Savouring September
Hello September!
September has always felt like a month of transition to me. I’m never quite ready to say goodbye to summer - the hot weather, the long daylight hours, and all that extra time making memories with my sons, John and Michael. But I can't deny that I love what comes next. The beautiful sunshine without the humidity, cool nights with the windows open and bonus! - the farmer’s market at its absolute peak. It’s that lovely in-between season when summer hasn’t quite left us, but there’s just a hint of fall in the air. So rather than rushing into fall, I’m making a point of savouring every bit of September.
Dana
Shortt Cuts | Recipes
Miso Butter Sweet Corn
Prep time – less than 5 minutes
Serves – 2 (recipe can be easily doubled or tripled)
Remove the kernels from 2 large ears of fresh corn (preferably from Herrle’s). Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan set over medium heat and add the corn along with 2 teaspoons of white miso paste (you can add another teaspoon if you like a little more miso flavour). Sauté for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the corn is crisp-tender and beautifully coated in the miso butter. If needed, add a splash of white wine or water to help the miso melt into the butter and evenly coat the corn. Remove from the heat and finish with a little freshly torn basil.
Shortt Cuts | Entertaining
Take the Teacups Out of the China Cabinet
I have always loved tea (and beautiful tea china). If you have teacups tucked away in a china cabinet collecting dust, why wait for afternoon tea to use them?
Pull them out and have a little fun! Fill a pretty teacup with yogurt and granola or fresh fruit salad topped with a spoonful of lemon curd, serve a small portion of soup as a starter, or use one for ice cream drizzled with fruit coulis. They're also lovely filled with chilled shrimp and cocktail sauce, and you could even create individual charcuterie cups with cheese, cured meats, crackers and a few grapes.
And they don't all have to match. In fact, I think a collection of mismatched vintage teacups can make a table even more interesting.
Shortt Cut: Beautiful things are meant to be used. Don't save your favourite china for an occasion — using it can make an ordinary day feel like one.
And if you share my love of all things tea, join me at Langdon Hall on November 28 for our afternoon of tea, etiquette and mindfulness. I'll be sharing some of the fascinating history, traditions and etiquette behind one of my favourite rituals.
Shortt Cuts | Travel
Paris, France
Heading to Paris? Here are two experiences I loved.
One of my favourite ways to experience a city is on foot, and Paris might be the perfect city for it.
Rather than trying to race from one major attraction to another, consider choosing a neighbourhood and spending a few hours simply exploring.
One of our favourite experiences in Paris was a Montmartre food tour. My Mom and I spent the afternoon exploring the neighbourhood on foot, stopping along the way to sample everything from French cheeses and charcuterie to breads, pastries, chocolates and wine. It was such a fun way to experience Montmartre while learning more about the food, history and character of the neighbourhood.
Shortt Cut: We booked our food tour for the afternoon we arrived in Paris, and I would absolutely do this again. Having somewhere to be forced us to stay awake and get outside rather than give in to jet lag – and there was so much food on the tour that we didn't even need dinner afterwards. A great way to make the most of that first day!
I'm also a fan of Paris Walks, which offers English speaking guided walks through different neighbourhoods and around specific themes. It's an easy way to see parts of Paris you might otherwise walk right past. We loved The Marais, Latin Quarter and Notre Dame tours.
Shortt Cuts | Etiquette
A Little Airport & Airplane Etiquette
Travel days can test even the best manners. A little consideration for the people sharing your very small space can make the journey more pleasant for everyone.
Keep your socks on. Getting comfortable is one thing, but an airplane is still a shared public space. Shoes off on a very long flight? Perhaps - but bare feet are a definite no.
Be considerate about bathroom breaks. If you're in the window or middle seat and know you'll need to get up frequently, consider mentioning it to the person in the aisle. They may actually prefer to switch seats rather than get up repeatedly throughout the flight (this exact situation happened to me last year and I would have much preferred to switch seats).
Use your headphones. Whether it's a movie, podcast, music or game, if everyone around you can hear it, it's too loud. Your entertainment shouldn't become everyone else's entertainment.
Think before you recline. Your seat may recline, but take a quick look behind you first, and of course avoid reclining during meal service.
Give the middle seat the armrests. The window passenger gets the view and a wall to lean against; the aisle passenger gets easier access to get up. Surely we can give the person in the middle both armrests?
And when the plane lands, unless you're rushing to make a tight connection, there's no need to leap into the aisle. Let the rows ahead of you exit first.
Good etiquette isn't really about knowing a long list of rules. It's about consideration of others and remembering that you're sharing the journey with everyone around you.
Coming Up: Info session on Sept 21/26
Burgundy by River
Have you ever wondered what a day aboard a river cruise actually looks like?
Delicious food and wine, plenty of adventure, a little downtime and a new view outside your window every day.
That's exactly the kind of travel we're looking forward to on our AmaWaterways Burgundy river cruise from May 4 – 11, 2028.
Join Chef Christine Flynn, photographer Nataschia Wielink and me at Thirty Bench Winery on Monday, September 21 from 6:30–8:00 p.m. for a glass of sparkling wine and a taste of what we have planned. We'll be joined by an AmaWaterways representative to answer questions and share more about the cruise, including some special experiences we're creating just for our group.
If Burgundy has been calling your name, guests who book by September 30 will save $1,600 per couple.
Click here to JOIN US AT THIRTY BENCH or email me dana@nextchapterbydanashortt.com for more details.