Héloïse Brion, Franco-American hostess, chef and professional tablescaper, shares her philosophy of entertaining…
“When I was pregnant with my second son, my husband Christophe and I fell in love with an old hunting lodge in Normandy with a distinctly British look and christened it ‘Miss Maggie’. This house was a real turning point for me, a source of inspiration. After 15 years as a publicist in the fashion industry, I sensed the need for a change, to expand my horizons. So Christophe encouraged me to self-publish a recipe journal for family and friends who had often asked me to share my culinary secrets. I published the first issue in December 2016 with the title Miss Maggie’s Kitchen. After several reprints, I decided to dedicate myself to launching the company and website of the same name, and to share my philosophy of entertaining.
My cooking is decidedly unfussy with a focus on all that is fresh and seasonal and reflects my cross-cultural upbringing in the US and France. I love preparing family-style dishes and setting them in the centre of a table to create a relaxed vibe and encourage conversation. I purposely designed our kitchen for entertaining this way. I wanted appliances to disappear and not have any wall-mounted cabinets. The wall lights are all vintage pieces sourced at brocantes which have been repurposed. In the middle of the kitchen, we have a long wooden farm table around which are vintage church chairs. There is a fireplace which we often use to grill veggies, fish or meat. We kept the original tiles, some of which are very worn, but is all part of the charm.
The kitchen is central to my Christmas preparations, which begin the first week of December when I make an inventory of decorations and start to think about menus and table settings. I like to stimulate all the senses: soft light with pretty candles and the fire lit, the smells of the Christmas tree, Christmas songs (especially American ones), sweets you can nibble all day long, and a variety of materials: linen, wood, crystal. For the table, I like to balance classic pieces – I always use my great-grandmother’s dinner service – with artisan-produced ceramics and a mixture of glasses from Baccarat and La Soufflerie, inherited from my mother. Every year, she prepared the Christmas table behind closed doors so that her table decoration came as a surprise for the whole family.
I also like to break some rules when setting the table. According to French etiquette, champagne glasses don’t belong on the dining table but I find them rather joyful. I also subvert the rules of placement for wine and water glasses, placing the bigger glass for wine to the left, and a smaller one for water to the right. For a final personalised touch, I usually add a little detail or gift at each place setting. This could be a rosemary sprig, an inspirational quote on pretty paper, a small jar of homemade spice blend, a lovely ribbon tied around the napkin, or some homemade pot pourri – the possibilities are endless.
During the holiday season, I always have dried citrus slices in the pantry. They are so easy to make – heat the oven to 110°C, place fruit slices on parchment paper and bake for four hours, turning halfway through – and can be used on garlands, to decorate the tree or to garnish mulled wine or cocktails. I also hang wreaths everywhere: on the front door, on our garage door, in the living room, and in the kitchen. I make some of them myself, starting with a base of pine or fir branches, ivy, or moss that I’ve found outside. Then I add fresh herbs such as sprigs of sage, rosemary, oregano, and thyme. I hang this wreath over the stove so that I have fresh herbs from the garden at hand when I cook. They dry out over time, of course, but the scent is divine. This makes a nice gift and is a great idea for a workshop with friends over a cup of tea and a slice (or two!) of cake.”
My Art of Entertaining: Recipes and Tips from Miss Maggie’s Kitchen, Flammarion.