Mr. Peacock hopes everyone had a nice holiday week. I had a cooking mishap in the kitchen on Christmas day. I burned my right wrist with hot oil—ouch! I went to the doctor the next day and was treated for the burn, however a few days later, I noticed a red stripe creeping up my arm—and I knew that wasn't a kind omen. My sister, Samantha, was accidentally bitten by one of her dogs a few months ago and ended up staying in the hospital a few days with the same red stripe. We went to the hospital immediately, and they gave me a 2 hour IV of antibiotics and the red stripe slowly disappeared from my arm. I'm still a bit incapacitated, but recuperating quickly.
I received some thoughtful gifts over the holiday, including some vintage milk glass pieces and a quirky porcelain Deerman figurine.
This curvy vintage porcelain teapot, made in Germany, was also part of my "White Christmas" goodies. I'm looking forward to using this teapot in the new year.
Mr. Peacock loves the quirkiness of this Deerman figurine. You can buy one here(if it's in stock) and see other pieces by ceramic artist, Megan Bogonovich. I also received this little square 1970’s book on Max Ernst, one of the founders of the Dadaist. It has over 90 color plates, however the color reproduction is rather dark. You can get one here. The cover (above) shows a detail of: Attirement of the Bride(La Toilette de la mariée), 1940. Oil on canvas from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.
The Postman Cheval (Le Facteur Cheval), 1932. Paper and fabric collage with pencil, ink, and gouache on paper from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.
Mr. Peacock wishes everyone a great Holiday. I'll be back on January 2nd. Until then, I hope you enjoy time with your family and friends. Have a safe and happy New Year!
Mr. Peacock usually eats a big bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, but on special occasions loves to indulge in a plate of warm French Toast with real butter and real maple syrup. I useGrade B maple syrup, because it has a “deeper” maple taste than the ultra filtered Grade A syrup. Around the holidays I usually buy some store bought eggnog just to make Overnight Eggnog French Toast. This “overnight” French Toast is perfect for the holidays—make it the night before (and clean up the mess) and pop it in the oven the next morning. It’s easy and yummy too!
Overnight Eggnog French Toast Good quality bread like Brioche, Challah, French Bread, etc…sliced about ¾ inch thick (I used a Sweet Batard from Acme Bread)… you’ll need about 6 to 8 slices depending on the shape and size of the bread, enough to fit flatly, without overlapping in 9” x 14” shallow dish.
3 eggs 1 cup of good quality egg nog ½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg ½ teaspoon of vanilla 2 teaspoons of rum or whiskey (I used Cointreau cause I had some, but the liquor is optional) Pinch of salt
1) Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit a 12” x 18” jellyroll pan or cookie sheet. Lay out your slices of bread (7 slices of my bread choice fit into my 9” x 14” shallow dish) and let it dry out sitting in my oven (turned off) for a few hours (or all day.) You want the bread to be a bit dried out, my bread was super fresh, but if your bread is already a bit dried out skip this step, however, still prep your jellyroll pan with the cut parchment paper (so it’s ready in the morning for step #4).
2)In a mixing bowl (preferably with a spouted lip), beat the eggs, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend well.
This is what the bread slices look like after they've soaked in the eggnog mixture overnight.
3)Pour half of the liquid mixture into your 9” x 14” shallow dish. Arrange your bread slices on top of the liquid, without overlapping. Pour the remaining liquid over the bread, making sure to coat the surface of each slice. Don’t worry if there is extra liquid because it will be absorbed over night. Then cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate over night.
4)When you wake up, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
The soaked slices arranged on a parchment (lightly buttered) lined jellyroll pan, before baking.
5)Butter the surface of the parchment paper in the jelly roll pan (that you used to dry out your bread.) Take your soaking sliced bread out of the fridge. The liquid should all be absorbed, if it isn’t completely absorbed then dab the bread slices into the extra liquid. Lay each slice of bread on the buttered parchment paper. Leave a few inches between each slice.
6)Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how browned you like your French Toast. I like my French toast a little bit crispy around the edges and soft, yet firm in the middle, so I baked mine for about 12 minutes and then flipped them over for another 12 minutes—both sides were a deep golden brown. It'll depend on your oven too. If you like it less crispy on the edges, cook it a few minute less.
7)It’s now ready to enjoy and the clean-up is so simple—just throw the parchment paper in the recyling.
If you like bacon, you can lay out bacon slices on another jellyroll pan (lined with foil for easy clean-up) and bake on another rack—along side the French Toast. Bacon prepared this way is so easy too. I like it crispy and well-done—just visually check the bacon for your desired preference. As I said, serve the Overnight Eggnog French Toast with real butter and real maple syrup! Sliced fruit would also be yummy on top—either bananas or berries. You could also sift some powered sugar on top of each slice too. It's a perfect treat for a cozy holiday morning!
