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Dishing It Out!
Interestingly, this month’s Sensational Living® column,
about real estate staging, is almost more like a Senses of Living®
column (and a rather long one, at that), and this month’s
Senses of Living® column is more like a lifestyle discussion
that would ordinarily be found in one of my Sensational Living®
columns. It just goes to show that everything is inter-related.
And in December, I will finish the discussion started here over
in Sensational Living® … how’s that for confusing?
With cooler temperatures, I find myself entertaining more. It’s
the ideal time to reconnect with friends while simultaneously recipe-testing
and experimenting with table settings. So much goes into entertaining
at home, but it’s all so simple if you just do a little bit
of homework and advance preparation.
This month, in this column, I’m only going to address the
concepts of dishes. I have literally hundreds of dishes …
maybe thousands. I have lots of “ordinary” dishes, I
have specialty dishes, I have ethnic dishes, and I have dishes I
don’t even what to do with (well, I do know, but I just haven’t
done it yet!). I’m not suggesting that you need so many dishes
(after all, I’m an entertainment professional, so I need my
research tools). But, you do need some basics.
Place Setting: My idea for
each place setting is: appetizer plate, salad plate, soup bowl (and
underplate), dinner plate, dessert plate, bread plate, and what
I call a “debris plate” (for pits, seeds, bone fragments,
stray bits of fruit skin, etc.); unless you are buying a set of
dishes, you can get by using the same plate shape and style for
appetizers, salads, soup bowl underplate, and desserts; you could
also use the same style for bread, but a smaller one is usually
more convenient. You will need a variety of serving bowls and platters.
How many? As a ballpark figure, maybe three serving bowls and two
platters, but there are other variables to consider:
Colors: This is one place where
I am adamant: I only use dishes for serving and eating that are
black or white. Food just looks better in black or white dishes.
I will sometimes use other colors of dishes as decorative items
to create a “feel” while entertaining, but with rare
exceptions, I don’t put food on them. I certainly don’t
like patterns, as they interfere with the beauty of the food you’ve
worked so diligently to prepare. If you limit your dish colors to
black and/or white, you can mix and match endlessly when you entertain.
Shapes: Most of my dishes are
circular. But, some of my more interesting presentations are on
oval, square, rectangular, or biomorphic dishes. Personally, I am
not fond of “lipped” plates, but there are reasons for
liking lips, so you choose! Nor do I like any texture on the bottoms
of my dishes … I cringe when my fork does anything except
sliding smoothly across the bottom of my plate or bowl. I have some
very unusual ovoid dinner plates that are best described as “winged”
that draw praising comments every single time I use them for guests.
Glaze:
I prefer glossy glazes on my dishes, whether I’m using
black or white dishes. The reason for this is the hardness of the
glazing, while matt dishes tend to show every single scratch and
imperfection caused by dining utensils. Plus, most food is matt,
and I like the contrast and vague reflections of the food with the
high-gloss glazes.
Material: I use dishes of every
material imaginable. China and porcelain are nice, but so is stoneware.
I also use some Corelle, some CorningWare, some in materials I can’t
even identify. I mix them without any hesitation. I also have some
terra cotta dishes that work really well for certain ethnic dinners
that I do.
Price: This is a major variable.
Some people spend thousands of dollars on the finest china, and
then only use it for special occasions. My approach is a little
different. While I do have a set of fine china that is gorgeous,
I inherited this from my mother, and I let it adorn any table that
I set. That sets a precedent, since these hand-me-down dishes are
“previously owned,” for me to add other “previously
owned” dishes to my ensemble. With the exception of a few
new dishes that were given to me as gifts, all of the dishes in
my collection are from yard sales, thrift shops, second hand stores
and other low-price sources. Yet, despite the minor expense, I would
put my set tables up against anything found in those highbrow stores
and magazines (of course, it doesn’t hurt that I serve Simple!
Sensible! Sensational!® food on those dishes). But really, you
have to wash the dishes in hot, soapy water anyway, so they are
disinfected, so don’t be shy about stocking your kitchen/dining
room with “previously owned” dishes. By the way, fine
china should not be washed in a dishwasher, as the glazing will
check, which can lead to unsanitary conditions.
