Hello, Daily Connoisseurs. I am back from my summer break! It feels wonderful to be back. I always miss the blog when I leave. We have had such a nice summer. We have thoroughly enjoyed our "staycation" at home with the baby. He is so snuggly and cuddly and delightful, I am enjoying every single moment with him.

My oldest daughter is back to school and we are back into our routine again. The baby is very happy to go along for the ride.

While I was away from the blog, I shot this video, showing you one week of dinners in our house. This is a typical week for us, full of many family favorites.

Here was the week's menu:

Sunday: Turkey meatloaf with mashed potatoes and broccolette

Monday: Pasta marinara, spinach avocado salad and bread rolls

Tuesday: Turkey and spinach tacos on corn tortillas with salsa and guacamole

Wednesday: Cottage Pie with steamed corn and tomato salad

Thursday: Rotisserie chicken with sautéed squash and spinach

Friday: Furikake salmon with brown rice and broccolette

Saturday: Chicken nuggets with mashed sweet yam and sweet corn

Be sure to check out this week's video to see all of the meals. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel (and be sure to subscribe!) at www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

News
I am featured in the BBC's article called, Meet the people with almost nothing in their closets.

Comment of the Week

Jen M writes:
Hello Jennifer, It would be a year ago that I watched your Ted lecture on the 10 Item Wardrobe. I was fascinated and loved the idea, so I bought and read your first book, and have been working on incorporating so many elements that you present in my daily life since then! What a joy you are! I love your honesty and transparency in your weekly messages and feel each time like I am catching up with a dear friend! Thank you Jennifer for being a voice of common sense and elegance. I am looking forward to reading your other books and hope that your message of everyday beauty continues to spread!

Dear Jen, Thank you for your kind comment. I enjoy hearing from the people who find the ten-item wardrobe via the TEDx talk. Welcome to The Daily Connoisseur community!


I am so excited for this new season of The Daily Connoisseur. I have many videos coming up that I know you will enjoy.

I would love to know what your favorite family dinners are. Did you enjoy this video? Would you like to see more videos like this? Let me know in the comment section below. Also, if you have any requests for the upcoming season of The Daily Connoisseur, please leave them below as well.

See you soon!

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I'm pretty good about not snacking. This hasn't always been the case. I used to be a chronic snacker. It's like I was afraid of hunger so I never allowed myself to get to that place.

I love the quote that YouTube viewer, Sassylarita, brought to my attention, "Hunger is the best seasoning". The quote originates from Socrates, who actually said, "The best sauce for food is hunger." And it is so true. How many of us dull our appetite by snacking too much before meals? Since dropping my snacking habit I have started to enjoy my meals a whole lot more.

I'm not completely cured of my snacking tendencies though. Lately I've noticed one very curious habit of mine, which I discuss in this week's video, Not Snacking. If you're unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

News

♥ The Daily Connoisseur is celebrating over 1 million visits this week. Thank you! I never imagined when I started this blog in 2008 that we would come this far. Thank you for reading my blog and for being a part of this important community where we celebrate elegance, dignity, class and, of course, all of the aspects that help us to live well! Thank you, thank you, merci, thank you :)

♥ The Independent Florida Alligator picks Lessons from Madame Chic as one of Five fashion books for the smart and stylish (although please someone explain to me that line about sharing soup— I don't get it at all!)

♥ I'll be appearing on Smart Creative Women TV with the lovely Monica Lee (more on that to come). Monica has featured Lessons from Madame Chic on her blog this week. She even planned a luncheon around the book! You can check out the article here.

This week I would love to know... what are your snacking issues?


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I was recently given a set of antique china that belonged to my great-grandmother. The set is Syracuse China in the Briarcliff pattern, which was made in America, and dates back to the 1940s.

Because this set belonged to my great-grandmother, and then my grandmother, it is very special to me. We dined off of the china on Christmas day and have actually used it almost every day since. I love the delicate nature of the plates.

Immediately when I started to use the china, I noticed something very curious about the dinner plates. The area for food is much smaller on the antique plates, especially compared to my large, modern-day Pottery Barn dinner plates. Back in the 40s, plates were smaller and more delicate. Food portions were a lot smaller too.

This week's video shows you the difference between the antique china and modern-day earthenware plates and discusses the various unexpected merits of using your china daily. If you are unable to see my video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

This week I would love to know... do you have a treasured set of china in your family? If not, what type of set would you one day like to have?

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Before this post begins I have a few very special announcements:

♥ I am going to be a regular contributing writer for Huffington Post Style! It's a major honor for me to be aligned with such a prestigious publication. Here is my first article, sharing my DIY, cost-effective fruit decorations for the holidays.

♥ Huffington Post Canada has picked Lessons from Madame Chic as one of the best fashion books of the year! To read the article, click here.