Mr. Peacock loved going to get his photo taken with Santa at the mall, not because of Santa, but because of the dreamy Winter Wonderland installation you had to walk through to get to Santa. The line for Santa meandered through this Winter Wonderland of little snow covered cottages, silvery trees with glittering birds, mechanical woodland creatures and tiny elves dressed in red velvet suits. A little white picket fence surrounded the entire display, to keep the children in line from touching this dreamy holiday diarama. My mom would scold me if she caught me trying to touch one of the glittery deers drinking water from the mirrored stream. When you finally got to the front of the line, Santa’s helper (usually a bored high school girl in a mini-skirted elf outfit) would escort you to Santa's throne. This was the part I hated, because “Santa” was usually some scary guy with really bad breath. No wonder so many kids start crying when they get on Santa's lap. Luckily, the photo session with Santa lasted less than 2 minutes. I think Santa was paid by the number of children he could get through the Winter Wonderland during his shift, because I noticed in my photograph that he has a counter in his left hand…hmmm.
Mr. Peacock found this silver tinsel tree at West Elm a few years ago. Of course, after Christmas, they went on sale for next to nothing. I wish I would have bought a gold one too. Tiny red and white twinkle lights give our tree a cotton candy pink glow.
We decorated the tree withglass bird ornaments with feather tails (both new and vintage) and a large assortment of hand-me-down vintage ornaments from my mom and grandmothers collections—and supplemented with some extras found at the flea market. I can still remember carefully putting some of these ornaments on the tree as a little kid.
Some of the ornaments look a bit rough around the edges, with the metallic paint cracking and fading a bit, but I think it gives the tree a lovely vintage aura.
Mr. Peacock was allergic to real trees as a child, so our tree was made out of finely shredded green paper with a light flocking of fake snow. I think my mom found it at a hotel that was selling all of their old holiday displays. The tree actually looked somewhat real, and was very soft to the touch. My mom liked the Christmas tree and decorations to be taken down and put away promptly before New Year’s day, but one year I pleaded with her to leave it up longer. She relented and allowed us to leave it up until "we get tired of it." Come the beginning of February, the tree was still up. It sort of became a stand-off between us, as to when the tree should come down. Friends would visit our house and ask why our Christmas tree was still up? I don't remember the exact date we took it down, but it felt like spring. It definitely cured my desire of wanting to leave the tree up after Christmas and the following year we took the tree down immediately after Christmas day. Now I sit on our sofa zoning-out looking at our Christmas tree and longing for that dreamy Winter Wonderland with silvery trees and glittering birds. I hope everyone has their own sparkly winter wonderland this week!
Mr. Peacock first tasted Ensalada de Noche Buena, or Christmas Eve Salad, at a holiday buffet hosted by his friends, Gordon and Roger. Whatever they create in the kitchen is delicious and this colorful Mexican holiday dish was no exception. It didn’t hurt that they both trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris either.
Variations of this beautiful salad are served in different regions in Mexico. The exact origin isn’t known, but the salad always has the same unusual combination of ingredients: beets, pineapple, bananas, oranges and pomegranate seeds. This salad will please everyone—even those people who refuse to eat beets because they think they taste like dirt. Beets happen to be a favorite vegetable of Mr. Peacock.
Christmas Eve Salad can be garnished with crushed hard candies, roasted peanuts, and anise seeds. Mr. Peacock is allergic to peanuts, so I serve them on the side. I haven’t tried it with crushed candies, but I love the subtle crunch and flavor the anise seeds add to this luscious salad. The dressing can be creamy based, but I prefer a light vinaigrette. You can also serve the salad on a bed of greens.
CHRISTMAS EVE SALAD You’ll want about 1.5 or 2 cups of each fruit/vegetable. This recipe isn't difficult, but it does take some time to prep the ingredients—it's worth it though. Serves 6
4 clementines (in abundance right now) 1 small can of pineapple slices (you can also use fresh pineapple) 1 small jicama root 1 pomegranate 8 oz. can of beets—not pickled! (Mr. Peacock used 2 fresh beets, see note below*) 2 medium apples 2 Bananas 1 tablespoon anise seed (plus extra for garnish) ¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts (for garnish) Lime Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1) Peel and segment the clementines. You don’t have to remove the membrane, but I peel off any large pieces of white pith. Place them in a large mixing bowl. 2)Drain and cut the pineapple in chunks, add to the mixing bowl.