Storage: Most dishes are sturdy
enough to just stack and store. Sometimes it is recommended to put
felt (or paper towels) between fine china to keep them from being
scratched; it works, so you can be the judge as to whether you want
to invest this effort (I don’t do it, because again, it gives
the impression that china is only for special occasions, and if
you have to manipulate the felt/paper towels, you may be less inclined
to use them). Keeping dishes dust free is a major effort, so try
to keep them in enclosed cabinets (and use them often). I have several
nice hutches and buffets in my dining room for the purpose of storing
my dishware away from dust, but I am not completely successful.
Unless you have hermetically-sealed cabinets, you are going to “acquire”
dust, so wipe your dishes with a moist towel before setting the
table if certain dishes haven’t been used in a while. Finally,
consider incorporating your dishes into your décor. My hutches
have glass panels, so I have worked to arrange the dishes inside
in an artful way that can be seen through the “windows.”
Now, go entertain! Or just dine with style! Bringing mindfulness
to your dining experience is a win-win endeavor. Consider each dining
experience to be a celebration of the bounty you are enjoying, as
well as a celebration of any of the following November “holidays.”
Adoption Month: I have several
friends going through this process right now, and I do not envy
them one bit. I shall just pray and hope that every child who needs
a home finds one ASAP.
Alzheimer's Disease Month: This
disease has touched my family significantly. Though there are a
number of suggested ways to reduce the progress of the disease (both
with lifestyle and with medication), there are still no cures for
what is actually a syndrome, or complex of diseases. I urge everyone
to remain physically active, mentally alert, and to eat a highly
diverse diet, minimizing fried foods.
Child Safety and Protection Month:
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: our children
are our planet’s greatest resource, and they deserve all of
the protection and safety that we can provide. That is our job,
as adults, even if we are not parents.
Diabetes Month: At least two friends
are afflicted by diabetes. Diet can help (see Good Nutrition Month
below), as long as you are under a doctor’s care. Don’t
let your diet negatively impact your quality of life.
Good Nutrition Month: America is
one of the world’s most obese countries with an extremely
low level of nutrition. Of course, when you have the media reporting
on every new fad or speculation, even when there is no evidence
or science to document it, I can’t blame the public. Diversity
is the key to good nutrition: eat a little bit of EVERYTHING (and
call me if you are having problems!).
Hospice Month: Hospices need higher
visibility. Ideally, they are staffed with trained, caring individuals.
Occasionally, you find an exception exposed on the news, but we
need to do more to support this civilized form of caring for those
with terminal or otherwise debilitating diseases and conditions.
Native American Heritage Month (American
Indian Heritage Month): As someone of partial Native American
heritage, I certainly like to celebrate that aspect of me. I will
probably do that primarily by preparing some of this month’s
Simple! Sensible! Sensational!® recipes that feature squash
and pumpkins, both utilized fully by Native Americans.
Peanut Butter Lover's Month: I must
confess that I am NOT a peanut butter lover … though I will
celebrate this month by making peanut butter cookies and some spicy
peanut sauce for meat, fishes and veggies (as in the Indonesian
vegetable salad gado-gado).
First Week of November
Election Day (US): Observed the
first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, this year it is
November 4. Voting is one of our greatest privileges, and I have
made a point of voting in every election since I turned eighteen.
In fact, on my eighteenth birthday, I marched down to the courthouse
to register to vote. Don’t let apathy or defeatism control
your life.
Communication Week (November 1-7):
I have argued in past lectures that while Respect will prevent all
problems, Communication will solve the ones that arise. Please make
a vow to increase and enhance your communication with everyone,
whether it is helping to solve a problem, or chatting with friends,
or just giving a sincere and pleasant greeting to a store clerk.
Second Week of November
American Education Week: Our public
schools are seriously underfunded, and this has a ripple effect
in terms of the education that can be provided to our children.
Teachers are underpaid, and that can winnow out talented individuals
who may have a desire for a higher income.
Pursuit of Happiness Week: Every
week should involve the pursuit of happiness! Too many people forget
we truly deserve happiness. So pursue it. Start with pursuing it
intentionally the second week of November, and then continue every
week after that.
Random Acts of Kindness Week: I
LOVE this concept. As with Pursuit of Happiness Week, I would prefer
to see this occur every week. For more information, please visit
http://www.actsofkindness.org/
.
Third Week of November
American Education Week: (observed
the full week prior to Thanksgiving): please see my comments above
regarding American Education Month.
