Dining with the Maharajas

I recently received a review copy of a very interesting new book, Dining with the Maharajas: A Thousand Years of Culinary Tradition. Written by Neha Prasad and with photographs by Ashima Narain, this book delves into the rich culinary history of India, specifically the cuisine and feasts that were prepared by royal Indian kitchens. Each chapter profiles a different royal family (of Indian states such as Udaipur and Jammu and Kashmir, amongst others) and explores not only the history of their family's royal banquets but their style of entertaining today, too.

Although it seems that many of these royal families still live quite well today, there was a time not so very long ago when maharajas and their families lived most extravagantly.  The book's introduction includes a quotation from the late Dowager Maharani of Gwalior Vijayaraje Scindia that sums up this extraordinary lifestyle quite nicely: "It was a fantasy world, Byzantine in its splendour with more in common with the French kings of the grand Siecle than with the world of today. Who after all can count his servants in thousands, or the tigers in their hunting preserves in their hundreds, maintain half a dozen enormous palaces and a dozen or so hunting lodges or country houses, give sit-down dinners for a hundred and fifty guests on special family plates that had been used for the banquets in honour of at least three British monarchs and one Czar?"  A fantasy world, indeed, but one which has provided the author with a wealth of anecdotes pertaining to the maharajas' lavish way with food.

Not only is it fascinating to learn of these families' culinary traditions, but it's also interesting to see the way in which they live today.  There are numerous photos (quite beautiful, I might add) that show their magnificent palaces, the antiques and relics with which they live, and the style in which they entertain today.  Although there is still emphasis on a well-set table (much of the china and table accoutrement are stunning), their entertaining seems to be far more relaxed than that of their ancestors.  The bonus to each chapter are recipes that are enjoyed by current members of these royal families.  As much as I love Indian food, I don't cook it at home because many of the ingredients are hard to find in my area, something which might dissuade me from attempting many of the book's recipes.  However, if you enjoy cooking Indian food at home, then I think you'll be very tempted to prepare some of these delicious looking dishes in your kitchen.

And I must say that this is one of the prettiest books that I've seen in a while.  The book, completely covered in purple velvet, is a tri-fold book that, when open, boasts end papers that depict an antique Indian textile.  And not to worry about getting the velvet cover dirty in the kitchen should you attempt one of the dishes as the book contains a soft-cover kitchen copy of recipes. Very clever.

The book includes a charming replica of a fill-in invitation as well as a soft-cover book of recipes.

Esra Jah and Shekyar Jah of the royal family of Hyderabad, sitting at their famous dining table which can seat up to 101 people. Tsar Nicholas II, King George V, and Franz Ferdinand all dined at this table.

The Jammu and Kashmir royal monogram.

Guchchi Pualo (Mushroom rice)

Maharaja Gaj Singh II at the Umaid Bhawan Palace.

Kundan Kaliya (Rich lamb curry with wholemilk fudge balls)


Book photos from Dining with the Maharajas: Thousand Years of Culinary Tradition by Neha Prasad, Ashima Narain photographer.

Damask Impressions

Damask was always lurking somewhere on my fabric radar, although truthfully it didn't hold a very prominent place.  It's not that I don't find damask to be attractive.  I do.  I suppose that I have always thought it seemed more appropriate for homes that were exceedingly traditional or European in feel.  Damask just didn't seem to fit my city apartment, one that is a mix of antiques and modern-looking fabrics.

But, my opinion completely changed when I saw the recent World of Interiors article on KK Auchincloss' Paris apartment.  How many of you thought you had died and gone to heaven when you saw those photos?  Not a week goes by that I don't look at that article, dreaming about how well I could live in such a home.  Anyway, it's Auchincloss' damask covered walls that got me thinking about how damask doesn't have to look so traditional.  What makes this particular damask so fresh looking, to me anyway, is its unusual color.  It's a slightly weird yellowish-green, a shade that is a little off-kilter when compared to the more common shades of pale or golden yellow, vivid red, or pale blue.

Although damask covered walls would look completely out of place in my apartment, I am thinking of adding just a touch of it somewhere.  I am inspired by the 1960s-era photo below which shows a dark blue velvet sofa with pale blue damask pillows.  My sofa is covered in teal velvet, so perhaps damask throw pillows, especially in a shade similar to Auchincloss' walls, might look nice, a way to bridge the gap between a modern sofa and the antique furniture that stands close by. 

Who knows?  This dash of damask just might be the precursor to bigger and better things, maybe even a big girl apartment in Paris.

A 1960s-era living room with velvet sofa and damask pillows.

A damask covered bed in a home decorated by Alidad. (House & Garden, Simon Upton photographer.)

A silk damask Regency-style sofa in the drawing room of Chateau de Fleury. (Elle Decor, Miguel Flores-Vianna, photographer.)

A very pretty blue damask in the home of the late designer, Duarte Pinto Coehlo. (Manolo Yllera, photographer.)

