Smile with your eyes. Listen with your heart. Enjoy others warmth.
The Art of Entertaining
Richness of hearth, heart and love feeds me
Art can be expressed in many forms. The art of a table setting, dining at home and creative flair with food are muses to feed my artist soul. It can be light when I'm carefree or comforting in the dark, hot and cold, there is always the right food for my mood.
Here's a little insight into what keeps those artistic neurons flowing, connecting and inspired!
yianoula@Home
When entertaining... a menu with all the trimmings, polished sliver and dusted cobwebs, a sensual tablescape that bring the outside in.
Welcome to my home. My home is your home. Warmth, friendship and smiles abound. The cacophony of laughter, is music to my ears. The art of entertaining is ingrained in my nature.
In my tablescapes I'm not afraid of colour, love repetition and using what's on hand. Yes, I put in effort and make it look good, after all, I am creating a still life to come to life.
I grew up in hotels and appreciate the finer details of hospitality, the theatre of the cook, the details and scene setting. From The Orchid Room's crepe suzette, to traditional Sunday lunch in Katoomba and lamb on the spit in the Dooralong Valley entertaining with a gregarious smile is fun!
There is also art in the atmosphere created. I once had a summer job setting tables for dinner on Lord Howe Island, a tropical paradise of palms, coral spawning, birdlife and lapping blue water. Ahhh... take me back to working with the soft light grey damask, cutlery for a sublime four course menu, usually featuring kingfish caught that morning, and my most acclaimed works - the centrepiece of tropical monstera leaves with as many hibiscus as I could pick. Made daily, destroyed nightly but the memory of its beauty lives on.
#culinarydelights
Australian produce
Plant to plate
Theatre of the cook
Fresh, seasonal, simple and it will taste delicious. Plate it like the masterpiece it is.
Australian produce is fan-bloody-tastic.
My taste buds are tantalised with sweet and sour Queensland mud crab on noodles with greens, wagyu rump cap, ribs with rub, baked lemon potatoes, steamed local snapper. Sustainably sourced meat, seafood, veg seasoned with Australian spices is my go-to.
I have a little garden and am always amazed by what it produces from plant to plate. Delectable jam, sweet curd and leafy herbs and greens.
I'm also up for a tiki tour anytime. Fruit picking, stopping off at the bakery on the way, then some wine and cheese on the way home- yes please! Farmers markets too! Today is a good day.
It's when we entertain, that the theatre of the cook abounds - toss the wok, cook en plein air. We entertain with gusto, joy and pizzaz. If you are a guest enjoying our culinary delights, then you are getting involved in the production.
I would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which I paint. I pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.