If one is to have an emotional breakdown over the stress of
preparing this enormous family meal alone, thank you very
much, then let the catharsis occur stylishly in one of these
wonderful aprons from Le Jacquard Français. Tears or tomato
sauce, the poivre or prunelle are both quite striking, as are the
tea towels: a zesty curacao from the Bistrot collection to sauté
the juices of resentment; the Palace design in an impassioned
fuchsia for the coarse chopping of forgiveness and thyme.
True to its heritage, the season’s spread of saturated hues and
urbanity is woven from natural fibers by artisans devoted to the
legacy of their craft. Something nice and luxurious from the
French linen house to the chef hanging on by a thread. For
retailers, le-jacquard-francais.fr
Of all gourmet’s haughty moments, its elitist handling of cheese
seems a bit unfair. It is dairy’s most decadent gift, and if it has
avoided time in a can or microwaveable jar, can’t it simply be
savored by the blissful mmmms of an amateur? La Via Lattea from
Alessi spoils the cheese enthusiast with a fantastic set of knives
for cutting, spreading and serving formaggio. Flaunting all the
tangy, kicky expression of Alessi creations, these fine implements
(two separate sets of specialist knives purposed for hard or soft
cheeses) were designed by Anna and Gian Franco Gasparini in
collaboration with Coltellerie Berti—cutlery experts with a deep,
passionate tradition. The steel and boxwood pieces, so elegant
and contemporary, slip snuggly into a smart canvas bag along
with a tasting/serving guide of 35 Italian cheeses of Protected
Designation of Origin, and a selection of European cheeses…for
broadening one’s vocabulary. To order, alessi.com
Slowly the nerves subside, and one becomes confident that
this is the moment, this the right moment to finally take a pen to
the marvelous RSVP Book and begin capturing the scrumptious
details of a glistening fete. Fabriano, the Italian luxury stationer,
nourishes the entertainer’s fantasy: a pretty cloth-backed diary
on which to record guest lists, menus, seating charts and table
decorations. The cotton fiber pages and bookmark soaking
in every dishy detail, this special journal like the photo album
(too frequently given a digital nudge aside) is a place for
sweet reminiscence—time to reflect on a really good time. For
information, fabrianoboutique.com