3)Peel the jicama and slice lengthwise into ¼ inch slices. My friend Gordon used a decorative cookie cutter to cut the jicama and beet slices into festive shapes. Mr.Peacock used a 2” flower shaped cutter, but it’s optional. You could just cut the jicama into small slices. Add to the mixing bowl.
4)Use a decorative cutter and cut the beets. If you want to save the “scraps” from the beets and jicama, you can toss them into a tossed salad for later. If you’re using fresh, steamed beets add them to the mixing bowl. If you’re using canned beets add them just before serving. If you don't use a cookie cutter, cut the beets in half. 5)Peel, core and quarter the apples. Cut into slices and add to the bowl. 6)Peel and slice the bananas into ½ inch slices. Add to the mixing bowl.
Mr. Peacock forgot to include the pineapple in this photo, but you get the idea on how to cut the fruits and veggies.
7)Cut and seed the pomegranate, removing all traces of membrane. Place the seeds in a dish and set aside. 8)Pour the dressing over the fruit/vegetable mixture. Mr. Peacock likes a salad dressed lightly and only used about ½ cup of dressing—use the amount of dressing you prefer. Carefully mix everything together. Sprinkle in the pomegranate seeds and 1 tablespoon of anise seeds. 9)Chill in the refrigerator until you serve it. It is best eaten the same day. 10)Mr. Peacock serves the salad in large clear glass dish to show off the beautiful colors of this holiday treat. You could use a trifle bowl or any clear glass bowl. Allow everyone to garnish their own salad with extra anise seeds and the peanuts. *BEETS If you use canned red beets (not pickled), rinse them with cool water and pat them dry with paper towels. Add them just before serving, because the color can “bleed” a bit.
If you use fresh beets, you will need 2 medium sized beets. Peel and slice them about ¼ inch thick. Steam them until tender and let cool. They shouldn’t bleed either, like the canned beets.
Mr. Peacock used Chioggia beets, because he likes the red and white "candy" stripes of this Italian heirloom variety. After they were steamed, the color became more pink in tone, but still looked festive in the salad.
Lime Vinaigrette Dressing Makes about 1 cup of dressing.
½ cup canola oil (or any light vegetable oil) 3 limes juiced (almost ½ cup) 2 tablespoons sugar Pinch of salt
Pour all ingredients into a lidded jar. Shake until blended well. Store in the refrigerator.
Christmas Eve Salad is a refreshing explosion of color, textures and flavors. I like serving it as a side dish with a rich or salty main course, like a ham. It’s a welcoming healthy treat after nibbling on holiday cookies and sweets. It would also be a great addition to a New Year's buffet.
Paul Lowe is a food, prop and interior stylist extraordinaire—based in Manhattan. This native Norwegian, relocated to New York from Oslo to live, love and of course do his beautiful styling work (see photos below). Most people start thinking about the holidays when the stores throw up the red and green decorations, but stylists are thinking (and working) on "holidays" almost year-round—in order to meet magazine and book deadlines. This peacock is also a cookbook author and avid crafter. Check out his blog here, appropriately titled, Sweet Paul.
Mr. Peacock: How would you describe your personal style? Sweet Paul: I guess you could say I’m a Ralph boy. I order most of my clothes online, and 90% is Polo. I wish I could fit into more fashionable clothes, but no.
What are you gonna be wearing to holiday parties? Corduroys, check shirt, tweed blazer, boots and a long stripy scarf.
What's on your wish list for Santa this year? 1. Live in maid 2. Goyard luggage 3. A craft room 4. Tons of art books
How are you going to celebrate the holidays this year? We will be in New York. We have our own tradition. Christmas Eve we go to stay 3 nights at a nice hotel in the city. Love staying in a hotel in my own city. You don't have to run around to see any sights. Just chill, order room service, massages, go for a swim etc... love it!
Do you host a Christmas or New Year's meal at your home? No I don't. This year we will have Christmas eve dinner with my, friend and photographer, Frances Janisch and her family.
Do you do something traditional every holiday season? I do make a pork roast every Christmas. I do it the Norwegian style with crackling and serve it with red cabbage, potatoes and a yummy sauce. But I always think its best the day after, served cold and thinly sliced on good bread, sweet mustard and lots of pepper. And always served with Aquavit.
Do you decorate your home for the holidays? Very simple. My man is Jewish, but we do have a small Christmas tree.Because of my work, I'm usually kind of tired of Christmas when it comes aound.That's one of the reasons we book ourselves into a hotel. I used to decorate a lot, but now I don't really feel the need to do it.
Do you make food gifts for your friends and family at the holiday? I bake cookies and give to friends and family. Love to wrap them in little boxes with ribbons. I have done this for like 20 years now.
