Tile Floors in The Kitchen: Inspiration From Spain Guest Post from Susan Serra of The Kitchen Designer

Tile Floors in The Kitchen: Inspiration From Spain Guest Post from Susan Serra of The Kitchen Designer
Our regular contributor on all things kitchen design, Regina Yunghans, is away for a couple weeks. She just had a beautiful baby boy! So we ve invited a few friends to share some inspiration from beautiful kitchens. First up is Susan Serra, a professional kitchen designer and blogger. Here s her account of a recent trip to Spain, with lots of photos too!

I love modern design and I know so much of The Kitchn community does too. What I REALLY love (and I m sure I m not alone) is the mix of old and new, clean and textured, cool and warm, those sort of eclectic combinations.

During a recent trip to Spain (courtesy of www.autokitchen.com) for which I along with my colleague Roberta Kravette, AKBD, LEED AP, was asked to speak to an audience at the Spanish kitchen design exhibition (SICI) in Madrid on American kitchen design trends, I had the opportunity to do a little traveling around Spain as well. Put a camera in my hands and I go to TOWN, finding inspiration virtually anywhere.

For some reason, part of my 2,000 images over 5 days centered around flooring…the patterns, colors, and textures spoke to me and said “come hither”. I had been thinking at various times this year about how design elements can be interpreted as truly classic and timeless in a kitchen design. I think that is what attracted me to turn the camera downward at the floors in Spain, some of these centuries-old, and compare them to today s flooring aesthetic.

It may sound simplistic, but the patterns are familiar, as are the tile colors. What was unexpected were the delightful and colorful inserts situated among the larger tiles, typical for a kitchen backsplash but not seen so often these days in the US in flooring. Sometimes the inserts were patterned, sometimes a solid color or the color of the tile. Zig zag patterns with colorful tiles in a line were fun and who doesn t love the classic herringbone pattern (without a colorful zigzag within it)?

I asked autokitchen to create a few renderings of modern kitchens with classic (and old looking) flooring configurations. That s one of my favorite looks – old and new design elements used together. It s the energy I love. Besides having classic beauty, the floors in Spain fall mainly on (fill in the blank because I can t!)

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Tile Floors in The Kitchen: Inspiration From Spain Guest Post from Susan Serra of The Kitchen Designer

Sweets & Spices: 15 Cookie Recipes for the Holidays Recipe Roundup

Sweets & Spices: 15 Cookie Recipes for the Holidays Recipe Roundup
Gingerbread Christmas Tree Ornaments

In case you haven t noticed, it s Cookie Week here at The Kitchn! Yes, we know that many of you have been busily baking cookies for weeks now (you re so industrious!) so please share what you re doing, and inspire us all! We ll have a lot of new recipes and ideas for you this week, but first here s a dip into the archives. From cookie ornaments and easy gingerbread houses to buttery shortbread and one or two chocolatey treats, here are some favorite cookie recipes for the holidays.

TOP ROW
• 1 Gingerbread Christmas Tree Ornaments – A guest post from Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. We love these edible ornaments!
• 2 Peppermint Gingerbread House – From Cookie Craft Christmas. A gingerbread house that s within anyone s grasp.
• 3 Brown Sugar Cookies with a Touch of Whole Wheat – A warm, soft sugar cookie with the warmth and nice flavor of brown sugar and whole wheat flour.
• 4 Chewy Molasses Cookies with Crunchy Lemon Glaze – Super-chewy molasses cookies with a festive, sugary glaze.
• 5 Rosemary-Walnut Brown Butter Cookies – Simply the best. Browned, buttery, nutty, infused with rosemary flavor.

MIDDLE ROW
• 6 Molasses Spice Cookies with Orange Sugar – Beautiful little spice cookies with brilliant and delicious orange sugar.
• 7 Spiced Mexican Wedding Cookies – A classic holiday cookie, spicy and sweet with a dusting of snowy sugar.
• 8 Pumpkin Spice Cookies – Another soft and cakey cookie with lots of warm spice.
• 9 Chez Panisse Gingersnaps – This is our favorite gingersnap recipe. Paper-thin and delicate.
• 10 Cinnamon Walnut Dulce de Leche Bars – A chewy, indulgent bar cookie with cinnamon and gooey caramel.

BOTTOM ROW
• 11 Earl Grey Tea Cookies – The perfect cookie for an afternoon tea party.
• 12 Super-Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies – Snickerdoodles that will stay soft and chewy for days.
• 13 Michel Richard s Extremely Chocolaty Chip Cookies – A chocolate delight from an inventive chef.
• 14 French Madeleines – A sweet French classic.
• 15 Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Cherries & Pecans – Not a traditional holiday cookie, perhaps, but so great for cookie exchanges.

OK, your turn! We asked you about your favorite holiday cookies once already today, but if you have a recipe to share, post it here too!

