Maison de Cinq

Friday Favorites – White Jeans

Traditionally, white jeans (well, white anything, actually) were only worn in summer. “No white after Labor Day” was a rule that women followed religiously. As you may know, these rules no longer apply. White jeans, white shoes, white bags, can all be worn all year. It’s just a matter of what you pair them with. And though I will always love white jeans in summer, I have become a convert to wearing them all year. They have the ability to brighten up grays, look amazing with browns and tans, and of course, always work with classic black. Plus, you get more use out of them that way! read more

Friday Favorites – White Dishes

I love white dishes. I love the simplicity, the cleanliness, and the versatility. When I first got married, I had a floral, patterned set of dishes but when I started getting really into cooking and went to culinary school, I found out that food looks much better on white plates (this is why almost all restaurants serve their food on white dishes). Soon after that is when I started collecting white ironstone, so it just made sense to have everyday dishes that were white as well. I coordinate the vintage collectibles with the new purchases all the time, and what’s great is, everything works together! I even love the different whites. The vintage ironstone is everything from white all the way to antique cream but the different shades add texture and interest, I think. And I’m particularly fond of white dishes and ironstone in a white kitchen. read more

Mad about the Midi – Yes or No?

Let’s talk about the Midi. This skirt length has happened before (several times, in fact) and though it was hinted at as far back as last summer, the trend actually seems to be taking hold now. At first I was not at all sure about it, but I must say, it’s growing on me. There is something very elegant about it, and more importantly, it is flattering on almost everyone. I’m not sure why, but it seems to be more common in a full, circle skirt as opposed to a pencil skirt. This look is such a chic statement, and I love how feminine it is. And if the length seems a little scary after so many years of near or above the knee, start with just a couple of inches below the knee (again, universally flattering) rather than halfway between the knee and the calf. read more

Friday Favorites – Crushing on Blue and White!

I am still working on re-doing the fabrics in my family room, switching out the accent color of the room from red to blue (you can read about it in this post here). But since I am not done yet, and really want to be, I’m feeling such a craving for blue and white, I can hardly stand it! I’ve been seeing it everywhere, from Pottery Barn, to Pinterest, to photos on Instagram! It is such a refreshing color scheme, like a palate cleanser after a heavy meal. And it feels especially appropriate right now during the summer months. I almost feel cooler just looking at it! Almost… 😉 read more

We all scream for Ice Cream!

I love homemade ice cream! Ever since I got an ice cream machine a few years ago, I have been a convert. There is truly nothing like it. It is so different than anything you can buy in a store, and with an ice cream machine, it’s so easy to make! read more

Creamed Peas with Onion and Chives

Creamed peas. If you are envisioning over-cooked, mushy peas laying in a puddle of cream like something in an Old English pub, then you are not familiar with this version. This recipe involves fresh, spring peas and it is delicious. I have been wanting to make fresh peas for awhile now, so the other day when there were fresh, English peas for sale at Trader Joe’s, I snapped them up. Now, I must admit, I love peas. Not the aforementioned over-cooked version, but even frozen peas with a little butter and salt, slightly undercooked so they still pop, is something I make often. So the thought of fresh! English! peas was so exciting for me, I can’t even tell you. And though I could have served them simply with just butter and salt, I wanted to do something a little more. I ended up kind of combining two recipes that I found on Epicurious and changing them around to make one that was more what I was going for. Can I just say? This recipe was life-changing for me! The fresh peas had a distinctly sweeter profile than even the highest quality frozen, and combined with the onions, it was scrumptious (yes, I just said “scrumptious” to describe a vegetable). I loved them so much I made them again a few days later and used frozen, just to see how much difference there would be. And though it was still delicious, there is something very special about the sweeter, more distinct taste of the fresh. I urge you to go and get some fresh peas while they are still around (it’s a very short season). read more