Fourth Week of November
Adoption Week: (observed Thanksgiving Week):
please see my comments above regarding Adoption Month.
Cookie Week: I am the original cookie
monster. Contact me for some killer cookie recipes, or wait until
I upload them. Remember: enjoy cookies in moderation (and avoid
store-bought cookies with all of their preservatives).
Family Week: I have always felt
that families are more about support and love, and less about biological
connections. Ideally, I would like to think of the entire Earth’s
population as my family, and in many ways, it is. Think about it.
Family Caregivers Week: (observed Thanksgiving
Week): please see my comments regarding Alzheimer’s
Disease Month. If we are to consider ourselves civilized in any
sense of the word, we must care for those of our family (in the
broadest sense, meaning not necessarily biologically connected)
when they need assistance.
Last month, my Sensational Living® column dealt with the 7Rs.
#7 was Respect. Each month, I cite the national patriotic holidays
around the world as a statement of respect for each country: November
1 (Day of Revolution, Algeria; State Day, Antigua and Barbuda; National
Anthem Day, Panama), November 3 (Independence Day, Dominica; Independence
of Cuenca, Ecuador; Culture Day, Japan; Independence Day, Micronesia;
Independence Day, Panama), November 4 (National Unity Day, Italy;
Constitution Day, Tonga), November 5 (Independence Day, El Salvador),
November 6 (Flag Day, Chad; Flag Day, Dominican Republic; Swedish
Day, Finland; Green March Anniversary, Morocco), November 7 (Revolution
Day, Bulgaria; Queen's Birthday, Nepal; October Revolution, Russia;
Ben Ali Takeover Anniversary, Tunisia), November 9 (Thanksgiving
Day, Liberia [date varies]; Independence Day, Cambodia; Flag Day,
Dominica), November 10 (Flag Day, Guinea), November 11 (Independence
Day, Angola; Armistice Day, Belgium; King's Birthday, Bhutan; Remembrance/Armistice
Day: British Commonwealth, UK, Canada, and France; Independence
of Cartagena, Colombia; Republic Day, Maldives; Independence Day,
Poland; Veterans Day, USA), November 12 (Sun Yat Sen's Birthday,
China and Taiwan), November 15 (Dynasty Day, Belgium; Republic Proclamation
Day, Brazil), November 16 (Flag Day, Benin; Rebirth Day, Estonia),
November 17 (Memorial Day, Germany; Constitution Day, Macedonia;
Flag Day, Morocco; Armed Forces Day, Zaire), November 18 (Army Day,
Haiti; Republic Day, Latvia; Independence Day, Morocco; Sultan's
Birthday, Oman; Flag Day, Solomon Islands), November 19 (Garifuna
Day, Belize; Flag Day, Brazil; Coup d'Etat Day, Mali; Discovery
Day, Puerto Rico), November 20 (Revolution Day, Mexico), November
21 (Flag Day, Zaire), November 22 (Independence Day, Lebanon), November
23 (Labor Thanksgiving Day, Japan; Flag Day, Niger), November 24
(Anniversary of New Regime, Zaire), November 25 (Independence Day,
Surinam), November 26 (Republic Day, Chad; Flag Day, Colombia),
November 27 (Flag Day, Paraguay), November 28 (Independence Day,
Mauritania; Independence Day, Panama), November 29 (Liberation Day,
Albania; Unity Day, Vanuatu; Republic Day, Yugoslavia), November
30 (Independence Day, Barbados; Name Change Day, Benin; Flag Day,
Bolivia; National Heroes' Day, Philippines; St. Andrew's Day, Scotland;
Flag Day, Vietnam; Independence Day, Yemen).
November 1: Plan Your Epitaph Day:
Since this is also Dia de Los Muertos, it is appropriate to think
of the role of death in our lives, and to put the most positive
spin on it. By preparing your epitaph, you are forced to think intentionally
about your life. Maybe you won’t waste the rest of it?
November 2: National Deviled Egg Day:
I love deviled eggs so much that I devoted one of my Simple! Sensible!
Sensational!® columns to deviled eggs and other hard-cooked
egg delicacies: http://www.god-dess.com/services_recipesApril03.html
.
