Style File: Hello, Dolly!

I’ve had Hello, Dolly! on the brain ever since Barbra’s birthday a couple of weeks ago. The thing is, once Barbra gets stuck in my head, she is going to live there for quite sometime. For those that know me, it will come as no surprise that Dolly Levi is a personal hero of mine. And, to be honest, I think there are quite a few lessons about being a strong, independent belle that the matchmaker from New York can teach us. So here goes…

Know what you’re good at, and work with it.

Dolly Levi: Arranger of furniture & daffodils.

Dolly Levi: Social introductions arranged in an atmosphere of elegance & refinement.

Dolly Levi: Twenty-eight and three-quarter year old store clerks taught to dance.

Dolly Levi: Expert mandolin instructions arranged.

When in doubt, put on your Sunday clothes.

Always make an entrance.

Know how to find your light.

Don’t be afraid to get what you want.

Forget reading “Lean In,” Dolly Levi can teach you everything you need to know. Expect only the best–in food, in dress, & in men.

Alone Time is OK

If your man decides he wants to go out & play with his friends, choose to find it adorable…

And if, while he’s gone, you see a parade…

Then, jump right in the middle. (Dolly did it long before Ferris Bueller.) Remember, when one makes a habit of walking down crowded streets, one is never without a back-up ensemble.

Finally, exercise your flair for the dramatic.

Sometimes it’s good to remind your man what he’d be missing if you weren’t by his side singing Barbra ballads every night.

Southern Hostess: Rebecca Gordon

I’ve been excited about this post all week! Allow me the pleasure of introducing to you, the epitome of the Alabama hostess: Rebecca Gordon. I met Rebecca last Fall when Husband & I headed down to Charleston for an event with Southern Living to celebrate the release of The Official SEC Tailgating Cookbook. At that time, Rebecca was serving as SL’s test kitchen director (she’s currently a Contributing Editor) and her enthusiasm was contagious when she cooked. I immediately fell in love with her absolutely delicious recipes as well as her passion for Alabama football–both of which are front & center on her blog: Buttermilk Lipstick.

Buttermilk Lipstick quickly became my favorite recipe stop on the web. The thing I love the most is that Rebecca doesn’t just give you recipes, she shares tips & secrets from her years of experience that make those recipes foolproof! A couple weeks ago, I tried my hand at her pimento cheese (*delish*), tonight I’ll be making her Southern cornbread (obviously), and this weekend, my mom will be getting these m&m chocolate chip cookies. So let’s get to know Rebecca a little more, shall we?

rebecca-gordon-belle

Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama

Southern Destination of Choice:

The Houndstooth Capital of the South, Tuscaloosa, of course (!) …especially on game day Saturday’s. And when the United States Air Force is scheduled for a flyover before kick-off in Bryant-Denny Stadium… Umm, chills. Witnessing the Crimson Tide bust out of the end zone and onto the field before a home football game just can’t be beat. I’ve been known to get a little teary at times… there’s a passion in that stadium that can’t be duplicated and so many moving stories are represented from the players, to the coaches, to the fans of why they love Alabama football so much. For some it’s based on family roots and for others, they’re converts based on a job move from another state and they had to declare an allegiance to one of the state schools or be pestered relentlessly. Southern college football brings folks together from all walks of life and unites them in a way like nothing else… Roll Tide!

A close second is Charleston. I attended Johnson and Wales when it was located in the old cigar factory on East Bay Street. I can lose myself in the architecture and the history walking around downtown, not to mention the food scene can’t be beat. Being close to the beach doesn’t hurt either. The houses on Sullivan’s Island are simply gorgeous. They’ve done such a fine job of preserving the integrity of the area.

Favorite Southern Tradition:

Not to be a goose and all, but there again, tailgating and watching Alabama football. I don’t mean to rile anyone up or anything, but I do have the 3rd Saturday in October circled with vigor on my calendar each fall. (We do too, Rebecca. Don’t you worry!) I, my friend, lived through the “lean years” and let’s just say, an elephant never forgets.

Be Sure to Say Hello!

Rebecca’s Blog: Buttermilk Lipstick
Buttermilk Lipstick on Facebook
@ButtermilkLips on Twitter

Caring for Your Iron Skillet (& a Southern cornbread recipe with Rebecca Gordon!)

iron-skillet

In the South, there are few items that can hold a candle to a belle’s iron skillet. When making out her will, a grandmother may pass down her iron skillet with as much intention as the family china. Why? An iron skillet isn’t just a cooking vessel–it’s an investment of time, a reminder of the care put into it, and a history of everything that the vessel has held before.

