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The Turquoise Table

Kristin Schell

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31 Days: The Last Christmas {at the table with Kate Battistelli}

Christmas Table 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality with Kristin Schell

Have you ever met someone and immediately felt they had a special something, that je ne sais quoi sparkle about them?

That’s the way I felt when I first met Kate. Funny thing is that we still haven’t met in real life (12 days until we do!), but we are kindreds— crazy for Jesus, family, food, and friends. I could tell you about the years she starred on stage in the King & I with Yul Brynner, or how she met her husband Mike, and the amazingly talented daughter they’ve raised, and the grandchildren she adores. There’s the book she’s written Growing Great Kids and the blog where she shares mouth watering recipes and words of faith and encouragement.

But, I think you’ll learn more about Kate Battistelli and her heart just from reading her story today. I’m honored to have Kate at the table, pull up a chair and hear what outrageous hospitality means to her.

~

The Last Christmas by Kate Battistelli | 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality with Kristin Schell

 

The Christmas before dad died, we knew it would be his last. Due to heart issues and major gut problems, he needed too much help to live home anymore so they moved him to the VA Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was clearly fading and his days with us were short.

A couple weeks before Christmas, I’d convinced my older sister to fly down from her home in Washington, DC to see him one last time. She’s an artisanal baker and the holidays are a crazy time for her but she heard the urgency in my voice and agreed to come down.

The VA takes good care of their patients but still, it’s a dreary and somewhat depressing place. I hated the fact dad was stuck there but mom wasn’t capable of taking care of him.

We talked about what we could do to celebrate dad. It would’ve been easy to simply meet in the dining hall and have a meal together but in our family, that would never fly. My parents were famous for entertaining and we knew dad deserved a spread. He deserved a par-tay with all the special foods he loved.

Mom reserved a private meeting room and my sister and I got busy preparing all the things dad loved, the foods marking our family celebrations. Mom is naturally given to hospitality and thankfully, all her children have it in their genes. She loves to fuss and cook and entertain and when she’s in charge, it’s going to be fancy!

She goes all out and her appetizers are classic. I don’t remember a holiday meal not beginning with bright Scottish smoked salmon on top of those little slices of rye bread from those tiny loaves at the grocery store, the ones in the crinkly wrapper. She’d coat each slice in cream cheese, add the salmon, a squeeze of lemon juice, cracked black pepper and capers and chopped red onion sprinkled on top. She’d even hard boil an egg and dice it fine to add to each little salmon canape.

Shrimp, always. Ice cold and jumbo, cooked and deveined at home. Never those pitiful little shrimp rings they sell. No way! Plump, jumbo shrimp with cocktail sauce, liberally spiked with fresh horseradish and lemon juice.

Good liver pate was standard, served with crisp melba toast and those tiny French sour pickles called cornichon. 

Two or three cheeses rounded out the appetizers and Graber olives from California, the best olives ever!

My sister, mom and I prepared all these foods for dad. The things he loved, the foods reminding him of better days and wonderful parties. Foods to let him know he was special to us and to remind him, he was worthy of a celebration.

We rounded out our party with homemade chicken salad on croissants, chocolate truffles and my sister’s amazing shortbread cookies.

The VA has strict rules about alcohol but there was no way this shindig was going down without champagne. So we hid a couple bottles in the cooler and after we set up the food, we opened them under the table and poured fancy French champagne into paper dixie cups.

We lit candles, played Christmas music, set a beautiful table with a linen tablecloth, real china and silver and transformed a staid meeting room into a fancy cocktail party for dad. He was having a pretty good day and he just beamed when we wheeled him in and saw us and all the fuss we’d made.

He couldn’t eat much but he appreciated what we were trying to do. He could feel our love and he knew we went the extra mile to do something special just for him.

Here’s what I know –  outrageous hospitality is always about others. It’s about taking the extra step and bringing comfort and healing wherever He leads us. And this particular day, He led us to outrageously shine His love to a dying man who could never return the favor. But  a man who knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was deeply loved. Sometimes? It’s about doing the most for the least of these.

~

Thank you, Kate, for sharing such an intimate picture of outrageous hospitality. That je ne sais quoi that makes you sparkle? I think we all know how, why and for Whom you shine. Y’all go hang out at Kate’s table today. She’s got a gorgeous new website and and a delicious salmon recipe waiting. You’ll be blessed.

Day #11 Table Talk: What is the most memorable meal you’ve ever had?

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Filed Under: Conversations Tagged With: 31 Days of Outrageous Hospitality, Christmas, Guest Posts

« 31 Days: 5 Ways to Offer Outrageous Hospitality {without cooking!}
31 Days: A Meal with Jesus »

Comments

  1. AvatarTeri Lynne Underwood says

    at

    Oh my word … two of my favorite people in one place! It’s too much!!

    Hug Kate big for me when you see her, please!

    xo,TL

    Reply
    • AvatarKate Battistelli says

      at

      Yes! Big hugs in your honor! xoxo

      Reply
    • AvatarKristin says

      at

      Teri Lynne – we will miss you. YOU are the friend who introduced us. Seriously, we three need a meet up soon. xo

      Reply
  2. AvatarAshley says

    at

    That was so sweet…I felt like I was there! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply
  3. AvatarKristin says

    at

    Ash – go hang out at Kate’s table. You will love, love her. xo, K

    Reply
  4. AvatarMitzi says

    at

    I have had the blessing of dining at Kates table. It is truly about hopitality and being loved. Honored to call her friend. I love ya Kate.

    Reply
  5. AvatarKate Battistelli says

    at

    Thanks so much Mitzi! Love you bunches:)

    Reply

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Meet Kristin

Welcome! I'm so glad you're here.

I'm on a mission to love my neighbors. I put an ordinary picnic table in my front yard, painted it turquoise and invited neighbors, friends, and even strangers to hang out and do life together at the Turquoise Table®.

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Inauguration January 20, 1993. 🇺🇸 I was a br Inauguration January 20, 1993. 🇺🇸 I was a bright-eyed, young Hill staffer, full of enthusiasm for politics, our government, and America. I actually thought I’d be a senator or maybe even President one day. 🤪

I’m more realistic, reserved and battle weary thirty years later. But, I still believe in a place called hope.
Winter wonderland in #atx 🤷🏻‍♀️❄️🙌🏽
Said goodbye to 2020 and welcomed 2021 in our happ Said goodbye to 2020 and welcomed 2021 in our happy place @ymcarockies We’ve packed it all in— sledding, skating, hiking, vision boards, celebrated our 23rd anniversary, and kicked off the New Year this morning with a 5k. I even found time to sit and stitch by the fire. 

Sure feels like we are making up for lost time and setting our hope for the year ahead. Happy New Year friends!! 

#2021
Cheers to twenty-three! 🥂 Cheers to twenty-three! 🥂
No coffee on the porch for me this morning! I’ll No coffee on the porch for me this morning! I’ll stay by the fire. We made the 16 hour trek to start the new year in our happy place. We’ve never been here the week between Christmas and NYE and we’re excited to explore in the snow. ❄️ I’m already laughing at our summer stash of clothes we keep here —cotton leggings, hoodies, and fishing boots. Feel free to laugh with and at me. Also winter friends—give me all your tips. 

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