Let's Dish ~ Nantucket, an Island Destination

Let's Dish 

about my favorite island destination,

~ Nantucket ~

Nantucket is a wind swept island 

30 miles out to sea off the coast of Cape Cod.  

Only fourteen miles long and three and a half miles wide, 

the island is full of beauty, charm, and history.  

It long ago stole my heart and imagination.

Atlantic Cafe 

is one of my favorite island haunts.

So with thoughts of my beloved Nantucket, 

I've set a lunch table for you today.  

Please come in and join me for a bowl of 

New England clam chowder.

I filled some of my Nantucket Lightship Baskets with 

cut flowers and gathered them together with scrimshaw 

boxes onto a large Courtly Check tray from MacKenzie-Childs.

The tureen is Nantucket Basket by Wedgwood.

The details on this piece replicate the details 

found on many of the Nantucket Lightship Baskets.

The distinctive shape and simplicity of 

Nantucket Lightship Baskets make them unique.

You can read more about the fascinating history of this craft  here.

The oak or cane staves of these baskets are 

formed over a wooden mold and then woven with fine cane.

A Nantucket Lightship Basket 

holds fresh rolls right out of the oven.

This young man holds a little salt and pepper

should you desire more seasoning in your chowder.

He's French and must have come ashore from 

one of the many sailing vessels moored in the harbor.

Our lunch table is set with the theme 

of sailing ships and Nantucket Lightship Baskets.

The chowder bowl features another 

jaunty sailor who sailed into port from France.

Notice the French flag on his ship?

This bowl is a limited edition issue of a design in the 

Musée des Faiences de Quimper's archives.

The concentric rings of yellow and blue of the 

Quimper bowl contrast with the woven pattern of the

Nantucket Basket dinner plate.  Both sit atop a 

square red plate by Waechtersbach, Germany, 

all on a simple woven placemat.

The organic shape and feel of the 

Treble Clef flatware reminds me of seaweed.

The whaling industry was an 

important part of the history of Nantucket.

Scrimshaw, the American version of ivory carvings,

is the folk art of carving on whale teeth or bones

and was an important part of the daily life aboard whaling ships.

While antique scrimshaw pieces are highly collectable and 

expensive, the above collage is of three inexpensive pieces 

purchased as souvenirs while visiting Nantucket.  

The "woven" piece top right is made from bone, 

but the other two pieces are made of synthetic ivory.  

The detail is carved into the bone and then later inked in.

It's said that mermaids 

live off the coast of Nantucket. 

I spied this unusual Mermaid teapot 

for sale at Anthropologie a few years ago.

Sadly she never did swim home with me.

Now this beauty is no longer available.  

Glad I snapped these photos when I first saw her.

My tip for Stone Gable's Weekly Meme:

Buy it when you see it!

Speaking of beauties .   .   .

~ Perfect Patty ~

for the girl that always has style

with a little understated touch.

 

This gorgeous seashell cuff was created by

Kelley of Teacups and Ponies.  

I was the lucky recipient when Kelley

hosted a giveaway of one of her original designs.

Thank you, Kelley. 

 I hope you'll stop by to visit  Teacups and Ponies.  

Tell Kelley I sent you!

~ Nantucket ~

My Favorite Island Destination

Will always hold my heart.

Joining 

Let's Dish @ Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Tutorials , Tips, and Tidbits @ Stone Gable

Home and Garden Thursday @ A Delightsome Life

Open House Party @ No Minimalist Here

What It's Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage

Potpourri Friday @ 2805

Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home

Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home

Hot Fun in the Summertime @ Bliss Ranch

Centerpiece Wednesday @  The Style Sisters 

Seasonal Sunday @ The Tablescaper

N is for Nantucket

is for

NANTUCKET

Nantucket, a wind-swept island off the coast of Cape Cod, stole my heart and imagination many years ago. Only fourteen miles long and three and a half miles wide, it is full of beauty, charm, and history.

