Natural Shells For Elegant Décor | By: Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

30 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment

by Valentina Author in Art, Design, Design Tips, Italian-Table-Customs, Kitchen Design, Painting Tags: , , , , ,

Looking through resources for my interior designing need, I found beautiful accessories for the table at One King’s Lane.  Two sets of salt and pepper vessels made of seashells on silver really striked my fancy. 
They are dainty, the coloration is beautiful, and I am thinking a voiles or chiffon tablecloth will be perfect to stage a table. Each plate will have a shell as place card holder, one large shell for bread, a mother of pearl champagne bucket and some nautilus votive scattered on the table should set an inviting dinner scene. 

Looking at the shape of the shells comes to mind their original function: to conceal a living matter inside of them and to keep the secret of the marine abysses. When we go to the seaside to catch shells, it’s almost a compulsory gesture to bring a shell to the ear. We hear the sea waves moving and we immediately imagine stories of navigation and far away lands. We think it is all so mysterious because a romantic explanation at time is better than a scientific one, but in reality the shape of the shell and the limestone material that makes it, promote the echoing sound of the sea. (photos of shell items from One King’s Lane)

The relation between shells and sea is very strong as it is associated with the feminine element of fertility, in fact the word shell comes from the Latin word conchilium meaning to conceal in a shell. Venus, the goddess of love was generated from the sea inside of a shell. Italian painter Botticelli painted her in his masterpiece of the XIV century. We are born in water too in our mother’s womb, our shell. In other words the source of life is to be found in the water and the woman is its vehicle.

Shells keep the secrets of oceans and earth, shipwrecks, lives lost, earthquakes, moon influence, sun’s scorching heat and people’s touches transferring feelings and sicknesses with their hands. Some people think once shells have found a new place in a house décor will communicate to the household all the secrets they keep, bringing in the good and the bad luck, regardless of their beauty. Legend? I don’t know, but I heard it from an astrologer.

In history shells became an important symbol to mark properties, to indicate social casts, family crests and coats of arms. The shell became the symbol of the Italian Renaissance, a rebirth in the fields of arts, architecture, music, literature and scientific discoveries after the dark age of the Medieval era. In Europe shell symbols are found on important building as churches, cathedrals and political establishments.

I was attracted by the colors of these superb tableware and the elegant simplicity they enclose. Knowing the history and legends attached to shells would make an interesting conversation topic with the guests.

Let me help you decorating and staging your next dinner party with unusual object d’art. Please leave your name in the box below. Ciao,
Valentina
www.Valentinadesigns.com

Copyright © 2012 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola transforms and creates spaces realizing people’s dreams in homes, offices, interiors and exteriors. She infuses your everyday living with a certain luxury without taking away a comfortable living. 
As an interior designer with a passion for kitchens and cooking she loves to remodel homes and loves to turn unattractive spaces into castles, but especially loves to design kitchens and wine grottos.

She is the author of RED-A Voyage Into Colors, the forthcoming book on the subject of colors, in publication at this time. Check out her two published books on Italian regional cuisine, available on this site on the Books page and on Amazon.
http://outskirtspress.com/ComeMiaNonna

http://outskirtspress.com/SinsOfAQueen

The Art Of Dainties | By: Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

25 Dec 2011 Leave a Comment

by Valentina Author in Culinary Items, Design, Design Tips, Italian Culture, Italian Food, Italian-Table-Customs Tags: , , , , ,

This year for Christmas Eve I will have adults only at my table celebrating the passage into the new light, it will be one of the few times in my life I will not make a sit down dinner. I will prepare an array of fanciful small dainties to be served in various area of my great room.

Putting dainties together will be just like choosing colors and textures for dressing up. It is important to find the right balance of colors and flavors. Need not to have too much salty food, nor too much food of the same kind of textures, protein, vegetable, starches and sweets must be equally distributed and in between palate cleansers are a real treat to put all the taste buds back in place.

Caviar with a variety of crackers and breads will be the opening, accompanied by smoked salmon with capers and sparkling wines.
A large size tray of endive, raw celery and fennel will be a good match with cheeses and will be good to help digesting dairy products.
The highlight of my cheese tray will be the Tête de Moine and the Dubliner, which I recently discovered from one of my dearest friend.
Last summer I made sun-dried tomatoes in my garden, preserved in olive oil, capers, garlic and fennel seed. I will put them next to the cheeses, olives and Italian prosciutto, they are so good on crostini with one of my spreadable cheeses.

