talk entertaining, gardening, Southern recipes and timeless decorating. And meet the makers behind our collection of handcrafted beauty.

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A Weekend in the Big Easy

A Weekend in the Big Easy

“America has only three cities,” Tennessee Williams was rumored to have declared in the midst of writing A Streetcar Named Desire. “New York, San Francisco and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.” The fact that this sentiment was also attributed to Mark Twain doesn’t make it any less true. New Orleans holds its own —even as it stands apart — as one of the great American cities.
Bookshelf Wealth Gone Bad: Debunking the Latest Tik-Tok Trend

Bookshelf Wealth Gone Bad: Debunking the Latest Tik-Tok Trend

I may be the last to have learned about the Tik Tok decorating trend known as “bookshelf wealth” - a design aesthetic centered on shelves of haphazardly placed books and objets displayed on built-in bookshelves to achieve a cozy, imperfect look. Anyone who has been living with books and art and beloved objects collected over a lifetime may find it curious to discover this is a new “trend.”
Keith's Paris City Guide: Day 3

Keith's Paris City Guide: Day 3

A Day on the Right Bank. Head for the Palais Royal for shopping and if you’re really in the mood for an iconic meal, reserve lunch at Le Grand Vefour, Paris’ oldest restaurant which boasts 2 Michelin Stars.
Keith's Paris City Guide: Day 2

Keith's Paris City Guide: Day 2

Sunday shopping in the Marais is the BEST because most of the boutiques in Paris are closed on Sunday, and the vibe in the Marais is so festive on Sunday. It’s a great young quarter of the City with fantastic walkability and known for its arts schools and museums in addition to gentrified apartments and shops and restaurants. Also, the Place des Vosges is one of the most beautiful squares in Paris and it’s fun to get a coffee in a café in the arcades that line the square.

Keith's Paris City Guide: Day 1

Keith's Paris City Guide: Day 1

I’ve shared this itinerary over the years with friends and family traveling to Paris, and I’ve revised it at least twice recently, tailoring it to the tastes of my two grown children who recently had their first visits to Paris without their parents, which they both argue was the only “real” trip they’ve taken to the City of Light.
A Refined Beef Stew for a Festive Holiday

A Refined Beef Stew for a Festive Holiday

It’s no secret to any of my friends that boeuf bourguignon is my go-to dish for winter entertaining. I love to serve it with garlicky cheese grits and crusty French bread and a big salad with lemony vinaigrette. When I do cook stew for a special occasion, though, I love to depart from my old (and very easy) standby. For Christmas or New Year's Eve, I'll pull out my tattered copy of Patricia Wells’ divine cookbook, At Home in Provence, and head straight to the recipe for Monsieur Henry’s Three Beef Daube.
Bourbon Balls & Other Cocktail Supper Must-Haves

Bourbon Balls & Other Cocktail Supper Must-Haves

The bourbon ball is definitely an acquired taste, but Julia's recipe will make even the youngest guest at the party a fan of these boozy confections.
"Party Trick" from Veranda Magazine

"Party Trick" from Veranda Magazine

 VERANDA loves a party. In each print issue, the magazine spotlights gracious gatherings—from holiday dinners and poolside soirees to garden parties and more—to celebrate the art of entertaining.
Keith's Nashville City Guide

Keith's Nashville City Guide

I hope you’ll enjoy a few of my favorite recommendations for visitors to Nashville, and some of my favorite pieces from our catalogue by Tennessee makers.
Year-Round Tomato Tart

Year-Round Tomato Tart

Make this tomato tart in any season!
Lisa Donovan's Chocolate Church Cake

Lisa Donovan's Chocolate Church Cake

When my friend Lisa Donovan serves this chocolate deliciousness, everyone is rendered speechless.
Mary Mack's Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Mary Mack's Fresh Peach Ice Cream

I'm grateful that ice cream makers have come a long way since the mid-70s, but I'll be following Mama's recipe to a tee.
Nora Jane's Summer Corn Pudding

Nora Jane's Summer Corn Pudding

Your guests will never guess that the key ingredient in this corn pudding is Jiffy Corn Muffin mix.
Summer Sangria

Summer Sangria

This sangria recipe from Julia's hilarious book is perfect to have on hand as spring fades into summer. 
Cocktails for Derby Day and Spring

Cocktails for Derby Day and Spring

I love a frozen drink, I adore mint, and I have never met a variation on a julep that didn't make me deliriously happy. Here, I've created a sort of cross between a julep and a mojito. Though most of us think of a julep as the classic mint version with bourbon, a julep is defined as any drink utilizing alcohol and herbs, usually over shaved or crushed ice.

Lemon Lover’s Tart

Lemon Lover’s Tart

My favorite yearly staple is a Meyer lemon tart I’ve been cooking for years from Patricia Wells’ divine cookbook, At Home in Provence, where she shares recipes inspired by her country farmhouse in Southern France. 

Aunt Hebe's Christmas Baked Brie

Aunt Hebe's Christmas Baked Brie

I serve this baked brie with brown sugar and cognac in a puffed pastry at every Christmas party I host, and people go wild for it.
Mary Mack's Southern Cornbread Dressing

Mary Mack's Southern Cornbread Dressing

Every year for 52 years, my mother has orchestrated the most delicious Thanksgiving meal for those we gather around the table. I've - happily - been assigned the flowers in my middle age and the place settings when I was younger.
Favorite Fall Recipes

Favorite Fall Recipes

Two things do show up on Claire's menu again and again, and I think they are the perfect combination for dessert after a hearty fall supper. I hope you'll enjoy Claire's lemon curd (served best in her hand-thrown cups) and ginger snaps at your next autumn meal.
Mary Mack's Squash Casserole

Mary Mack's Squash Casserole

No matter how many times I serve this on my screened porch in Sewanee or even at a more formal dinner with sliced tenderloin (on which occasion I might call it a gratin), I’ve never known this recipe to fail. And I’ve never known people not to ask for seconds. I hope you’ll enjoy incorporating it into your summer repertoire. It’s a sure thing.
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