The 2009 Christmas House designers have been announced, and we couldn’t be more excited about the incredible talents who will be designing this year’s Christmas House rooms! The exceptional architecture of the William T. Baker-designed New England shake-and-stone-style home on West Wesley Road is sure to provide ample inspiration, as well. The 35th-annual Christmas House, which benefits the Alliance Children’s Theatre, will be open for tours November 14 through December 6, with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles‘ official preview party scheduled for November 13. If you’d like to become a Christmas House sponsor, volunteer, or have questions about the show house or ticketing, e-mail AH&L Publisher Gina Christman at gchristman@atlantahomesmag.com.
THE 2009 ATLANTA HOMES & LIFESTYLES CHRISTMAS HOUSE DESIGNERS
Bob Brown, Robert Brown Interior Design
Design Galleria Kitchen & Bath Studio
Susan Ferrier, McAlpine, Booth & Ferrier Interiors
Barbara Heath, The Mercantile
Hermes of Paris
Barbara Howard, Marshall Howard
Phoebe Howard, Mrs. Howard
Bill Hudgins, Lush Life Home & Garden
Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Kasler Interiors
Amy Morris, Amy D. Morris Interiors
John Oetgen, John Oetgen Design
Jared Paul, Jared Paul Interiors
Jimmy Stanton, Stanton Home Furnishings
Sara Steinfeld, Sara Steinfeld Ltd.
Courtney & Randy Tilinski, Bungalow Classic
Beth Webb, Beth Webb Interiors
Mark Williams, Mark Williams Design Associates
Mimi Williams, Mimi Williams Interiors
Special Holiday Gift Shop Presented by Boxwoods Gardens & Gifts
Stay tuned for more in the weeks to come, and look out for AH&L’s official Christmas House program in the November 2009 issue.
July 17th, 2009
Today’s challenge is convincing my 5-year-old, Jonah, to try eggplant. He has been keeping careful watch on the purple jewel growing in our front yard all week, and today, he proudly proclaimed it was time to pick it. But harvesting and eating are two different things, and for Jonah—who truly believes that a red gummy bear has tomato in it—this will be a toughie!
Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables, but it’s true that it’s a veggie that must be prepared thoughtfully. I love a summer ratatouille with eggplant, squash and zucchini, all of which can be grown in your back yard; but making the veggie kid-friendly takes some serious experimentation and exercises in child psychology!
I went with a French fry theme—knowing that Jonah thinks I consider French fries junk food—and it worked like a charm! He took the bait and was willing to try French-fried anything!
Yes, this particular recipe calls for canola oil, but remember you aren’t eating a big bag of them. I find that they make a perfect side dish to a simple filet of grilled fish or chicken, and I plan to try them out as an appetizer at my next get-together.
Enjoy!
Eggplant fries with Garlic Aioli
1 large eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into long slices
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons Italian or Creole seasoning
6 cups canola oil
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Beat eggs and milk together in one bowl. Mix flour and seasoning in another bowl. Heat the oil in a heavy-duty, tall pot for about 5 minutes. Dip eggplant slices in flour, shake off excess, and dip in egg mixture. Dip once more in flour and fry until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep fries warm in a 250-degree oven until you’re ready to serve.
To make the garlic aioli, blend mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a food processor. Serve with eggplant fries to dip.
July 6th, 2009
Holy Guacamole! Is that an actual eggplant growing in my front yard?
I woke up today and went for my regular walk through “the farm,” as I affectionately call my four raised boxes, and it was like everything changed overnight!
The beautiful purple flower I admired a couple days prior has turned into a baby eggplant, the squash plant has produced gorgeous yellow blossoms, the eight tomato plants are going nuts, the watermelon vines are practically snaking into the street, and there are enough herbs to supply my restaurant salad dressings for weeks.
But the best part of all is watching my neighbors’ smiling responses as they walk their dogs in the evening. People are so happy as they pass by, and as soon as things ripen, I plan to leave a little table with a basket for neighbors to help themselves to what I have left for them! I can’t wait!
July 1st, 2009
