Nesting

Winter seems to just make me want to nest and hibernate during the long months of cold and snow. When our boys were younger we skied all winter and I enjoyed the temps and cold sunshine, but as I get a little older I prefer indoor pursuits....

....the garden is dormant and I think I am half the time!  I want to just curl up with a good book, do some selective stitching or cook....

With our renovation looming ahead of me, I am rather grudgingly packing up and going through items to keep or discard....

While working on doing just that, I came across this little acorn soup tureen stashed in a cupboard in the laundry room...totally forgotten....

You can see the little acorns and oak leaves embossed in the porcelain and the lovely finial on top.....

Sometimes the potters insignia in these older china pieces were as lovely as the design itself.....

This tureen came with eight soup bowls, a ladle and a square saucer at its base.

I was so happy to find it, I decided to make some roasted squash soup for a light supper, since it is Friday, and we usually dine out....

It works up quickly because everything is roasted in a single pan, butternut squash, onions, and some herbs, tossed with some good quality olive oil and a dash of sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

I couldn't wait to see my forgotten little treasure in use, much to the amusement of my husband and son when the camera came out!!!

A little dollop of creme fraiche to mellow out all the flavours....

I needn't tell you what I endured from the aforementioned company when I embellished the place setting with a small,embossed card I found in Florence and inserted it in a small cast acorn!!!!!!

...however I am bigger than that, and after clearing away all my embellishments, my nesting instincts paid off...

The roasted squash soup was a hit!

If you are interested in the recipe, email me and I will be happy to share it!

N.xo