Just a touch of damask on this small chair in the home of Fernanda Kellogg and Kirk Henckels, decorated by the talented Brockschmidt & Coleman. (Architectural Digest, Roger Davies, photographer.)

A profusion of red damask in the home of Carolina Herrera. (Residence magazine, photographer not attributed.)


Image at top: Photo of the Paris apartment of KK Auchincloss, World of Interiors, November 2012, Fritz von der Schulenburg photographer.

Breakfast in a Bird Cage

Lately, I've been dreaming of a breakfast room decorated to resemble the inside of a beautiful bird cage. Never mind that I don't have a breakfast room in my apartment, but it's a nice fantasy nonetheless. What brought on this notion is the photo, above, that shows a wallpaper border of birds, ribbons, and bird cages. Would you believe that this border dates to the late eighteenth century? Part of the collection of the V&A, this border is believed to be of British origin and was possibly intended for use in a music room.  (Brunschwig & Fils used to carry a reproduction of this border in their wallpaper collection, but I don't know if it has since been discontinued.)

For some reason, birds and breakfast rooms seem to go hand in hand, perhaps because birds' cheery songs often mark the dawn of each day.  One of the loveliest rooms in Atlanta is the Goodrum House's octagonal breakfast room, painted by artist Athos Menaboni to resemble a bird cage. You can see a photo of it below.  Wouldn't you love to take your morning Wheaties in such a pretty room?  Then there is the very elegant breakfast room at the late Marjorie Merriweather Post's estate, Hillwood, that reminds me of a gilded cage, one in which I wouldn't mind being trapped.

On the other hand, if birds seem too animated for early morning repasts, you could always festoon your breakfast room with painted flowers and trellis, another pleasant way to greet each day.  Although I doubt that I would take my breakfast room to such extremes, I do find designer David Barrett's morning glory room to be one of the most exuberantly decorated rooms in my recent memory. (See it towards the bottom of this post.)  I don't know if the vines were real or not, but I like to think that they were.  After all, that's part of the fantasy of such a fantastical room.

The bird cage breakfast room, painted by Athos Menaboni, at the Goodrum House, Atlanta. The house is currently undergoing a major restoration, one which should return the house to its former glory.

The Breakfast Room at Hillwood, the Washington D.C. estate of the late Marjorie Merriweather Post. Although the room is meant to evoke a winter garden, the domed ceiling makes it feel a little like a bird cage.

The book from which I found this photo only identifies it as a thirteenth-century Gothic room that had been decorated with Chinese paper.  An internet search for more info led me to Architect Design, who identified the house as Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, England.

I have admired the Duc de Talleyrand's dining room for years. I think it's so chic. Rather than painted or papered bird decoration, the birds here were porcelain.

The drawing room at Palazzo Colonna, Rome. Chinese paper covered the walls, while lattice and flowers were painted onto the ceiling.  That ceiling would look marvelous crowning a breakfast room, I think.

Allyn Cox painted this decorative bird-cage panel for the New York library of Mrs. James C. Rogerson. The panel served to protect the library's rare books from dust.

David Barrett created this dining pavilion in 1971. A morning glory strewn canopied bed-frame was placed over a small dining table. The fern print table skirt fabric was by Quadrille.

Although this trellis and butterfly mural appeared in the entrance hall of Maurice Moore-Betty's New York home, a similar mural would look great in a breakfast room, too. Moore-Betty, by the way, was a prominent cooking school teacher who taught out of his home.

A Tribute to Richard Nelson

A few weeks ago, I learned of the recent death of designer Richard Nelson. Based in Newport, Rhode Island, Richard was a man of great style and immense charm. Having started his career with Sister Parish (even assisting her during the Kennedy White House redecoration,) Richard eventually moved to Newport where he set up his interior design business and became a much sought-after designer. He also became a fixture on the social scene there, making many friends who remained close to him until the very end.

Although I never met Richard in person (and that is something which I greatly regret,) we had an email friendship over the past few years, touching base from time to time and discussing design.  And the fact that we had two mutual acquaintances, both of whom had attended Attingham with Richard, made the friendship that much more personal.

I wrote about Richard a few years ago when I covered a late 1960s Christmas party that Richard had hosted, one which was featured in an issue of House & Garden. (You can see a few photos from that article, including one of Richard, above.) The details of the party impressed me as few people host such elaborate parties anymore.  In fact, when speaking with Richard in anticipation of that post, he mentioned that while he lived in New York as a young man, he hosted guests at his home four to five nights a week!  I can only imagine that this exuberant style of entertaining held him in good stead upon his move to Newport.

Over the years, Richard's work was featured in numerous publications including Architectural Digest.  In 1998, the Colonial-era Newport house in which he lived with his partner was featured in British House & Garden.  I am showing that article's photos below as I think Richard's house is a testament to the warmth and personality that traditional interiors do have when decorated well.  I admire that Richard stayed true to the house's period and architectural style rather than attempt to turn it into something that it wasn't.