OK I had to get those out of the way because they were too exciting not to mention first :)

I've received a lot of requests recently to discuss overindulging with food over the holidays (how not to, specifically). So that is what I am discussing in today's YouTube video.

You know me, I don't like to deprive myself of anything... but this comes with a few caveats. Watch my video to see how I make this philosophy work for me. If you are unable to see the embedded video, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

I would love to know... what are your tips for not overindulging over the holiday season?


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Ahh, the French dinner party. That intimate affair: the subtle interactions, the amazing food (the wine!), the ritual. If you have an opportunity to attend an authentic French dinner party- go, I tell you, allez!

Famille Chic threw at least one dinner party a week. This still amazes me. In America, dinner parties are a rarity (So many diets to take into account. So many allergies. So many picky eaters!). Staying in France really made me appreciate the art of a dinner party. It is, in my opinion, the most intimate type of party one can have.

The format for Famille Chic’s dinner parties were very formal. We would always dress up (no jeans, s'il vous plaît) - the men would wear jackets and ties (or for the most casual of dinner parties- a sweater with a collared shirt). Madame Chic would wear a skirt (but then again- she always wore skirts. I never saw her in trousers- even on the coldest of days). We would all sit in the salon for a little aperitif beforehand. The aperitif would range anywhere from a kir to whiskey to tomato juice. (I am quite a lightweight so when we had whiskey as an aperitif- it really became a party for me!)

Classical music would ooze from the record player. After the aperitif we would all move to the table. Madame Chic would disappear to the kitchen (how on earth she managed to create 3-5 delicious courses, mingle with her guests and not be a slave to the stove was beyond me) where she would roll out the tray containing the first course (the kitchen was not adjacent to the dining room, remember). The first course would often be composed of a soup, savory tart, salad or delicate slices of cured meats. The women would always be served first starting with the female guest of honor, then me, then Madame Chic (on non dinner party evenings, I was always served first- without exception), then the men served themselves last. It was like this for every course. At first all this etiquette following and pomp and circumstance felt very daunting to me (I come from the land of outdoor BBQs remember) but I grew to love this following of tradition and always feel slightly disappointed when the protocol isn’t followed aux États-Unis .

After the starter, Madame Chic would disappear into the kitchen again and roll out the main course on the trolley. This could range anywhere from lamb, to fish to roast chicken- and was always served with fresh vegetables and usually a gratin of some sort. And then the same thing would happen with the dessert- either a selection of delectable cheeses eaten with bread or a homemade apple or strawberry tart, a cake, crepes or fruit drenched in Grand Marnier.

**Sigh** I am getting depressed just writing this. I miss those dinner parties so much. I loved their formality- the ceremony involved- the pomp (the circumstance!) The different courses- the different wines. I long for that here in California… I suppose the only way to stave off my culinary depression is to throw a little dinner party of my own comme les Français . Now all I need is a little bit of courage…


The Dinner Table by Henri Matisse is pictured above

I have concluded my experiment of mindful eating Comme les Francais for one whole week. It wasn't always easy. And there were times when I cheated slightly- a phone call here, a television on there- but for the most part I was strict with this experiment of eating with pleasure and not allowing any background distractions because I wanted to see what change it would bring to my life- if any.

After reviewing my food journal for the whole week, these are the key points I observed:

- I snacked less. The French do not snack. Snaking is usually a 'mindless' activity. I would say 90% of the time when I snack it is out of boredom rather than hunger. Eating three meals a day and paying attention to them prompted me to snack less.

- I was more active. This week found me going to yoga three times and taking long walks almost every night. I think this 'whole being in the moment and doing things for pleasure' concept trickled down into other aspects of my life- like exercise... who knew?

- The meals were more satisfying. Even on the days when I experienced the most resistance to eating properly (not in front of the TV, not in front of the computer), when I actually succumbed and ate focusing solely on the enjoyment of my meal, I felt truly satisfied.

- Eating mindfully recharged my battery. I experienced the most resistance when I had to eat alone. Apparently I do not think of myself as good enough company to enjoy a meal with. My mind would always try to convince me that I could get two things done at once (eating and calling my sister- eating and checking email.) When I kicked the multi-tasking impulse to the curb each meal eaten alone felt like a tiny meditation and recharged my proverbial battery.

- Dinner with my husband was more romantic without Fox Football Fone-In blaring in the background. This, you are thinking, should have been obvious, but I didn't realize how obvious until I set the scene: played music in the background, drew the curtains, opened the window and made the table look nice. Why can't dinner be romantic 5 nights a week?

Going forward I am not going to be as strict with myself for each meal, but I am going to try to be mindful. And maybe- just maybe- capture the magic that I shared living in France for those six wonderful months- the clinking of glasses, the savoring of food, the stimulating conversation. Maybe if I keep this up I can make this pleasurable and romantic way of eating "the norm" in my household.