With thoughts of one of my favorite destinations, I've set a lunch table for you today. Please come in and join me for a bowl of clam chowder.

I like to make New England clam chowder with fresh clams, potatoes, bacon, onions, and cream.

The tureen is Nantucket by Wedgwood. The details on this piece replicate the details found on many of the Nantucket lightship baskets.

A Nantucket lightship basket 
holds fresh rolls right out of the oven.

This young man holds a little salt and pepper should you desire more seasoning in your chowder. He's French and must have come ashore from one of the many sailing vessels moored in the harbor.

You'll dine with my new Gourmet Settings flatware, a gift from Michael Lee West. I was the lucky winner of this set of Treble Clef flatware as part of Michael's Boucoup Give-Aways. Michael hosts Designs by Gollum, a daily style magazine that features Cooking, Tablestyling, an Inspiration Gallery, Design, a Newsletter, and Give-Aways. An accomplished author of fiction, Michael lives on a farm in Tennessee. Designs by Gollum is a site not to be missed as Michael Lee shares the simple pleasures of her life: cooking, writing, collecting, tablescaping, and interior design.

Thank you, Michael Lee! 

 I feel honored to have 

won this beautiful set of flatware.

This service for four of five piece place settings is 18/10 stainless steel and handmade. I like the organic feel of both the design and the unpolished steel handles.

Our lunch table is set with the theme 

of sailing ships and Nantucket Lightship Baskets.

The chowder bowl features a jaunty sailor who sailed into port from France. Notice the French flag? This bowl is a limited edition issue of a design in the Musée des Faiences de Quimper's archives.

The concentric rings of yellow and blue of the Quimper bowl contrast with the woven pattern of the Nantucket dinner plate. Both sit atop a square red plate by Waechtersbach, Germany on a simple woven placemat.

The organic shape and feel of the 

Treble Clef flatware reminds me of seaweed.

It's such a beautiful spring day, 

I thought we'd dine on the sunporch.

I filled some of my Nantucket Lightship Baskets with cut flowers from a friend's garden ("Thank you, Ann!") and gathered them together with a scrimshaw box upon a large Courtly Check tray from MacKenzie-Childs.

These beautiful roses have filled the 

room with the most delicious fragrance.

The sweet snapdragons 
are some of the last of the season.

This basket still holds the 
bittersweet berries from the fall.

The distinctive shape and simplicity of Nantucket Lightship 

Baskets make them unique. You can read more about the 

fascinating history of this craft at: 

http://nantucketbaskets.com/history/history.htm

The oak or cane staves of these baskets 

are formed over a wooden mold 

and then woven with fine cane.

The photo above shows an incredible 

Nantucket Lightship Basket style bassinet.

It's said that mermaids 
live off the coast of Nantucket.

And the whaling industry was an 

important part of the history of Nantucket.

Scrimshaw is the American version of ivory carvings. It is the folk art of carving on whale teeth or bones and was an important part of the daily life aboard whaling ships. Antique scrimshaw pieces are highly collectable and expensive. The above collage is of three pieces that were purchased as souvenirs while visiting Nantucket. With the exception of the "woven" piece top right, these pieces are made of synthetic bone. They are not antique and were not expensive.

The detail is carved into the 
bone and then later inked in.

This piece is made of bone and 
carved to resemble a woven basket.

I hope you've enjoyed lunch 
and a little bit about the island of Nantucket.

New England Clam Chowder

1/4 cup finely cut bacon or salt port

1/4 cup minced onion

1pt. shucked fresh clams with liquor or

2 cans (7 oz. Each) minced or whole clams, lobster, or other seafood

2 cups finely diced raw potato

1/2 cup water

2 cups milk

1tsp. salt

1/8tsp. pepper

Sauté bacon and onions in large kettle. Drain seafood. Add Liquor, potatoes, and water to onion and bacon. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Just before serving, add seafood, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Thank you for joining me!