A good iron skillet is well-seasoned. That is, over time a surface of lard has built up making the pan non-stick as well as adding a very distinct flavor. Yes, I know your skillet says it’s pre-seasoned but, trust me honey, it’s not. Here’s how to do it right!

To season your iron skillet…

Preheat your oven to 300°F.
Thinly coat the inside of your pan with Crisco or canola oil. These are my favorites because they don’t add any particular flavor, and they won’t go rancid on the pan.
Leave your skillet in the 300° oven for 3 hours, then let cool completely.
If this is your first seasoning, repeat this process 3 times.
After the initial seasoning, do this about once every month or two.
It’ll really start to feel like yours after the first few batches of bacon. I always make these first after seasoning because it adds another layer of flavor.

iron-skillet-salt

Cleaning your iron skillet…

Here’s the key: Don’t let it sit. I am one of the worst when it comes to fixing a big meal, and then going straight to bed without cleaning up. This is no way to treat your iron skillet. First of all, the longer you let things sit, the harder they’ll be to clean off. Second, the fat on the bottom of your skillet can begin to pick up flavors you don’t want as it sits.

The other key: Never. EVER. use soap. NEVER! As I said before, the iron skillet is all about the surface. That’s what gives your food flavor and, in turn, that’s what makes your skillet so valuable. So don’t wash it off! Instead…

After you cook, assess your pan.

Is there anything stuck to the bottom?

Fill your skillet halfway with water, and bring it to a boil for a few minutes.
Then, empty the water and use a rubber scraper to remove anything that is stuck to the surface.

Everything out, and it just needs to be cleaned?

When your pan is cool to the touch, throw in a handful of kosher salt.
Gently rub it in with a rag. (You can use paper towels, but I prefer a rag because paper towels crumble with the salt scrubbing.)
You’ll see the remnants of dinner being soaked up by the salt.
Rinse out the salt with water. Dry your skillet. And coat with a thin layer of canola oil or Crisco.
Store in a dry place. I actually keep mine in the oven.

And now, Iron Skillet Rehab

When a friend brought me a rusty iron skillet a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I’d give it a little rehab and then do a blog post. Little did I know, the rusty surface was thick and flaky so ‘a little rehab’ turned into a Sunday afternoon.

In retrospect, I do not endorse trying to save an iron skillet from the grave. When iron turns to rust, it makes terrible pock marks that can totally ruin the even cooking surface you get with a good skillet. However, if there’s a smaller amount of rust you should be able to use one of the items below, in order of lightest to most abrasive…*

kosher salt
steel wool
a paste of baking soda and water (I rotated this with boiling water and the rust just lifted out.)
fine grain sand paper

*Note: Using any of these will ruin any seasoning already existing on your skillet.

I think it must be in a belle’s blood to not let an iron skillet die. In the words of a co-worker, “Can’t you buy a new skillet for like $11?” Yes. Yes you can, but that’s not the point. Southern allegiance to your skillet is very real so when you get a skillet of your own take care of it. Cherish it. If you’re good to the skillet, the skillet will be good to you.

Now… what to make in the skillet?

My friend Rebecca Gordon is the most fabulous of cooks! You may remember that I met her in September when we visited with Southern Living in Charleston. We’ll chat a little more with Rebecca later today but, for now, hop on over to Rebecca’s blog Buttermilk Lipstick to get her recipe for the perfect Southern cornbread!

Get Rid of That Vintage Smell

Love getting a new vintage frock, but hate the stench that comes with it? Well, today is your lucky day! Husband is sort of like the Goodwill Whisperer. While getting his MBA, he also acquired a closet full of sport coats from the finest tailors in town–all for a going rate of about $5 each. But the vintage smell (don’t act like you don’t know) was a bit much, so, after doing some research, he found a great solution.

The secret? Vodka. It’s not just for martinis anymore…

smell-vintage-goodwill-clothing-secrets

Mix 2 parts vodka with 1 part distilled water in a spray bottle.
Spray on your garment.
It will dry quickly. Then, just take it to the dry cleaner for cleaning.

On second thought, the real Secret of this Belle may just be to get yourself a husband that helps with the laundry after making you a martini.

Homemade Strawberry Jam

Huzzah! Strawberry season is here! Every year, I look forward to The Market in Maryville getting the first shipments of strawberries in from South Carolina, and last week it finally happened. Over the past 5 days, I have eaten more strawberry shortcake than most Americans will eat all year long. No regrets. So today, I thought I’d share with you one of my very favorite recipes: strawberry jam.

strawberry jam

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:

2 lbs strawberries (it’s usually 2 containers)
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 of a peeled green apple (a natural pectin… i.e. the stuff that helps it turn to jelly)
1 tsp orange rind
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:

Top & hull the strawberries.
Use a food processor to chop berries into smaller pieces or just squish them up with your hands.
Throw the green apple into the food processor as well or finely chop.
Stir in sugar, orange rind, & cinnamon.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the entire mixture to a boil.
Turn down and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes.*
Once your jam reaches the consistency you desire, place in jars and let cool completely. Once it’s completely cool, store it in the fridge.