November 3: Sandwich Day: Too often,
people think of sandwiches as a cheap alternative to eating, and
therefore do not demand quality. I am shocked by the crap that passes
as “sandwiches.” As I write this, I’ve just enjoyed
a delicious grilled bacon-heirloom tomato-farmstead cheddar on whole
grain bread sandwich with Ipswich ale mustard … that THAT
is a sandwich.
November 3: Housewife's Day: There
is no reason for this day to be gender-specific. Call it “Domestic
Home Engineer” day. Feminism has allowed us to make this a
choice rather than a requirement.
November 5: Doughnut/Donut Day:
YUM! Homemade doughnuts are just the best! So much better than most
mass-produced products.
November 7: National Bittersweet Chocolate Day/National Bittersweet
Chocolate With Almonds Day: Why does one need to differentiate
between bittersweet chocolate with almonds, and chocolate without
almonds? And where is National Bittersweet Chocolate with Walnuts
Day? And it could go on, ad nauseum. I’m a uniter, not a divider.
I choose to unite all of us who love bittersweet chocolate in any
of its forms.
November 9: Chaos Never Dies Day: Did
you know that what we call “chaos” actually demonstrates
pattern when analyzed at lower levels of resolution? Yep, and that
helped generate an entire field of investigation called “Chaos
Theory.” Which then leads me to think that perhaps, chaos
DOES die. Oh well.
November 10: Forget-Me-Not Day:
As I wrote above, I am a uniter, and I have been known to reach
out to people across the spans of time to reconnect. Try it; you’ll
like it!
November 11: Air Day: Don’t
take our air for granted. The breaks that corporations are receiving
to bypass the Clean Air Act hurt all of us. No one has the right
to pollute our air for short-term profits.
November 12: National Pizza With The Works Except Anchovies Day:
I almost deleted this holiday, as I do other holidays with
which I disagree, but I thought I would use it as an example of
where we can add more anchovies to our diet. Despite the high sodium
content, they offer exceptional omega-3 fatty acids, and other trace
elements. I once did a multi-course dinner with five different anchovy
dishes. Yes!
November 13: National Indian Pudding Day:
cornmeal with milk and sorghum and other goodies … count on
my providing a recipe sometime over the winter, ‘cause I love
it.
November 13: World Kindness Day: please
see my comments and the link above for Random Acts of Kindness week,
the second week of November.
November 14: Operation Room Nurse Day:
I am grateful that, for the most part, I have only known nurses
in a social context. I’d like to keep it that way. But, I
do want to emphasize that nurses (along with teachers) are some
of our must neglected and abused professionals. In many cases, they
have better interpersonal skills than doctors, and often as much
“practical” knowledge, yet they are paid a fraction
of what an MD receives … I’ll stop … don’t
get me started. Respect nurses!
November 15: National Clean Out Your Refrigerator
Day: Oh dear! This scares me soooo much! We all have had
some type of science experiment going on in our refrigerators (for
example, are you aware that one orange in a bag can turn completely
green with mold without harming the other oranges in the same bag?).
Keep your fridge clean, and while you are doing it, play some ABBA
music or some of the solo music from Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad
(the “dark haired singer” of ABBA), as today is her
birthday … FYI, she’s still in exceptional voice and
as beautiful as ever.
November 16: Birth of the Blues Day:
the blues may be the only music form truly indigenous to the USA.
I am more interested in the profound sadness that led to the development
of the blues.
November 17: Take A Hike Day: while
this could be a suggestion to someone to just go away, I’d
rather interpret it as an opportunity to get out, get some fresh
air, and enjoy life. You don’t have to limit hiking to a wilderness;
I often hike through downtown Chicago.
November 17: World Peace Day: In
these days of “hurt them before they hurt us,” motivated
solely by fear, and indicating a total abandonment of the spirituality
they claim to believe in, I hope every single day for world peace.
November 18: Occult Day: from the Latin occulere (“to
cover up or hide”), occult now refers to those things that
are hidden from the eye or the understanding, that are secret, concealed
or unknown (per dictionary.com).
I consider this a good time to meditate on the philosophical relationship
between “science” and “spirituality,” and
how the boundary between the two can shift and move based on new
discoveries and technologies. Just because something is hidden today
doesn’t mean it will always be hidden.
November 20: World Children’s Day:
it is interesting that this year, World Children’s Day coincides
with the Great American Smoke Out (Third Thursday in November).