 
My Italian tradition calls for fried salted cod for Christmas Eve. It is one type of food that never makes it to the table, fried cod is absolutely good piping hot right out of the fryer.
As we say in Italian “cotto e mangiato” cooked and eaten at once; scorching of the palate and fingers are allowed. I own an Italian made fryer equipped with a charcoal filter and a turning tumble canister that makes fried food so light, clean and no fried food smell in the kitchen. I don’t eat fry food during the year, but  when I have people over is so fun to eat something different and allow myself to go out of my own strict rules. Besides, my friend will polish everything, I am lucky to taste one or two pieces of fried cod.

I will cook the rice with wild mushrooms in small individual Savarin molds, perfect to create the effect of a large ring when they are turned over in the plate. I will decorate the center hole with some arugula leaves.

Mussels cooked in garlic, fennel and wine will be in a large bowl for a grand effect. Some of my friends have never eaten mussels this way, they will have a good opportunity to try some brassiere food.

I fancy stuffed grilled eggplants rolled in small packages hiding a surprise mixture of meat, spinach, beaten egg and a small spoon of Parmigiano as a binder. I am thinking, since I have the grill going, I will put on some asparagus and colored peppers too, my friends will not mind.

I will make the zabaione cream myself and my friend will watch. It seems as if many of them tonight will be in a cooking class involuntarily, but it will be much fun to cook together than preparing it all by myself.
I will conclude my food spread  with dried nuts, fresh fruit, panettone an Italian Christmas cake and more sparkling wines.

It will be simple home cooking and it will take the whole night.
Many of these recipes are in my books, some of my friends will have a taste for the first time, but many of them  are so happy to share my Puglia food with me again.
I am going to start the preparation and welcome everyone with a glass of prosecco.

The night is young and we need to reach midnight doing something fun, laughing, making jokes, telling stories and playing with food.  Some of my friends are not into cooking, they will have easy tasks, as I don’t want to risk a food mistake just tonight on Christmas Eve and some will pour all night.

I hope you are having fun too.

We will welcome the new light in the world and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Merry Christmas, peace in the world. Ciao,
Valentina

www.Valentinadesigns.com  

Copyright © 2011 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer with a passion for kitchens and cooking. She especially loves to design all those rooms with a “make me feel good” tag attached, such as kitchens and wine grottos, outdoor kitchens and outdoor rooms, great rooms and entertainment rooms. She is a public speaker and a mentor. She is also the author of two Italian regional cuisine books, available here in this site on the Books page and in various locations. 

http://outskirtspress.com/ComeMiaNonna

http://outskirtspress.com/SinsOfAQueen

Globe Of Happiness | By: Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer

18 Oct 2011 2 Comments

by Valentina Author in Design, Design Tips, Garden Design, Holiday Decorations, Italian Culture, Italian Food, Italian-Table-Customs, Kitchen Design Tags: , , , , ,

The holiday season will soon open the fun part of the year. Preparing for Halloween to me means decorating my clients’ home with fall colors, organize thoughts for Christmas decorations or parties, putting food away for the winter and arranging the garden that will go dormant soon.
Although Halloween is not one of the holidays I prefer, I like to set up a few things for the autumn celebration.
I adore the jewel tones of the fall colors, I like to wear them and I like to see them on my table. It is so easy to design my clothes in striking combinations with purple and orange, or green, baby blue and ochre, blue, gray and yellow, or pumpkin, burgundy and beige.  This is the season to be playful, we can just copy what nature does and repeat it in our fashion ensemble.

My globe of happiness must contain all things around me. I want my garden to play with statues, fountains or some jewels and radiate its vibrant energy back into my house.

Even my wild birds are happy playing in my garden. They see their reflected images in the gazing globes and think they are in the mirrors, then coquettish go sing at me from their hideaway in the threes. Often, just like the birds, seeing myself in the globes I experience my oneness with the Universe and the positive energy that these Spheres of Light as they were also called bring to me, to my house and my garden.