I know that a number of Richard's friends read my blog, and to them, I extend my deepest sympathy. Richard was a decorator of the old-school and a bon vivant to boot, and they just don't make them like Richard anymore.

Nelson house photos from British House & Garden, January 1998, Keith Scott Morton photographer.

Walking in Jonathan Preece's Winter Wonderland

I know that many of you, like me, are always enchanted by the vignettes and table settings created by Jonathan Preece, Creative Director and Special Projects Designer at Bunny Williams Inc.  Through the years, Jonathan has conjured up fantastical Thanksgiving and Sukot tables for clients not to mention magical holiday vignettes.  This year is no different, with Jonathan turning Treillage, Bunny and John Rosselli's delightful shop in New York, into a winter wonderland.

What makes Jonathan's creations so special, and what might also be one of the secrets to their success, is that a great deal of research goes into his work.  History, literature, and traditional art forms frequently figure into these tableaux, and this year is no different.  For the Treillage windows, Bunny requested that Jonathan include snowflakes.  From that kernel of inspiration came Jonathan's clever idea to use magnificent quilled paper snowflakes that were hung throughout the store.  Quilling, as Jonathan informed me, is a traditional paper craft in which strips of paper are tightly coiled around a quill in order to shape them, with each strip then being attached to one another to create a work of paper art.  (I doubt that I'm adequately explaining the process, so click here to read the Wikipedia entry.)  Jonathan eventually found a woman in Idaho who was a fourth generation quiller and commissioned her to make these magical snowflakes that, thankfully, are for sale at Treillage.

Also taking a cue from C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Jonathan designed a snowy scene reminiscent of that in Narnia that the children encounter upon stepping out of the wardrobe.  Even the lamp post that figures into the story makes an appearance at Treillage.  There is also a Pied India Blue Peacock in one of the windows, although I can't say whether the peacock was a character in Lewis' novel or not; it's been ages since I read the book and my memory of it is a little fuzzy.

Those of you who live in New York have probably seen Treillage's Winter Wonderland this season, but for those of you who have not had the opportunity to do so, I'm including numerous photos to give you a sense of Jonathan's handiwork.  I hope it's a nice respite from that last minute shopping that many of you are doing today!

All photos courtesy of Jonathan Preece

Will Merrill and His Mountain House

I'm so happy- actually, thrilled- that my dear friend Will Merrill's Blowing Rock, North Carolina home not only appears inside the February 2013 issue of House Beautiful, but it made the cover, too!

Will has been a close friend to me for a number of years now, and what never ceases to impress me is his enthusiasm and love of design.  His excitement over the latest design book or an antique store find is infectious, so much so that I usually want to buy the same book or a similar piece of furniture based on Will's endorsement alone.  All of Will's treasures have found a lovely home in Blowing Rock, and what struck me about his home upon seeing it for the first time was how sophisticated it was for a mountain house, and yet, it's completely comfortable with its rustic setting.

When Will bought the 1970s-era home, it was in rather sad shape with avocado colored wall to wall carpet and sliding glass doors.  By adding poplar bark siding to the exterior and salvaged wood floors inside, he transformed the house into a rustic gem.  The bonus to the house is his amazing back porch which acts like an outdoor living room, one that Will can use for most of the year.

I'm including a few photos here, but there are many more in the February issue.  I do hope that you'll read the article because I think that you'll find the house to be charming.

Above, a guest room with usually seen in the city leopard print carpet and a Coromandel screen.

A back porch vignette with poplar bark siding as a backdrop.

The stairwell leading downstairs has a knotty branch stair rail while the walls are covered in tramp art mirrors.

Another guest bedroom in which framed botanical specimens are hung floor to ceiling.


All images used with express permission of House Beautiful.  February 2013 issue, Simon Watson photographer.

At Last

I've never been a big fan of frogs, a feeling that I believe stems from the fact that they're slimy.  Or at least, they look slimy.  I've never touched one because, as we were all led to believe when we were young, doing so would give you warts.

There are a few frogs that I do like, though.  Kermit seems awfully sweet.  And one of my favorite restaurants is La Grenouille, named for the French word for frog.  Now that I think of it, I've never had the frog legs at La Grenouille before.

I would consider sending Dempsey & Carroll's Cocktail Frog Invitation to guests because who wouldn't like a convivial frog?

If I had a little boy, I would use Scalamandre's Calabassas County fabric in his room because it's cute and youthful...and I'm old-fashioned enough that I think that childrens' rooms should look youthful, not hip.

But there is one frog that I have coveted for years.  I've spied him, or rather one of his relatives, before in some pretty swell homes like those of Tony Duquette and Valentino.  And finally, after all of these years, I can call him mine:

He'll look much happier with a little plant inside of him, perhaps a Christmas cactus (remember those?) in honor of the season.  Now this is a frog that I'll happily take, warts and all.

Image at top: Frogs by Picasso, Metropolitan Museum of Art