I’ll say it again, that our children are our greatest resource,
and must be protected. If you smoke, that is your choice, but do
not smoke around children (and it doesn’t matter what your
parents or grandparents did; just don’t do it!).
November 21: World Hello Day: Starting
today, just say “Hello” to 5 people to whom you have
never said “hello.” Do it again the next day. And the
next. And the next! Soon, it will be so habituated you won’t
even realize that you are doing it (and someone may call you too
cheerful, as they did me … but that’s THEIR problem,
not ours).
November 22: Start Your Own Country Day: this is an isolationist
or a segregationist concept (theoretically, that is), and I shall
counter it by humming John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
November 23: National Cashew Day:
my favorite nuts, they will go really well with the squash, pumpkin
and sweet potato recipes in this month’s Simple! Sensible!
Sensational!® recipe column. I also love to toss them on my
green salads, along with other goodies as described at http://www.god-dess.com/services_recipesJune03.html
.
November 23: Jukebox Day: since
I’ve already expressed my love of ABBA on November 15, I’ll
confess that it was a jukebox in the cafeteria of Lebanon Junior
High School that turned me onto the Swedish super group in 1974
when I first heard Waterloo, and this is what I always think of
when someone mentions “jukeboxes.”
November 24: Use Even If Seal Is Broken
Day: as a scientist aware of how products can become contaminated
either accidentally by microorganisms, or intentionally by vandals,
I cannot encourage using a product if the seal is broken. As someone
who lives as thriftily as possible, I admit to having done this,
though I have also returned products to the stores when I discovered
the seal was broken (yes, it’s inconvenient, and the store
will probably only give you a replacement rather than a refund,
but it’s better than becoming sick or poisoned or even dead!
November 27: Thanksgiving (US): (Observed
the fourth Thursday of November): I find myself saddened that so
many think of Thanksgiving as a time to overindulge in everything.
On the other hand, I am grateful for the memory of my favorite Thanksgiving
ever, when a dear friend who was terminally ill was able to spend
his final favorite holiday at Casa Beall, celebrating with his non-biological
family. I will cherish that memory always. If you visit this month’s
Simple! Sensible! Sensational!® recipe column, you’ll
be able to get recipes for starters, soups, entrees, side dishes,
and even dessert, so that you can create your own memories to cherish.
November 28: Make Your Own Head Day:
Though I’m not sure what this date was established to promote,
I shall co-opt it to mean “Think Independently.” At
a recent lecture, I provided attendees with the tools to liberate
themselves with regard to home décor, but it was clear that
a few of them wanted to be told EXACTLY what to do. They needed
to “make their own head.”
November 28: Buy Nothing Day: We
are told that this, the day after Thanksgiving, is the single biggest
shopping day of the year in the USA. In the days when other people
set my schedule, I could understand that. Those were also the days
when I bought WAY more “stuff” than I buy now. Although
I support a free economy, and know that the livelihoods of many
people are based on materialism, I also support free speech, and
so I embrace this day to try to steer more of us away from excessive
materialism. I intentionally deleted “November 26: Shopping
Reminder Day” because of this philosophy. So, shop if you
need to, or if you want to, or buy nothing today, but do it with
intention and purpose. No impulse buying, and no hopping on a bandwagon
just because others are doing it. For more background, search the
web (where you’ll find that some other countries celebrate
Buy Nothing Day on November 29 this year).
November 29: Square Dance Day: When
I was growing up in Missouri (after being yanked away from California),
I discovered that square dancing was taught as a module in PE classes.
Not having much athletic ability, but possessing rhythm and “some”
coordination (though I did inherit the klutz gene), I embraced this
module, and can still do-si-do … at least, I think I can still
do-si-do.
November 30: Stay At Home Because You're
Well Day: this is what we call a “mental health day”
in the corporate world (and probably elsewhere). It’s a beautiful
day (by whatever standard you measure beauty). Your work is fairly
well caught up. You have accumulated tons of vacation and/or sick
days. TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF. I incorporate this practice into my
life on a daily basis, but it had to start with selecting the occasional
Mental Health Day (note, November 30 is a Sunday, so I authorize
you to take December 1 as a mental health day. Have fun!).
While you are out having fun, I hope that you will think about
how much more fun you could have by adopting some of the ideas presented
here at Global Organic Designs. I truly wish everyone could have
the joy I experience daily … and of course, you can!
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