Dining at Monticello

I have always loved fine china. Covered vegetables, soup tureens, cake plates and formal tea services are so pretty on display. Every year I tell myself that I will entertain more with the dishes that I love so much.

For Thomas Jefferson, every day at Monticello was a special occasion. This photo (peeking into the Tea Room) shows the table set for afternoon tea.

It was a beautiful day and I love how the arched detail of the walkway reflects trees into the room.

I have added, Dining at Monticello, to my cookbook collection, so that I can learn more about the recipes, china patterns and traditions of dining at Jefferson's magnificent estate.

Bon Appetit!

Monticello in Spring

I am back from a beautiful long weekend in Virginia and Maryland. It was a picture perfect day when I toured Monticello - 73 degrees, full sun with a light breeze from the Virginia hills. I promise to show you the gardens & grounds in the coming days. But you should know that the overall theme of this trip was VISION. I love Thomas Jefferson's "mechanical novelties" that show how (in the late 1700's!) he designed his home to be beautiful, efficient and above all, cool. My favorite was the two-faced Great Clock in the main entrance hall. Not only does it have an indoor & outdoor face displaying the time simultaneously, but it was designed to tell the day of the week! As the pulleys move, the weights rest next to the day of the week marked on the wall. Yes, it still works, and right now the weight is resting next to "Wednesday." How cool is that?