Heritage

Thanksgiving a time when we celebrate a variety of important things. To name a few:   harvest bounty, community, and being American. regardless of religion. Thanksgiving is also special because it is an adaptable holiday. It give us the opportunity think about our heritage as a country, all that’s good and what needs to be improved, as well as the heritage that is unique to our family. We are free to give thanks for what we have in whatever way we like.

For all these reasons, Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to share, especially with foreigners. Inviting someone from another country to participate in this quintessential American tradition is to learn what the United States is all about. After all, the first Thanksgiving was multi-cultural—a moment celebrated by colonists from different places in Europe and Native Americans together.

It’s also true that the best way to learn something is to teach it. If you want to understand what the United States stands for, and think carefully about how it prompts us to be grateful, here’s your opportunity.

Here are some things to think about this Thanksgiving, whether you have a foreigner at your table or not:

-What does this country have that you couldn’t live without?

-What is your favorite aspect of “American life?”

-What about this country do you hope will never change?

-What makes you proud to be an American?

Wishing a very happy Thanksgiving to all.

www.rosannainc.com

NEW DATE & TIME - WAREHOUSE SALE

 

Reminders

Visa & MC accepted on purchases over $50

Cash is faster! We only have one credit card machine and the line gets backed up

NO CHECKS PLEASE

Parking is on street or in the gravel lot across Holgate. We kindly ask that you do not park in the Goodwill parking lot.

Must be present to shop. Orders will not be accepted via phone or email.

Please, for safety reasons, do not bring small children.

No refunds or exchanges. Please check all items for damages and defects before leaving. We also ask that you make sure all sets are complete, we will not be able to issue a refund after the sale is final.

 

www.rosannainc.com

Thoughts on Thanksgiving: Part 2

In response to the question

What do you think is the most important thing to put on a Thanksgiving table?  

I have two words: 

Fresh food.

At Thanksgiving especially, I strive to make sure everything on the table is homemade and make a point of using only natural ingredients. No margarine, no cranberry sauce in a can, and no instant gravy. This meal is as much about the time, effort, and love it takes to prepare as it is about the actual eating of it.

Growing up, I remember my grandmother made every single Thanksgiving dish from scratch. If you don’t know where to start with from-scratch cooking, you don’t have to look much farther than two generations back. Refer to old family recipes from your grandparents’ generation, before ready-made, instant food became widely available. During that era, there was nothing but homemade.

A Thanksgiving made with fresh ingredients from nature instead of from a can make for a meal that has something special. The extra effort and mindful attention to detail set this dinner apart from the everyday meals. The long hours in the kitchen are something to take pride in and to cherish. Cooking, after all, is one of the most basic and intuitive expressions of love.

This Thanksgiving, I encourage everyone to make their holidays as fresh as you can —

Not organic,

Not green,

Not eco-friendly,

just fresh.

www.rosannainc.com

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Only nine days until Thanksgiving, and counting.

Thanksgiving is an especially significant American holiday because every one celebrates it—regardless of religion. As most holidays do, Thanksgiving marks a moment when families come together. I have quite a lot to say about Thanksgiving and its significance, but what I’d really like is to hear from you. I want to use this blog as a place to start conversations, which are crucial components that help create community.

Ready? Here’s the question:

What do you think is the most important thing to put on a Thanksgiving table?  

Make your answers as personal or as widely applicable as you like. I'll post my answer at the end of the week. 

I'm excited to read your answers!

www.rosannainc.com

Warehouse Sale

* * *11/19 UPDATE* * * We are no longer having 2 sales. The new date is December 10-12. 

Rosanna wanted to be able to say THANK YOU for the continued support through the years. She will also be on hand to autograph Coming Home. 

Fri - 12/10 from 9a-5p (Rosanna appearance 9-5)
Sat - 12/11 from 9a-5p (Rosanna appearance 10-2)
Sun - 12/12 from 9a-5p (Rosanna appearance 10-2)

IT'S SALE TIME...but instead of 1 sale, we're having 2! Both sales will be held at our current location of 440 S Holgate St Seattle, WA 98134. Rosanna's warehouse is moving locations in January and we want to start fresh! Beyond collectible Rosanna tableware, Deruta and some slightly defective pieces, we'll have furniture (antique & office) available. For those that attend the Warehouse sale and spend $150 or more, you will receive an additional 10% off your purchase at the Moving sale (receipt required.) Hope to see you there!!!

