Welcome back for five great finds this week! Each time something good comes up I think “Perfect! I need to share this with you on my five favs!” It’s fun having Annie and Cindy share theirs now too as a regular feature.
1. Polished Copper And Other Surfaces
It’s worth repeating that Barkeeper’s Friend makes keeping our copper pans shiny an easy task! Works on porcelain, stainless steel, and other surfaces.
2. The Gap Linen Shirt
This blue linen shirt is 50% off. I also bought it in the coral orange. It breathes and feels like a much nicer quality shirt for the price ($36). I’m wearing a regular extra small (since I’m short). I don’t mind the wrinkling and you can also tie it at the waist. There are other colors, too.
3. What To Cook
Howard made: Halibut With Cherry Tomatoes and Snow Peas En Papillote from the Wall St. Journal. It was delicious and seems fancy cooked in parchment paper but he insists it’s easy.
WSJ says: “Tucking halibut fillets into parchment-paper packets for a 15-minute steam-roast produces succulent results every time.”
- 4 ½-inch-thick halibut fillets (about 6 ounces each)
- Kosher salt
- 2 lemons
- 3 tbsp minced fresh oregano
- 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 7 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup thinly sliced snow peas
- 4 tbsp white wine
-
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Salt fish on both sides. Finely grate zest of 1 lemon over fillets. Sprinkle on 1 tablespoon oregano.
-
In a bowl, toss tomatoes with vinegar and 3 tablespoons oil. Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and season with salt. Lightly crush tomato mixture until juices pool in bowl. Toss in snow peas
-
Arrange each halibut fillet on a rectangle of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch border all the way around. Place each parchment rectangle on a rectangle of aluminum foil, leaving a 1-inch border of foil all around. Spoon tomato-snow pea mixture and some of juices over fish. Pour 1 tablespoon wine over each fillet.
-
Top each serving with a second paper rectangle of equal size to the first, and fold edges to make a parcel. Fold foil over edges and crimp to seal. Place parcels on 2 baking sheets and bake until paper puffs and browns and fish is easily pierced with a knife and flakes when prodded,, about 15 minutes.
-
In a mortar, combine remaining oregano and garlic. Finely grate in zest of 1 lemon. Add juice of 1 lemon and remaining oil. Smash with pestle to form a chunky sauce. Add more lemon juice, oil and salt to taste.
-
Cut open parcels at table and drizzle oregano sauce over contents. Serve with new potatoes, salad or both.
4. What To Read
Book: The Gown by Jennifer Robson
“From the internationally bestselling author of Somewhere in France comes an enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century—Queen Elizabeth’s wedding.”
I listened to it on audio and the narrator is really good. It’s about the fictional lives of the ladies who did the embroidery work. I borrowed the book online from my local library.
My friend, JoAnn suggested googling Queen Elizabeth’s wedding dress after reading the book,
On Friday, Princess Beatrice was married in one of the Queen’s vintage gowns designed by Norman Hartnell (who was also the designer of her wedding dress). I think that it’s sweet and sentimental–made me like the book even more.
Photo by Benjamin Wheeler and released by Buckingham Palace
5. Problems With Your Lever Wine Opener Sticking?
Well, THAT won’t do! My sister recommended spraying WD-40 on our lever wine opener and it’s working great again! Try it if yours is giving you problems. Note: We only used a tiny bit and wiped off excess but a reader Allison suggests using Pam and I can’t wait to try it next time I need to.
WD-40 is great for squeaky doors, too.
So, I hope you are keeping your spirits up…I KNOW it’s hard. Call a friend when you are down. Chances are it will make you both feel better.
And that’s it…my five favorite finds this week! Go see what my buddies recommend…
Most Lovely Things
Rough Luxe Lifestyle
Being a sucker for all things Royal … seeing Princess Beatrice’s wedding pictures made my weekend. I’ve been on a Royal reading tear so The Gown will be added to the queue. The monotony of COVID life is finally getting to me … thank goodness for Royal weddings, good books and an endless supply of great TV. We watched Greyhound over the weekend. Apple TV. Tom Hanks plus wartime suspense equals a very entertaining 90 minutes. xo
I think we need the service, Hulu? to watch Greyhound. I need to investigate, Juliet!
THE LITTLE PRINCESS WAS GORGEOUS……………I LOVE THAT PHOTO OF THE QUEEN LOOKING AT HER FROM A GOOD SIX FEET!WHAT A GRAND IDEA THAT WAS……..I WONDER IF WE WILL HEAR ABOUT WHO”S IDEA IT WAS!