*For the first 20 minutes or so, you’ll need to remove the foam that accumulates on the top. The foam is really just a result of the boiling jam. It won’t really affect the taste, but it will prevent your jam from reaching the right consistency.

The best thing about strawberry jam is that it will make your house smell like the perfect Spring evening. It’s equally as yummy on toast as it is on shortbread, and while I’d suggest canning it, I can almost guarantee your batch won’t last that long. So turn on some Nat King Cole, curl up on the couch with your honey, and enjoy the natural aphrodisiac of Strawberry Jam. You can thank me later.

Is making jam just not enough for you? Consider heading to Dayton, Tennessee this weekend for the annual Strawberry Festival. Just looking for a new dessert? Might I recommend Alton Brown’s shortcake recipe? It is delish!

Hello, Gorgeous!

If you’re a new reader, “Hello, Gorgeous!” posts are a round-up of beautiful, random links that are making me smile this week. Enjoy!

Read:

This article made me laugh out loud. If you have experienced Brooklyn as an observer over the past year and a half, you will love reading “How I Became a Hipster” in this week’s New York Times.

Listen:

The first thing I wanted to share is an episode of Fresh Air with one of my very favorite authors, David Sedaris. In it, he talks about journaling which I found particularly interesting. Also, I’m putting his new book, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, on my Kindle for a little weekend reading.

Listen Part II:

Have you heard the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s new Great Gatsby? It’s incredible and also makes it very apparent that this version of Fitzgerald’s classic is going to be very Baz–i.e. a super modern telling of a well-known story set to a surprising soundtrack. Want to hear it now? Click over to NPR music.

Look:

I recently came across this tumblr called: Walt Disney Doing Funny Things. Given that, in real life, I am completely obsessed with Mr. Disney, I cannot stop clicking over to this little happy spot for a laugh.

Drink:

Mint Juleps, of course! I’m sure it goes without saying because, in the South, Derby Day is basically a regional holiday. We get dressed up, we gather with friends, and we make lots of cocktails. This week, over on Made + Remade my friend Deanne & I posted on the 2 Derby Day essentials: Mint Juleps & Derby hats!

Wear:

Need a little inspiration for your headwear? I’ve got you covered. Here are a few of the hats I’ve pinned throughout the year in preparation for Derby Day…

What else have you seen around the interwebs this week that you’ve just loved? Do tell!

Do You Have a Pen Pal?

Do you find the idea totally antiquated? This is something that has been on my mind of late because of the desire to stay in touch that I mentioned last week.

I remember when I was young exchanging letters & packages with 2 of my very best friends–one in Ohio and the other in Virginia. I couldn’t wait to get home each day after school to see if there was anything waiting in the mailbox. In return, I spent hours putting together random pictures and doodads to send with letters about what I’d been up to that particular week, where I’d been, and how I was feeling.

Then, when we all got Facebook in college, the letter writing turned into simply ‘liking’ photos or commenting on random updates shared with the world. What happened to those letters? Have we really become so self-absorbed that we don’t have time to sit down and personally address the people we care about?

The funniest thing to come out of the constant social media stream? I’ve gained the most unexpected of pen pals! The people I’ve found myself writing to most recently, be it an email or an actual hand-written note, are people I’ve met on social media. Sure we talk in 140 characters or less several nights a week, but I’d be lying if I told you that a letter didn’t make me giddy each time it was received.

So this week, I challenge you to get a pen pal!

Whether it’s getting in touch with an old friend, writing a note to a shut-in you know in the neighborhood, or finding someone else who just loves to write–find someone and stay in touch! Looking for a pen pal? Let me know. We could start a trend!

My Love Affair with Ella

It was on this day, in 1917, that the First Lady of Song graced the earth with her presence, and so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell you 2 stories about how Ella Fitzgerald has made my life more beautiful.

It starts in the mid-1990s when my parents and I moved to East Tennessee and the next couple years proved to be those weird, awkward ones between elementary kid-dom and the unmistakable hormonal rage all middle-school girls possess. On top of that, I was a pretty quiet (to those who didn’t know me), sheltered kid who spent a lot of time reading and not so much time listening to the Backstreet Boys. I had several friends in the neighborhood I liked to play with, but I really loved just hanging out with my parents. And I was pretty sure (as I still am) that I was born in the wrong era.