Warehouse Sale

 December 4th & 5th from 9a-5p

Moving Sale

December 17th & 18th from 9a-5pm     

Reminders

Visa & MC accepted on purchases over $50

Cash is faster! We only have one credit card machine and the line gets backed up

NO CHECKS PLEASE

Parking is on street or in the gravel lot across Holgate. We kindly ask that you do not park in the Goodwill parking lot.

Must be present to shop. Orders will not be accepted via phone or email.

Please, for safety reasons, do not bring small children.

No refunds or exchanges. Please check all items for damages and defects before leaving.

 www.rosannainc.com

The Show Must Go On

As entertaining as it is to entertain, throwing big dinner parties can get expensive. We all know that keeping connection in your life is important. How to have people over but stay within your budget? Here's one possible solution: 

Last week I attended a birthday party that allowed the hosts to entertain on a low budget. The party was both low stress and highly creative.

First of all, the party was a potluck. Spreading out the cooking responsibilities among guests kept costs low and cleanup at a minimum. But the best part of the party was the main event—a reading of the 1940’s play Light Up The Sky by Moss Hart. The hosts assigned each guest a part ahead of time and sent a script.

This kind of party is a trade off. It is less expensive, but it does require more planning. But the planning is worth it. A play reading makes for a creative, unusual, and refreshing gathering. After a glass of wine, shy performers lose some timidity and those of us with frustrated inner actors (yes, that would be me) get the chance to flex our thespian muscles.

If you’re interested in throwing a dinner-theater dinner party, here are a few tips:

-Choose a play available online. That way you can email your guests the script and not worry about making photocopies

-Get your invitations out well in advance, so your actors have time to read their lines through and get comfortable with the play

-Pick a show with a clear era or theme. Encourage everyone to dress the part

-Make the event a potluck or a dessert party to take the cooking pressure off

-Pick a play with a large ensemble so that as many people as possible can participate. If there are too many parts, double up!

Break a leg,

www.rosannainc.com

Reinventing Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday that belongs to all Americans. There are certain hallmarks of the day—turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie. There is the pleasure of returning to the same meal each year.  But let’s be honest; the same food year in, year out can also get boring.

Consider reinventing, or rather, reinvigorating Thanksgiving this year. Doing something new doesn’t mean you must pore over the pages in design magazines. It doesn’t mean making radical departures from the foods your family knows and loves. After all, comfort is an essential and beautiful part of the Thanksgiving meal.

My idea is simple: refresh tradition by returning to tradition. 

Add diversity to your Thanksgiving meal by tapping in to your family’s culinary roots. Think of new/old ways to prepare classic Thanksgiving fare. For example, if your family is French, you can use the turkey innards to make a pate. If your family is Middle Eastern or North African, make a cous cous dish showcasing squash. A Hispanic family might prepare a dish with corn as the main attraction. A Chinese family could cook the turkey using the preparation used to make BBQ pork or Peking duck. This year, incorporate the spices and flavors of your childhood into your Thanksgiving meal to create a holiday that’s both novel and deeply familiar.

Because much of my family comes from Italy, we’ve added squash ravioli with brown butter and sage to our Thanksgiving menu. Unless you choose to make the ravioli yourself, this dish is an easy crowd-pleaser.

Squash (or Pumpkin!) Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 package FRESH, not dried, squash or pumpkin ravioli

4 tbs salted butter

2 cloves garlic

7 large sage leaves

pinch of sea salt

¼ cup chopped hazelnuts (optional)

Instructions

1.      Add salt and set water to boil for ravioli in a medium pot.

2.      Peel 2 cloves of garlic, smash to release flavor.

3.      Wash and de-stem sage leaves

4.      Chop hazelnuts coarsely. Set aside.

5.      To make the sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the garlic and sage. Cook until the sage is crispy and the butter has begun to turn brown. Add salt to taste. Remove the garlic and discard.  

6.      When the water begins to boil, add the ravioli. (Attention! Fresh pasta takes only 3-4 minutes to cook. Time accordingly.) Strain pasta in sink, in strainer.

7.      Arrange 6-8 ravioli on each plate. Drizzle with the butter sauce and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Local products are always best your best bet. However, if you can’t find squash ravioli near you, here are some vendors that sell this type of ravioli nationally and will ship:

FreshPasta.com- scroll down to the “Ravioli” section

Alfredo Aiello Foods

Marx Foods

www.rosannainc.com