MY THOUGHTS TOO ON THE WD-40…….too close to FOOD BUT PAM TO CLEAN STAINLESS STEEL IS AWESOME!
I SHALL TRY THAT!NOW I NEED TO GO TO THE STORE…….for two things!HOWARDS HALIBUT and PAM!
I am LOVING SHARING RECIPES HERE AS I AM BURNT OUT!
DID YOU DINE AT A16………..we were there years ago and I MEAN YEARS AGO when they first OPENED.
XX
I love this information about the book and Princess Beattrices gown…I’m going to take a break from listening to podcasts on my walk and download the book. You always find the best of everything Mary Ann! And how lucky are we that our husbands cook??
Hello Mary Ann ,
Only recently stumbled across your blog and really enjoying it.
I hope you will forgive me for correcting a detail but the designer’s name is Norman Hartnell not David Hartnell.
Very much looking forward to your next post as we are still very much in lockdown here in Melbourne,Australia.
Many thanks
Susie
Thanks, Susie! I will correct it immediately. Memory lapse…got the last name right! I have been thinking so much of our beautiful trip to Sydney and I hear Melbourne (from tourists here) say it’s even better 🙂
Mary Ann,
We loved the pizza recipe using TJ’s crust and ingredients. I’ve already bought the dough for pizza again this week. The linen blouse is very pretty on you. I needed a new audible book. Thanks for the recommendation.
Have a happy upcoming week.
xo,
Karen
I would love to see a complete picture of your kitchen painting that is next to the coffee maker. Love the colors.
Love barkeepers friend on outdoor grill stainless surfaces! Nice post👍
I always enjoy reading your “5.” And your photos are wonderful. Thanks for all of your shares. I am intrigued with your book selection. More please. I love to read. It has been a source of comfort during this time. I also love old movies. Just watched Glenn Ford and Debbie Reynolds in “The Gazebo.” Such fun and loved seeing the wonderful Carl Reiner in a supporting role.
Lovely post thank you for the sunshine! Going to use that recipe, looks delicious.
Thanks, Francesca. My husband has a subscription to the WSJ and he tore out the recipe…but now I like that we don’t need to keep the paper scrap. I pinned it to my dinner board. I think you will like it, too.
I so envy your access to: fresh veggies, fresh fish and TRADER JOE’S!!! I have induction so I gave away my copper pots (sniff, sniff) but Bar Keeper’s friend is a friend in deed. It’s great on my stainless steel countertops as well as my cookware. Couldn’t live without it. Good to know about Pam. I use the Rabbit, but my husband prefers the French wine key. He’s got great (maybe too good) “gription” on that thing…but he is the one who once broke my tortilla press with too much torque!!!!! BTW, linen is the way to go in heat and humidity. I still laugh at the wording on a Ralph Lauren linen skirt I bought: guaranteed to wrinkle!
That is so funny…your husband must be buff! HAHAHA…guaranteed to wrinkle…that’s what we love about linen tho.
The fish recipe looks delish and Barkeepers friend is amazing on stainless sinks too ( I mix it with a couple drops of Blue Dawn dish soap… I do have reservations about the WD4O being used near food ie the wine opener as it could drip potentially contaminating a beautiful bottle of wine and the odour:(… What about a spritz of PAM? It’s food grade, I use it on my can opener to keep it moving freely. A designer was once asked how he kept the SS appliances used on set for a kitchen show so shiny and he divulged that they used WD40! He also cautioned that since it was a TV set there was no concern about using the product BUT stated that he would not use on home appliances and suggested using PAM original then buffing well. I have since used it on my SS appliances and they look awesome and no worries about pets and humans contacting.
Oh my gosh…I never thought of that, Allison, about the WD40 since we used so little and wiped most of it off. But Pam is a great idea! I will try that next time it need to…and on stainless steel. Thanks so much for commenting!!!
I just finished the audio version of the gown this week and was so excited to see that Princess Beatrice wore a gown designed by David Hartnell and the same tiara her grandmother had worn😊
I thought the same thing, Melanie!
Howard did it again! We love halibut. I am trying to get back on the weight watchers wagon tomorrow so that recipe sounds perfect. I love that orange linen shirt too! I forget about the gap. I don’t know why! Great finds this week!
I want/need to get back on WW too!!!