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 ReganJun 13, 20210 comments

Making the most of strawberry season

There is something sublime about biting into a ripe strawberry on a hot summer's day. Some of us are going strawberry picking. Others (Ladles' Sarah and I) opted for a three-course lunch at The Broken Tulip in Carytown, where we were served this decadent dessert (pictured above). It has reignited my appreciation for strawberries. Below are some ways we can make the most of them... A berry delicious cocktail Father's Day is next weekend (did you see our gift guide?) and a perfect excuse to spoil him with a seasonal cocktail. Sarah Nicholas of Ladles & Linens invented a refreshing...

by Fayeruz ReganJun 13, 20210 comments

Making the most of strawberry season

by Fayeruz ReganJun 06, 20210 comments

Doting on Dad

I've heard many fathers complain that Father's Day doesn't have the same kind of magic that Mother's Day has. They have a point, but it isn't until recently men seemed to notice, or even care. The modern man pulls his weight around the home. We're now living in a dual...

by Fayeruz ReganMay 29, 20210 comments

Ring in summer with a build-your-own kabob bar!

It's Memorial Day Weekend. The pools are open, the fireflies are out and you're likely going to be grilling. Writer Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally) was a reknown hostess and I'd cling to her advice about entertaining. Simple but effective, one tip was to have a fourth item at...

by Fayeruz ReganMay 22, 20210 comments

Five outdoor essentials for Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend means different traditions for different people. For some it's an annual beach trip, for others it's hosting a backyard barbecue. The one unifier between all celebrations, is that everyone is outside. When decorating, we're always told to bring the outdoors in. Plants freshen the air and makes...

by Fayeruz ReganMay 16, 20210 comments

Kifteh: Zezty five-ingredient Palestinian meatballs

I love that CAVA restaurants have been popping up in Virginia. They have reignited my love for those zesty, tangy meatballs known as kifteh. One warm spring evening, I was inspired to whip up a large batch. I invited a fellow Palestinian over to enjoy them with me, pictured below....

by Fayeruz ReganMay 09, 20210 comments

Fermented & fabulous: Three foods that are wonders for your health

Food is medicine, and many people who don't remember this, end up eating medicine like food. I've never been one to do shots of wheatgrass, or order a turmeric latte when there's a perfectly good espresso option on the menu. But it's undeniable that what we put into our bodies...

by Fayeruz ReganMay 02, 20210 comments

Outdoor living for the win

On Thursday night, my friend Carla texted a few friends that she hadn't seen in over a year. "Dinner tomorrow night in my back yard?'" Within minutes she got a resounding YES from the group, myself included. Pre-pandemic (when the above photo was taken), our group had to make...

by Fayeruz ReganApr 25, 20210 comments

Hummus: Once you go homemade, you never go back

When I opened my lunch box in elementary school, classmates would eye it for strange cargo. My mother often packed Middle Eastern leftovers, and kids teased me for bringing in "weird" food like hummus. I felt bad for the kids that teased me. They were the picky eaters that brought...

by Fayeruz ReganApr 18, 20210 comments

Mother's Day gift guide

I laugh when I think of my post from last year, when I mentioned that moms needed a little extra love because of the pandemic. Who knew that a year later we'd still be here, only with home schooling and dishes times three? We're slowly coming out of the woods...

by Fayeruz ReganApr 11, 20210 comments

If you like pina coladas

Nowadays when my family can't find me, they'll check the back yard, were I'm usually on my hands and knees covered in dirt. Until humidity finds its way back to Virginia, I never want to go inside. We're bicycling, eating al fresco, and recently invited friends over for an intimate...

by Fayeruz ReganApr 03, 20210 comments

Have an egg-cellent Easter with these festive dishes

Happy Easter, from Ladles and Linens! Eggs are a symbol of rebirth and new life, so it makes sense that it's thematic to Easter. Easter egg hunts and candies are where you see eggs the most, but I feel like they're underutilized in the meals department. I love a good...

by Fayeruz ReganMar 28, 20210 comments

Everyone wants to be that bride

Anyone who plans their own wedding earns at least an associate's degree in event planning. And everyone wants to be that bride. That bride that throws that wedding. The wedding people talk about for years afterward, wistful and laughing. Every bride (and the occasional groom) has this goal in mind...

by Fayeruz ReganMar 21, 20210 comments

Entertaining: Dipping my toes back in

It's happening. It's actually happening! The buds are blooming on trees, people are getting vaccinated and we are slowly crawling out of a year-long global pandemic that turned everything upside down. Like many of you, I have a core "quaranteam" that I see regularly. While those bonds have strengthned with...

by Fayeruz ReganMar 14, 20210 comments

Easy five-ingredient coconut bark

Spring is in the air! Warm snaps in March are referred to as "fool's spring," as we could easily be slammed with a snowstorm within a week. But call me a fool! I'm soaking it up until sundown, dinner be damned. (Yes, a food writer just said that.) Whereas our...

by Fayeruz ReganMar 07, 20210 comments

Dough my goodness: A day of savory pies

My husband broke ground on a pizza oven in late spring. And by breaking ground I mean literally digging up an 18-inch deep plot of land in heavy Virginia clay (R.I.P. shovel). There were gravel deliveries, a cement mixer - it was a lot. Now, you don't need a pizza...

by Fayeruz ReganFeb 28, 20210 comments

Five foods you thought were bad for you, but aren't

I remember the way my mom's eyes lit up when I told her she could eat real butter. "Like...actual butter?" she asked. Since the 80s she had been in search for a "healthy" butter alternative. The splashy Fabio commercials for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter distracted her from the...