Southern Living November 2019

WHEN WE SPEND Thanksgiving with my family in Memphis, as we’re doing this year, my mother always pulls down the same three spiral-bound cookbooks: River Road Recipes by the Junior League of Baton Rouge (1959), Party Potpourri by the Junior League of Memphis (1971), and Jambalaya by the Junior League of New Orleans (1980). As you might expect, they are stained and spattered, with yellowing pages, broken bindings, and plenty of scrawled notes in Mom’s elegant script (usually “needs more spice”). There are others she turns to, but these are the old faithfuls, the ones she trusts when everything is on the line—in other words, when family is coming. Given how many copies of these cookbooks were sold, there’s a good chance you have one in your kitchen too. River Road…

BEAUTIFUL SPACES – INSIDE AND OUT Go Wild This lively centerpiece (previous page) is bursting with texture and can be disassembled and used again next year Place florist foam in container; secure with two pieces of florist tape. Then add dried pampas grasses around the outer edges to provide shape. Repeat step with oak leaves. Working toward the middle, insert stardust gypsophilas. For depth, fill in the middle with dried strawflowers at various heights. Nestle gourds into the center and outer edges of arrangement. Finish with dried bunny tails. What You’ll Need Dried pampas grass in natural and brown, preserved oak leaves, preserved stardust gypsophila in natural tones, bleached stardust gypsophila, dried strawflowers in pink and apricot, gourds (wired), and dried bunny tails in chocolate brown Embrace the Imperfect Give a grapevine wreath a new silhouette with…

IF YOU ARE, let’s say, particular about how you entertain, then the holidays can be equal parts exhilarating and exasperating, your hosting Olympics marred slightly by having to fit in decathlon coverage. This is because you have an idea of how you want Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas Eve cocktails to go, and people around you want to help. I completely understand where you’re coming from, because I’m also a controlling person (in many areas, not just entertaining). Southerners are often so good at hosting that we let the rogue, foil-wrapped offering get under our skin. I, for one, don’t like surprises in the form of unexpected cheese straws that upset my appetizer balance, and when people offer to assist me in the kitchen, a small troll that lives in my gut…

1 Sunny Delight Embroidered monograms add personality to citrus-hued linens with a satin stitch border. From $14 each; theloveliestcompany.com 2 Tasseled Touch The rust-toned embellishments hit just the right harvest note for your Thanksgiving table. $1l each; hibiscuslinens.com 3 Miss Piggy Farm animals are totally acceptable on the table when they’re cute, pale pink, and designed in Texas. $50 for set of four; biscuit-home.com 4 Getting Personal Crisp white 6-inch-square napkins get an extra punch with a preppy Kelly green monogram. From $50 for set of four; saddlestitches.com 5 Details Matter These 6- by 9-inch linens offer beautiful hemstitching and embroidery and can wrap around a glass. $58 for set of four; bobbinsdesign.com 6 Petal Power A scalloped border puts an additional element of charm on these Liberty floral prints in fall’s best colorways. $42 each; ellis-hill.com…

STEP ONE Spread the towel on a flat surface with the monogram side facing down. Starting with the two longest edges, fold the right edge two-thirds of the way toward the other side; fold the remaining edge over. Check that the monogram is still centered. STEP TWO Keep the monogram side against the surface, and fold the short, plain edge of the towel one-third of the way toward the center. Then fold over the monogrammed edge so you’re left with another rectangle. STEP THREE Fold it in half with the monogram facing outward and centered on the exposed edge. Stack them in neat and balanced rows with the largest ones on bottom. (All towels are from Georgia-based Weezie; weezietowels.com.) INSIDER TIPS So Polished! Contributing Editor Elizabeth Heiskell, author of The Southern Living Party Cookbook, shares her silver-cleaning do’s…

TORCHED FERN When I was teaching elementary school, I had a huge maidenhair fern in my classroom. The plant got tons of indirect light. Then I retired and brought it home. The next day, it looked like someone had taken a torch to it. Do you know why? —DEBBIE I sure hope you weren’t teaching horti-torture! I might have to speak to the principal. The reaction of your maidenhair fern was due to the abrupt change in growing conditions. Find a bright window at home that supplies indirect light. Keep the soil evenly moist, and mist the foliage daily during the winter to increase the humidity. It should adjust to its new home in a few weeks. Class dismissed! HOW MUCH MULCH? I have a fairly thick layer of pine straw mulch under my…