Ladles & Linens Kitchen Shoppe L & L Blog By: Fayeruz Regan blog: 4th of july, 4th of july party, al fresco, almond cracker recipe, alternatives to plastis and more

by Fayeruz ReganFeb 16, 20240 comments

A love letter to comfort food

Sweater weather (AKA "swetta wetha" - I knew you were thinking it) is something one gets excited about in the fall. It's not eagerness for the cold so much as a respite from humidity. The longing for crisp air. But by the time January rolls around, the "wetha" isn't much to be excited about. The "swetta"? Well, that's another story. In the winter, sweaters feel cozy against the blustery air. And they provide amazing cover as we indulge in comfort food. Cold weather means soup season, a warm hearth from baking bread, and finishing off all the sweets piled upon you...

by Fayeruz ReganFeb 16, 20240 comments

A love letter to comfort food

by Fayeruz ReganFeb 11, 20240 comments

Making vegetables happen: Stuffed mushrooms

I had no idea stuffed mushrooms were considered upscale. That’s what the recipe websites say anyway. But making stuffed mushrooms is simple. In fact, it’s akin to deviled eggs. You pop out the middle (yolk/stem), mix it with other ingredients, then stuff everything back in. Both dishes require cooking. Only...

by Fayeruz ReganFeb 02, 20240 comments

Gourmet Jell-O shots for the win!

I can't believe it's already been a year since Sarah's epic 40th birthday bash. I knew she had always been a fan of karaoke, so this year I threw an intimate karaoke house party in her honor. We've come a long way since karaoke machines, which were quite limited. Now,...

by Fayeruz ReganJan 19, 20240 comments

The socials make me do it: red pepper sauce

I feel like cooks are divided into two camps these days. There’s the cookbook people, and internet recipe people. I wish I were both. I want to be both. My husband and friends have given me gorgeous cookbooks on Korean cuisine and Palestinian food. My husband is a dedicated cookbook...

by Fayeruz ReganJan 12, 20240 comments

Traditional New Year's Eve foods to bring good luck in 2024

Though I'm not a believer in luck, I am a fan of traditions. They can be comforting as they mark the passing of time. It wasn't until I moved to the South that I heard of black eyed peas being the choice food for good luck in the new year,...

by Fayeruz ReganDec 24, 20230 comments

When more is more: A maximalist Christmas!

There's just something about tacky light tours and ugly Christmas sweaters. A maximalist Christmas, with all its sparkly, chaotic energy, produces joy. Why not embrace it a bit this holiday? What other time of year do we find ourselves spreading out boxes full of what are essentially knick-knacks? Maximalist Christmases...

by Fayeruz ReganDec 16, 20230 comments

Tipsy & toasty with Sarah Nicholas

Ladles & Linens owner Sarah Nicholas hosted a holiday party at her home last week. Imagine a place with the elegance of The Jefferson, mixed with the whimsy of the Greenbrier. That's Sarah's house. Just last week I posted about creating nooks in your home for partygoers - inviting little...

by Fayeruz ReganDec 09, 20230 comments

Host a holiday they won't forget

I have a streak of Clark Griswold in me. This happens to people whose parents went all out to make the holidays special. We're nostalgically hard-wired to recreate the magic we felt as children - especially if we have have children of our own. Unlike Clark Griswold, I'll never be...

by Fayeruz ReganNov 30, 20230 comments

Holiday entertaining? Just roll with it!

Though the pandemic has been a real stick in my spokes, I do love to entertain. Cocktail parties were my favorite, because creating a beautiful spread felt like an art project. I used all the familiar tricks: layering heights, fresh-cut flowers, tea lights. The table is free from plastic packaging,...

by Fayeruz ReganNov 16, 20230 comments

Shaking up those pilgrim flavors this Thanksgiving

I think there's a reason that chicken is more popular than turkey, and it's not just the easier-to-handle size. Turkey may be a hit in the deli department, but chicken is the flavorful rock star of the dinner table. It's not that turkey tastes bad. To me, it's just missing...

by Fayeruz ReganNov 10, 20230 comments

Halloween candy gone? This healthy treat will cure your cravings!

One of the rewards for the labor of creating a magical Halloween is sneaking in a little candy from the stash. It wasn't until adulthood that I realized my parents likely stole some pieces here and there from my bag. The betrayal. Except now I'm a parent, and though I...

by Fayeruz ReganOct 20, 20230 comments

Try this when you need a little tang

The fact that citrus season hits its peak in winter feels like taunting. “There’s warmer weather somewhere.” But of course, we welcome it. Wealthy children in the Victorian era would be given an orange at Christmas – an expensive treat from an exotic land. And all that Vitamin C comes...

by Fayeruz ReganOct 05, 20230 comments

Oh my gourd! Surprising uses for leftover pumpkin puree

Tis’ the season for pumpkin spice, and while people make a big to-do about the latte, I’m more of a baked goods person. You will often find a half-filled can of pumpkin puree in my fridge from September to November. Pumpkin spice pancakes with chopped walnuts, pumpkin spice crepes with...

by Fayeruz ReganSep 20, 20230 comments

Get cozy with these fall cocktails

When you think of summer cocktails, the word refreshing comes to mind. They're supposed to be fizzy, citrusy, and herbal. But what about the fall cocktail? This long-awaited season can very well have a little fizz and tang, but there's something about autumn that drives us toward comfort. Warm cinnamon,...

by Fayeruz ReganSep 01, 20230 comments

Nacho ordinary meal

Last summer in Nantucket, I enjoyed one the most memorable meals I’ve ever had. It wasn’t an elegant steak dinner, but a lunch in a sunny cafe called Lemon Press. I ordered the Persian Nachos, and I mean it when I say every bite popped. I loved being served a...

by Fayeruz ReganAug 24, 20230 comments

What the focaccia?

Bread is comforting, and I believe it’s one of the reasons we saw an unprecedented rise in bread-making during the pandemic. The smell of baking bread is the antithesis to the chaos of the outside world. My bread-less quarantine was not for a lack of trying; at grocery stores the...