Wednesday, April 27, 2011

That Rascal-y Radish




Hip and cool is something that I most definitely am not. The things that I like aren't cool, the music that I listen to isn't hip, and the movies that I watch are old, old, old! Anyway, any attempt at being cool would be dashed by my posts on my likes and dislikes. And the like that we'll discuss here today is...radishes.

Quite frankly, I'm not big on the taste of radishes, especially if they're too hot. (Some radishes even taste like dirt. Well, to me at least.) China, linen, and porcelain with radishes on them, on the other hand, never fail to whet my appetite. It's an odd thing to like, I know, and I have no earthly idea why this City Girl would be taken with of all things a root vegetable. Really, who knew that radishes could be so haute cuisine?






Raynaud's Villandry Radish Dessert Plate



Embroidered Radish napkins by OKA Direct.




Look at these vintage Marghab napkins that were sold at auction. Tiny radishes, peas, and carrots were held together by a yellow ribbon.




This is one of my trompe l'oeil pieces. I admit that the radishes and carrots don't look terribly realistic, but the green onions look pretty good.





A Royal Vienna radish plate from around 1760.




Seeing that I can't do this kind of needlework, this placemat kit won't work for me, but I do find it charming.

Image at top: My Porthault hand towels have radishes and other veggies on them.

15 comments:

  1. you love radishes because they are cute little things! I do too...

    stylishserendipity.blogspot.com

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  2. So many beautiful uses of radishes! Much better than eating them (ugh!)lol

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  3. Jennifer, you're cool as hell. My friends who read you think so, too. Your sense of humor, alone, is cool, not to mention your sense of style and the unusual topics you choose and things you notice which most wouldn't. Coooooolll.

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  4. Thank you all! Now I'm feeling slightly cool ;)

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  5. I'm the same way -always feeling I'm so not cool because of my tastes - but then I think the opposite thing happens; we're cool because we're so ourselves! Let your freak flag wave; Love radishes on your dishes and Fred Astaire on your tv! Be who you are -thats the coolest thing of all.
    That said -I love both the taste of radishes and all of these lovely things you've put before us!

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  6. For some reason canapé plates and napkins are not popular in my current locale, but radishes would be an ideal motif for them if they were!

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  7. Stefan- Freak flag! Love that!!!

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  8. embroidered freak flag of course :-)

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  9. Devoted Classicist- I'm so surprised that canape plates and napkins aren't popular where you live. I would have thought otherwise. I use my canape plates everytime I have people over for drinks. (They're dishwasher safe too!)

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  10. Clint9:05 PM

    love the vintage napkins. i bought some radishes at the ptree rd farmers market on saturday and ate almost the entire bunch. when you serve with irish butter and sea salt, you can't go wrong.

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  11. As you can see I am catching up reading here - and here is another post that I just adore! I love radishes - to eat and in design - but I love most things you mention! And btw - I TOTALLY agree with Stefan - having your own tastes and sensibilities regardless of whats "in" is the ultimate cool!! My sister in law has those charming Vallandry plates - the whole series, which are all so charming. But I REALLY love that antique Royal Vienna plate (of course). Love your Porthault hand towels as well!!

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  12. Alan Dailey7:11 PM

    Jennifer,

    Thanks for continuing to expose me to so many wonderful things that I would otherwise never have know of such as Vera Way Marghab and her linens, hand embroidered on the Island of Madeira. You do such a great job with your blog! We always look forward to the newest post.

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  13. Anonymous10:50 PM

    When do you think the Porthault towels were made? It's divine.

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  14. Anon- I bought them about five or six years ago, so they might still be available!

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  15. Anonymous11:39 PM

    Your Porthault hand towels are a lot nicer than anything they currently stock; nothing they make today is as charming, lively or as finely printed as your vegetable pattern. It's a shame. They've gone in an odd direction since changing hands; I hope they recapture the rapture and return to their roots. You made a wise purchase; well done!

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