Every object in space emanates energy. Inanimate objects such as glass or metals affect our life just as much as celestial objects, stars and planets do. The round shape of the gazing globes like all the circles is a harmonious shape, it supposed to bring happiness, good luck and prosperity. Thus, it is a good idea to place gazing balls near every entrance of a home, in gardens around plants and even inside the home. The legend says the gazing globe keeps away misfortune, evil spirits and illness, but I believe this legend is true, because the round shape is a very powerful shape and keeps things moving around and around.

Placing the gazing ball on iron stands will add a powerful strength to the globe sitting it on stones or on top of vases will add certain elegance. The highly reflective glass of the gazing globes is suitable to show off the garden in different views. Grouping them at different height between plants and flowers will add playfulness, as I have seen the famous glass artist Dale Patrick Chihuly doing in his traveling exhibition throughout the Botanical Gardens of America.

The Swan King, Ludwig II of Bavaria, adorned his palace with globes, he made a copy of a Versailles Palace.

I have made my small Versailles with a few globes in my garden, but only because I heard they keep the witches away. Witches can’t bare to see their image reflected in the globe.

Gazing globes remind me so much of the bull’s eye mirror my grandmother’s had in her kitchen and used it to see who was at the door while she was cooking, or to keep an eye on us kids. We couldn’t escape out the door without being noticed.

Some of my clients have a “Butler Ball” in the Butler Area, which alerts the servants that the guests sitting at the dinner table need assistance without staring at them. It feels a Victorian era all over again when I am invited to such high level engagements. I only need the petticoat and a fan in my hand.
I am joking, I feel very honored being invited at my clients’ table.

Gazing globes are an invention of the 13th century Venetian glass blower artists and after eight centuries are still bringing enjoyment.

Please, let’s not get the witches disturb us while we are preparing a nice butternut squash bisque for Halloween night and some pumpkins cookies.
My globe of happiness include cooking and enjoying eating as my wellbeing and as fuel for my brain.
Remember that: “The red on the cheeks come from the mouth”.


Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque
2-1/2 lb. butternut or acorn squash
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 medium onions
a hand full of dried thyme, chopped
1 small bay leaf
2.5 oz. of ham or Italian prosciutto, cubed
3-1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup whipping cream
freshly grated nutmeg
salt to your liking

Preheat oven to 350F. Split squash in half lengthwise. With spoon, scrape out seeds and fibers from cavity. Season with salt; place flesh side down in a lightly buttered baking dish.
Add in 1/2 cup water to baking pan. Bake 1 to 1-1/2 hours, until skin is browned and flesh is tender when pierced with knife. Remove from oven; let rest until cool enough to handle. Scoop out flesh; discard skin.
In large saucepan melt butter. Add diced onion and season with salt to your taste. Sprinkle thyme over onions. Add bay leaf.
Saute’ prosciutto with onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onions are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes and the prosciutto is golden. Add the pulp of roasted squash. Season with additional salt and pepper. Cook 5 more minutes, stirring often.
Add broth, bring to simmer uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Remove bay leaf. Puree soup, in blender or food processor.
Stir in 1/4 cup cream and grated nutmeg. Taste for seasoning, add salt and pepper. Decorate it with a few basil leaves. I like to add some parmigiano shavings. Ciao,
Valentina
www.Valentinadesigns.com

Copyright © 2011 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved

Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer with a passion for kitchens and cooking. She operates in the USA and Europe. She loves to remodel homes and loves to turn unattractive spaces into castles, but especially loves to design kitchens and wine grottos, outdoor kitchens and outdoor rooms, great rooms and entertainment rooms. She is the author of two published books on Italian regional cuisine, available here in this site on the Books page and in various other locations: 

http://outskirtspress.com/ComeMiaNonna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnq8baaAq0M
http://outskirtspress.com/SinsOfAQueen


	


	

			




		
			




			
Pumpkins and Roses Welcome Fall | By: Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer
	
	
04 Oct 2011 4 Comments


			

			by Valentina Author
				in Culinary Items, Design, Design Tips, Italian Food, Italian-Table-Customs, Kitchen Design
				Tags: , , , , , , 
					

	
	

		


I don’t know about you but I love fall, the jewel tone colors that nature brings to us, the pleasant mild temperature, comfort food again and the holidays approaching. Today, while I was preparing my garden for fall, I was thinking of all of you and what kind of tips to bring you to prepare your home for this beautiful season and the coming winter. (BH&G photos)


As an interior designer I could compile a long list of so many quick and easy fixes to get your home in order. Not to overwhelm you, I will give you just a few suggestions and if you carry them out, your home will be working for you just fine during the winter.