Related: In a Baking Mood? 8 Cookie Recipes for Fall

(Images: See linked recipes for full image credits.)
Sweets & Spices: 15 Cookie Recipes for the Holidays Recipe Roundup

Communal Platter: 9 Big, Lovely Wood Planks for the Table

Communal Platter: 9 Big, Lovely Wood Planks for the Table
Bountiful Harvest Cutting Board in Rustic Salvaged Black Walnut – From Gray Works.

I have this obsession right now with huge boards on the table — long, rough-cut planks to serve food, hold candles, and take the place of honor in the center of the table. Here are a few favorites from Etsy — what would you do if you had a big platter like these?

As you can probably tell from this list, my heart is given to the boards at Gray Works Design. They make these huge, gorgeous “plattes” or footed platters that can run the length of a table. What a great way to serve dinner — place bread, cheese, meats, along a platter and let everyone serve themselves. Or simply arrange candles and flowers. There s something about the spirit of one giant communal platter that I really love. These are all quite spendy, unfortunately, but maybe I will save my pennies and serve polenta off a giant board a few years hence!

Also, not all of these pieces are simply decorative; most can also serve as a chopping block in the kitchen.

TOP ROW
• 1 Bountiful Harvest Cutting Board in Rustic Salvaged Black Walnut – From Gray Works. Sold, but any of their pieces can be reproduced.
• 2 Lusciously Long Footed Platte – Cutting Board in Russet Red Colorful Cherry – $200 from Gray Works. I love the organic shape of this one.
• 3 Harvest Bowl – Large, Rustic, Hand Carved – $130 from Gray Works. Not quite a platter, but in the same spirit.
• 4 Cafe Cutting Board in Black Walnut – $50 from Gray Works. A smaller version, and more affordable.
• 5 Local Bounty, Extra Thick Chopping Board/Buffet Server – $315 from Red Onion Works. Another huge board from another great craftsman on Etsy.

BOTTOM ROW
• 6 Extra Thick, Natural Edge Cutting Board – $96 from Red Onion Works. Another smaller board that would still make a great centerpiece.
• 7 Fir, Walnut, and Purpleheart Serving Tray – $127 from BP Custom Woodworks. Another beautiful piece of craftsmanship.
• 8 Black walnut chopping block/serving tray – $72 from M. Javidi and Son Woodworking. The turned feet give this board a little something special.
• 9 Birds eye maple chopping block – $79 from M. Javidi and Son Woodworking. Very handsome.

Do you use big boards on the table at all? Ever seen it done well in a restaurant or someone else s home?

Related: Jamie Oliver s Proper Polenta + New Book

(Images: Gray Works Design; Red Onion Works; BP Custom Woodworks; M. Javidi and Son Woodworking)
Communal Platter: 9 Big, Lovely Wood Planks for the Table

The Kitchn s 10 Most Popular Posts of June 2010 Best of 2010

The Kitchn s 10 Most Popular Posts of June 2010 Best of 2010
What were our readers reading last June? Here s a look back at your favorite posts of June 2010.

• 10 10 Affordable Beverage Jars and Dispensers
• 9 Make These Tonight: Cucumber Gimlets
• 8 Summer Squash: 15 Spectacular Recipes for Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Pattypan & More
• 7 Grandma s Kitchen Gets an IKEA Facelift
• 6 For the New Graduate: A Crash Course in Kitchen Basics
• 5 Vodka Watermelon! How to Fill a Fruit with Booze
• 4 Boozy Campari Citrus Pops
• 3 15 Essential Dips and Spreads for Summer
• 2 Memory Aid: Remember How Many Cups in a Gallon
• 1 Make Whipped Cream in a French Press

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The Kitchn s 10 Most Popular Posts of June 2010 Best of 2010

How Much Food Should I Make for a Brunch Party? Good Questions

How Much Food Should I Make for a Brunch Party? Good Questions
Q: How do I figure out how much food to make for a brunch? I am having about 20 people over for an informal brunch buffet, and planning: Fritatta squares, Faith s lemon sticky buns, cheddar-leek muffins, fruit salad, and orange juice/mimosas.

I was thinking to have one muffin and one sticky bun per person, plus 20% or so more to be sure there s enough, but is that overkill or insufficient? I don t want to run out and also don t want to end up with a house full of leftover baked goods. I was also thinking about making mini-sized sticky buns since people might not indulge in a whole one. I expect people to come and go over a three-hour window. Any advice would be welcome — thanks!

Sent by Nadia

Editor: Nadia, wow, we re flattered you re doing such a menu of Kitchn recipes! Best of luck — we love all of those recipes a lot.

A few thoughts on your planning. Yes, the amounts you have listed out sound good to us. (20% over is a catering rule of thumb.)

But it is also important to know your crowd. Are you inviting a lot of people who just nibble and leave half a muffin on their plate? Or will it be a crowd of hungry men who plow through half a tray of rolls on their own? Do take that into consideration — quantities eaten will vary from crowd to crowd.

Readers, do you have any advice for Nadia?

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How Much Food Should I Make for a Brunch Party? Good Questions

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