So one summer, while vacationing in Ocean Isle, my parents got me this cd that changed the entire course of my life forever; it was a compilation of the best of Ella Fitzgerald. Suddenly, I’d found a music that was mine. I carried my disc man everywhere listening to the songs play over and over until I could recite all the words to “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” and every bit of skatting in It Don’t Mean a Thing. I listened to that cd when I was happy, when I was sad, when I was moody–anytime I didn’t know what I wanted to listen to, I put on Ella.

There’s something about her voice that I can feel in my bones, do you have any musicians like that?

Fast forward, almost 9 years. I was finishing up my junior in high school, still pretty awkward, still listening to music none of my friends knew, when a *handsome* curly-headed boy that had started coming to our church and playing piano with me in our worship band. People had been trying to set us up for months and, both being quite stubborn, we’d respectfully declined and instead opted to pester one another in what was, I’m sure, a very annoying display for everyone around us.

Finally, one night after church, when the parents were out of town so there was no one to ask us questions, we decided to go out to dinner. The evening went off without a hitch: no dead air, not too many awkward pauses. Finally, on the ride home, the conversation turned to music.

“What music do you listen to?”

“Probably nothing you’ve ever heard of.”

“I know a lot of music. Tell me, what is it?”

“Don’t worry about it. You wouldn’t know any of it.”

“Seriously, you’re being ridiculous. What’s in your cd player right now?”

“Ella Fitzgerald.”

{pause}

“…Really?”

“Yep. Do you know who that is?”

“I named my dog after her.”

I am happy to report that next Saturday will make 10 years since that night, we have an adorable pup namaed after another jazz great (Dexter Gordon), and we still dance in the kitchen to Ella on a regular basis. So on this, her birthday, I gift you with this little mix I made of some of my favorites from the Queen of Jazz in hopes that they brighten your iPod and your week…

Click here to listen on Spotify.

Are there any musicians that you connect to like this? Anyone I should add to my playlist this week?

The Latest Big Project or… Why I Really Like My Job

Over the past year, I’ve gotten to be a part of 3 specific projects at work that made me go, “Really? You’re going to pay me to do that? Awesome.” You can find #1 here and #2 here. (#2 just won an award that got the whole office really stoked.) While, I usually don’t talk about my day-job, this third project gives me the unique opportunity to share it with you because… I’m blogging on this crazy, cool new blog on DIYNetwork.com, and you’re seriously going to love it!

The cool thing about working for Scripps is that it’s a really encouraging environment for creatives. We all really like to make things. We’re curious about how things work. We find beauty in the process, we love collaborating, and we really like trading secrets. That’s what Made+Remade is all about. There are several bloggers from inside the office and several others from all over the country, but the underlying factor is that we all really love living the DIY lifestyle.

So, pardon the commercial, but if that sounds like something you’re into as well, hop on over and look around. (I’ve put a link in the right sidebar to make it easy to remember.) My first post is all about finding and caring for vintage costume jewelry, and I’ve got a couple more in the works. I’d love to know if you have any ideas for posts. Is there a question you question you want answered? Something you’d like to fix or a project you’re dying to try? Shoot me an email or comment below!

What sorts of things do you want to DIY?

Stay in Touch

Let me preface this with: I promise not to be a Debbie Downer despite this doozy of a first sentence…

Since my aunt passed in January, I’ve been trying to seriously evaluate some things. Said things have run the gamut–from appreciating my wonderful husband to enjoying more time outdoors. But perhaps one of the most influential things has been making a concerted effort to stay in touch with people I genuinely like.

You’ll meet thousands of people over the course of your existence. The question is: will they be better because they met you? In a world of Twitter, Facebook, fast food and online-shopping, it is a piece of cake to be anonymous. We can leave work, ‘Like’ our ‘friends’ (read: acquaintances) statuses via a mobile device, and pick-up food at a drive-thru window made by people we’ve never actually met. So empty.

With that in mind, I’ve challenged myself to put more value on the people around me. Can I brighten a cashier’s day? Drop a friend a note just to say ‘hello’ when they pop into my head? What about spending a night out with friends celebrating a boring Thursday?

Let me tell you, it’s quickly changing my life for the better! In the past couple of months, Twitter friends have turned into fabulous pen pals, I’ve reconnected with people I haven’t talked to in years, and I’ve found myself talking about how crazy life is with the girl at the spa and the cashier at Target. We’ve been spending more time out to dinner and traveling to see our best friends. An added bonus? I find that as I concentrate more on the people I really like, the people that drive me crazy just aren’t as important anymore–& this is coming from the cynic who loves to nitpick.

So I hope that this little lesson that I’ve learned can perhaps serve as a challenge to you. Go like people! Care about them. Genuinely take interest in their lives. It’ll rock your world for the better. I promise!