1. Clear the gutters of falling leaves and evergreen needles to keep all downspout clear and allow rainwater to fall freely.


2. Clean lawn equipment. Adding fuel stabilizer to the gas tank will keep the gas from oxidizing and causing corrosion.


3. Caulk the cracks where masonry meets siding, where pipes or wires enter the house and around window and door frames.


4. Clean up the exterior with a pressure washer and wash windows to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.


5. Change outdoor light bulbs with high-efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL).


6. Protect your plumbing from freezing by applying ready-made pipe jackets.


7. Check the fireplace safety to avoid chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure both chimney system and venting systems are working properly. Burn only well-seasoned hardwoods to reduce buildup of creosote, a flammable compound. Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms is a must.


8. Seal air leaks to keep your house warmer and ventilate the attic.


This is the pumpkins season, let’s turn our attention to the front door. If the color of the door is a bit tired, a coat of fresh paint (or stain depending on how your door was treated) will change the entry into a welcoming statement. Accent the door with a beautiful wreath, display potted plants and plenty pumpkins.




Now let’s go to the kitchen. The food lover in me would not want to leave you without any food talk.


In my first published book Come Mia Nonna – A Return To Simplicity, I included a perfect recipe for the Fall: Autumn Style pasta with butternut squash and prosciutto. The earthy flavor of the butternut squash blends so well with the Italian prosciutto, a type of cured pork meat, preserved under salt for a couple of years. I prepared this dish for myself last night. Bacon fits with this recipe too, but the taste is not quite the same. My recipe calls for a short pasta, but this specialty is also a vegetable dish to accompany a roast.


At the end of the same book, I included a delicate recipe for Marmalade Of Rose Petals, a real surprise.


In Sins Of A Queen, my second published book, I thought of autumn too. I want everybody’s table to be cheerful and filled with so many earthy foods.


I wrote about some fun liqueur made with fruits that anybody can make at home without any difficulty. The strawberries liqueur, limoncello (made with lemons) and the chocolate liqueur are proving so successful. These types of cordial liqueurs need a couple of months for maceration process, thus September-October is the right time to start and make them ready for the holidays.




Now go around the house, find all the empty containers, vases, bowls, or any vessel with an interesting look and fill them with roses, fall flowers and pumpkins. Be creative, take inspiration from my photos or make your own arrangement.

Turn your fireplace on and scatter scented candles in rooms most lived.

Let the flavor of the holidays begin and give the gift of love by preparing good earthy autumn food for yourself and your family. I really love the warmth of this season!


Ciao,

Valentina

www.Valentinadesigns.com


Copyright © 2011 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved


Robert Taitano, a friend and business associate of    http://www.wine-fi.com says:

“Valentina – an International Professional Interior Designer is now giving you an opportunity to redesign your palate”.




Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer with a passion for kitchens and cooking. She operates in the USA and Europe. She loves to remodel homes and loves to turn ugly spaces into castles, but especially loves to design kitchens and wine grottos, outdoor kitchens and outdoor rooms, great rooms and entertainment rooms. She is the author of two published books on Italian regional cuisine, available in this site on the Books page and in various locations:




http://outskirtspress.com/ComeMiaNonna


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnq8baaAq0M


http://outskirtspress.com/SinsOfAQueen

	


	

			




		
			




			
Organize Your Kitchen To Please Your Soul | By: Valentina Cirasola | Author and Designer
	
	
05 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment


			

			by Valentina Author
				in Culinary Items, Design, Design Tips, Italian Food, Kitchen Design, Self-Improvement
				Tags: , , , , , 
					

	
	

		
Most of you know the kitchen is my favorite room, I like to design it and I like to live in it. In my family, the kitchen is the place to resolve our difficulties and the place where we invite the real friends to sit.

I executed my schoolwork on the kitchen table, where I could be part of my family life, instead of being closed in my room alone.


Most of the kitchens of today are conveniently located near the garage or entry door and just because it is convenient turns into in a dumping ground for mail, bills, magazine and stuff.


Nowadays we got so complicated we must have Feng Shui in the kitchen too, but when I was growing up we called it common sense. Here you will find some of my life habits on how to keep the kitchen in harmony with the soul.