Any cooking or decorating tips or ideas for the holidays? This Fig Bruschetta, is a very simple and good appetizer for your Christmas or New Year party. And it's easy to make!
Fig Bruschetta ala Sweet Paul Serves 12 as an appetizer
1 tablespoon butter 3 large shallots, thinly sliced 1 cup ruby port wine 4 peppercorns 1 bayleaf 6 slices of good bread 200 g pâté (Mr. Peacock says use a nice slab or about 8 oz.) 8 figs, quartered
Melt butter in a small skillet. Saute the shallots until soft. Add port, peppercorns and bay leafs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced to a thick syrup. Cool. Toast the bread and top with pâté. Cut in half. Serve with the syrup shallots and figs.
Mmmm, Mr. Peacock might have to make some Fig Bruschetta this weekend—and buy a bottle of Auqavit too! You can see more of Paul Lowe’s gorgeous work here. Thanks Sweet Paul!
I would always help my mom set the table the night before Thanksgiving and one of my duties was making the place cards. We would gather the vintage china from the china cabinet and bring the fancy green goblets up from the basement storage and wash them. One year, we must have missed a goblet and my Aunt Criss found a spider in her glass—luckily she thought it was funny. Thanksgiving was always held at my mom’s house, until one of my older sisters, Theresa, passed away in 1995. Then my mom quit having the celebration at her house, because Thanksgiving was my sister Theresa’s favorite holiday. Everyone was always welcome at my mom’s house, and like my sister Theresa, they both were accepting and non-judgmental with all people. Theresa would frequently bring “weird” people to the dinner, or at least they seemed weird to me at the time—from a tween boy’s perspective. She’d drag along friends and acquaintances that had nowhere else to go. I think some of these folks were actually homeless—and who knows where she even met them. She only saw the person, not their circumstances (or race or sexuality) when she made friends. I always think of my mom and sister Theresa while I’m preparing my Thanksgiving celebration and remember all of those wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations at my mom' house. My mom is now at an assisted living with Alzheimer’s, but I still set the table the night before and make place cards for everyone—whether there are four guests or a full house. I hope I’m as good of a person (and as stylish) as my mom and sister, Theresa.
Mr. Peacock's Thanksgiving table from last year’s celebration. I cut up an oversize black and white xerox poster I had rolled up in the closet (which was getting a bit tattered around the edges) and used it as the table runner over a white linen tablecloth. It really made the clean-up easy too, I just wadded it up and recycled it.
I made the poster from a scan of this vintage etching of poisonous plants. The 72" x 72" poster nearly covered an entire wall in my kitchen for a few years, before it was transformed into the Thanksgiving table runner.
I used feathers, baby apples, fiddleheads, leaves and chocolate asters in last year’s Thanksgiving bouquet. I have to admit I cheated with the asters—they’re artificial, but look very real. I keep a stash of authentic looking artificial flowers just to fill in, if I run short, when making bouquets. I abhor arrangements of artificial flowers, but one or two fake flowers mixed in with the real flowers can fool the eyes. I found the feathers at my favorite hardware store in the whole, wide world—Cliff’s Variety in the Castro.
...including these amazing feathers. I don’t even know what you’d call them, but I called them “feather-swatches.” I tucked one "swatch" into each napkin as a party favor for each guest. The color and texture of the feathers were beautiful on the table.
This year I’m basing the table “theme” on this vintage Thanksgiving tablecloth that I’ve had for years, but never used. I love the color palette of greens, browns and oranges with the metallic gold "glitter" highlights.
Whatever your plans are this Thanksgiving, take a moment and reflect on the blessings in your life. Mr. Peacock wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and will be back on Friday.
I received some thoughtful gifts over the holiday, including some vintage milk glass pieces and a quirky porcelain Deerman figurine.
This curvy vintage porcelain teapot, made in Germany, was also part of my "White Christmas" goodies. I'm looking forward to using this teapot in the new year.
Mr. Peacock loves the quirkiness of this Deerman figurine. You can buy one here (if it's in stock) and see other pieces by ceramic artist, Megan Bogonovich.
I also received this little square 1970’s book on Max Ernst, one of the founders of the Dadaist. It has over 90 color plates, however the color reproduction is rather dark. You can get one here. The cover (above) shows a detail of: Attirement of the Bride (La Toilette de la mariée), 1940. Oil on canvas from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.
The Postman Cheval (Le Facteur Cheval), 1932. Paper and fabric collage with pencil, ink, and gouache on paper from the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice.
Napoleon in the desert (Napoleon dans le desert), 1941. Oil on canvas from the Museum of Modern Art collection, New York