Thank you to everyone that joined me on this experiment. I really enjoyed hearing about your observations on eating Comme les Francais... Salut!

I am only three days into my experiment on eating comme les Francais (see post below) and I've already learned a lot. I went into it kicking and screaming and although I am doing it with much more ease now, I still feel some resistance. It's not like I need the Eiffel tower outside my window in order to savor my food! (Or that's what I keep telling myself anyway). Eiffel tower aside, here are my notes for the past few days:

Saturday

Breakfast: Woke up late and skipped breakfast… oops!

Lunch: Roast chicken and potato gratin (leftovers). Started out by sitting down (yellow cloth napkin in lap). Ate alone and enjoyed it. Then cell phone rang, long distance call from NY, had to take it. Gobbled up rest and vowed to do better at dinner.

Dinner: Ordered sushi (by delivery) with B. Enjoyed this meal immensely! Sat and savored.

Observation: When I sit down to eat my meals I snack less throughout the day… hmmm.

Sunday

Breakfast: Temptation to eat at the computer was ridiculous. Pulled back the curtains, sat down and noticed the first pink blossom on the hibiscus tree outside my window. Oatmeal and Green tea.

Lunch: Ate with B. Turkey Panini with chips. Panini was dreadful but was grateful to have the presence of mind to realize it was dreadful and not eat the entire thing mindlessly.

Dinner: The meals are getting more rapturous and romantic (maybe because I was drinking wine). Not as tedious as this morning to sit down and focus on the ambiance and food. Spaghetti Bolognese.

Monday

Breakfast: Two pieces of toast and green tea. Today I looked forward to eating while looking at the view from my window. It was much more calming than eating in front of the computer…

Voila my notes so far. Are doing this experiment along with me? If so, I would love to hear your observations...

One of the biggest and most important aspects of French culture is food. The French revere food. They love it, savor it and treat it with the respect it rightfully deserves. I love food too. I like cooking it and eating it. But lately I have found that I don't have as much respect for it, comme les Francais. Allow me to explain.

While living in France, I quickly learned that with each meal came a ritual- a sacred right. The table would be set, napkins out (cloth, bien sûr), wine or still water poured and either music or conversation (or both) were the only background distractions. The scene would be set and food would be the star. I relished in these meals. The food was simple, yet glorious and it made even the most insignificant of meals (a quick breakfast before heading off to class) feel glamorous.

Cut to a few years later back in America, chez moi. Breakfast might be eaten in front of the computer while checking email or reading blogs. Lunch is consumed in a quick trip home after taking out my dog, often times standing up or watching television. Dinner would find me and my husband (who is very hard to get to sit still for long periods of time, btw) eating quickly with Fox Football Phone In in the background, each one of us almost in a race to finish, place the dishes in the dishwasher and be done with it all. Oh how sad indeed.

I have noticed that I have let things go in the eating department and I can't think for the life of me why. I spend a lot of time preparing meals (tonight I made roast chicken, potato gratin and sweet corn) you'd think that I would want to honor the food I've prepared by actually paying attention to it! So, I have decided to devote this entire week to savoring my meals. Eating each one sitting down- focusing fully on the taste of the food, allowing eating to become a sensual experience. Yes I am talking breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm very excited to report back to you on how it all goes and what- if anything- I gain from the experience.

Won't you stay tuned?

Liz Skelly watercolor image courtesy of: http://www.cexii.com/liz_skelly.htm

With Christmas rapidly approaching, I can't help but feel excited about the festivities and good cheer that are (hopefully!) on the way.

This year, with the current economic crisis, the Christmas festivities have not been quite as festive as Mr. Fezziwig's ball from Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol. No, that would seem too lavish and perhaps inappropriate. But they also have not been of the Bob Cratchit variety either. This year, the best Christmas gatherings meet somewhere in between... a little glitz and glamour mixed with the good cheer of quality time spent with close friends and family.

On Monday, I will have the pleasure of attending a gingerbread house party. My good friend N and I have lofty ambitions of making a show stopper gingerbread house, complete with flying buttresses and gargoyles!

I'm also looking forward to getting in touch with old friends who are back in town. Festive lunches, clinking glasses and gift-giving? How delightful...

But perhaps the main thing that is having me rub my hands together in delight and anticipation is the feast on Christmas day: Roast goose with pate and prune stuffing and all of the trimmings (a recipe straight from The Two Fat Ladies). This feast is not being prepared by me, but by my family (all the more reason to enjoy it!) I am in charge of the dessert. I'm thinking homemade apple pie... with a gorgeous, golden and flaky crust.

Oh dear... I'm already hungry...

I hope all of your holiday festivities, on a big scale or small, are bringing you happiness and good cheer...


Image of Mr. Fezziwig's Ball courtesy of: www.charlesdickenspage.com