* September is the month of cleaning the kitchen cupboards inside and out. Prepare the kitchen for the coming holidays, make room for new serving dishes and cooking equipment you might buy this Fall. Some are so inviting!

This is the time you will get the opportunity to throw away or donate all the items you don’t want anymore. Get rid of those non-matching plates and glasses that have lost their companions. Cupboards need to be completely emptied out of contents at least every change of season to keep a clean positive energy in the kitchen. If the job feels too overwhelming, get help, there are plenty people out there who want to do this kind of work.


    

  • Keep all the bills in the home office, study, or any room dedicated to office/school tasks, but please don’t take the bills in the bedroom. Kitchen functions are  for cooking, tasting, and conversations. Keep everything else out of it, unless you have a dedicated desk in a corner of the kitchen.
    • 

  • Today we see mail with suspicion. Mail is no longer welcomed, as when a letter arrived from far away, or we received friendly cards from people we knew.  Today we get bombarded with emails and our post mail is filled with advertisements and junk mail. Stand by a fireplace or trash when reading the mail of the day and don’t even let it in the kitchen.
    • 

  • Recycle all the store plastic bags you bring home with food or other items. I reuse them as garbage bags and I have no need to buy more plastics. Recycle also any paper bags for other uses, such as packaging wrap, for more shopping, or to keep in the car as garbage bags. In my garage, I have two containers, one for recycled plastic bags and one for paper bags rolled up neatly.
    • 

  • Organize all the food plastic containers, find the matching lids and keep them together in one place. Throw away containers without lids. The same applies to cooking tools. There is nothing more irritating than being in need of a cooking tool ready for the task and instead finding a tangle up mess of tools in the kitchen cabinet drawers.
    • 





    

  • If  kitchen space will not allow to store large pots, baking pans or slow cookers, take these items to an adjacent closet.
    • 

  • Appliances garage and roll out shelves are designed on purpose to keep small appliances out of sight and counters neatly clean.
    • 

  • I like to keep my expensive chef knives in a drawer with a magnet to keep the knives from sliding back and forth and to protect the tips.
    • 

  • To have a fresh lemony air in the kitchen, put lemon peels in the sink garbage disposal, lemon peel in the dishwasher utensil tray and lemon potpourri sachet in each kitchen drawer and cabinets.
    • 

  • I don’t like my kitchen steamed up with cooking vapors, not only it creates condensation, but the odors will stay in the house, especially if the kitchen has an open floor plan communicating with other rooms. The vapors and grease will go up to ceiling and will come down on the upholstered furniture. Keeping windows opened during cooking will redirect vapors outside and you might hear the wild birds singing at you for the good aroma you are producing in the kitchen.
    • 

  • Have you thought of a calendar for family activities and one for weekly menus? My mother added a comment at the very top of our weekly menu calendar:
    
“If any of you don’t like this week menu, there are plenty restaurants that will take your money”. Needless to say we, teenagers kids ate at home all the time.
    • 

  • Prepare your table with a table cloth and napkins, every time you eat at the table, even if you eat alone. Feeding your soul with beauty and comfort will discract your stomach from overeating.
    • 



Enjoying fresh food prepared in the kitchen, to me this is an important ritual. Kitchen and food nourish and bound the family together.

Kids who grew up with good food and pleasant kitchen atmosphere will always want to return home even after they have formed their life.


I am here ready to help, if you need to organize your kitchen and feel really overwhelmed with the task, just leave your name in the box below.

Ciao,

Valentina

www.Valentinadesigns.com


Copyright © 2011 Valentina Cirasola, All Rights Reserved




Valentina Cirasola is an Italian Interior Designer with a passion for kitchens and cooking. She operates in the USA and Europe. She loves to remodel homes and loves to turn ugly spaces into castles, but especially loves to design kitchens and wine grottos, outdoor kitchens and outdoor rooms, great rooms and entertainment rooms. She is the author of two published books on regional Italian cuisine, available here in this site on the Books page and in various other locations:




http://outskirtspress.com/ComeMiaNonna


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnq8baaAq0M


http://outskirtspress.com/SinsOfAQueen


 

	


	

			




		
		
 


	
	

	

	
	
	


		

					


		

					


		

					


	


	
	











	

	

	

	


	

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