Pantry inspiration: Beth Stephens, The Food Adventuress kitchen tour.
Lyndi Fultz
Once upon a time, in a lazy mid-summer day filled with warm breezes and a belly aching for the deliciousness that was soon to come, I stepped into a dream world. A world filled with charm, character, and stories that made me want to never leave. Begging me to stay in this magical place forever or, at least until the dinnertime bell chimed.
That dream world was the historical home, dining room, and kitchen of food blogger and friend, Beth Stephens,The Food Adventuress. Three hours of bliss and inspiration. Three hours of friendship, strengthening. Three hours of pampered food and drink, what’s not to love about that? Seriously.
Let me take you on a tour of Beth’s kitchen. Step into this land of surely-this-is-make-believe with me. I’ll be your guide.
Beth lives in the historical downtown district in Rogers, Arkansas. A distinction that does stir up jealousy within me, I admit. Who doesn’t love the idea of strolling a few blocks to the farmer’s market, or being an instant member of a passionate historic district community? Who wouldn’t like coming home every day after a hard day of work and sitting in a homemade swing in the front yard, legs dangling as kids breathlessly run by, chasing fireflies?
{her home draws you in, begging for a visit}
The kitchen, oh the lovely kitchen. Let’s go there.
Beth’s kitchen is in the opposite direction of the ‘model home’ layout. Whereas one is coldly designed as a staging technique, when you step into Beth’s world your heartbeat slows down and a wave of peace and calm washes over you. This is a real home. A real kitchen. Yes, hers is a kitchen restored to reflect an updated usability that an one hundred year old home needs yet it still manages to keep its charm. I just love that one wall is a Stephens family community chalkboard. Daily quotes, the upcoming weather report, and displays random bits of notes that only a family would understand. A family connected.
{I dare you not to walk over and read the chalkboard}
Did I mention a chalkboard? Try about a hundred on for size. Beth may have a chalkboard addiction, and may need professional help. Chalkboards are scattered throughout her home, particularly abundant in her kitchen. Yet somehow, somehow, it really just works.
{her meals make me hungry… and that lighting, gorgeous!}
Here, she uses a smaller chalkboard near her sink to give me an impromptu cooking lesson that explained the difference between croque monsieur and croque madam. She treated me to croque monsier, er, that is, croque smoked-salmon because I do not eat ham. Is there a French name for that?
{right now, find a spot in your kitchen that needs a chalkboard and do it already!}
I do know there is an English phrase for it = savory deliciousness. I wish you could taste this over the internet. Picture crisped edges of rich French bread, homemade pesto mayonnaise, Dijon, and a sprinkling of herbs de provence. Add the savory smoothness of goat cheese and top it with a smoked salmon that brings just the right earthiness of depth by itself. Once combined with the cheese and condiments it is engages just about every taste bud within your mouth. A salad perfectly complimented our sandwich and was beautifully arranged on her built-in and century-old sideboard.
Gotta’ love a gal with a built-in sideboard.
{believe me, it even tasted better than it looks}
{white cabinets make everything seem crisper and more friendly}
Let’s keep touring the kitchen, shall we?
The kitchen has an adorable corner sink. Have you ever come across one? It made me want to instantly go home and remodel my own kitchen. (If only it had an available corner, sigh.)
{I wonder which side she washes the dishes on?}
Yes, the sink is adorable and truly is cozy, however it is more than a chalkboard here or there or an adorable sink that makes Beth’s kitchen so approachable. Take a look around at all of these photos and really see all the little personal touches? Do you see the fleur de lis painted on the window? The tin pot with flours? Glasses stacked within arms reach, each with their own personality?
{I wanted the printed ones}
This is a kitchen of nooks and crannies.Of imagination.Charming and cozy.Each corner brings something new within in sight.Everything has a story and believe me, there are not shortages of conversation starters.
{peek-a-boo, I see a nook or two}
{a sitting room is just beyond the kitchen, perfect for a glass of wine and conversation}
{displays of a time spent living in France}
{she still has the bottle from her very first wine}
My eyes landed on an old weather-worn recipe equivalent notation, clipped on a wired hutch door with an antiquated clothes pin. Beth has a story for that one, too. A story about how she found that raggedy piece of paper in her grandmother’s hutch. I love that she displays it. Still part of her grandmother’s hutch. I love her stories.
Her pantry stopped my heart. Her husband took out the shelves and created a wrap-around and to-the-ceiling blank canvas for her. Spices lined all the way up on one side. I admit that I shameless stole this idea from her for my own pantry. I love how functional it is. I love that she can see all of her pantry essentials and cookbooks. I love it so much that I made it my own personal “favorite space” in my newly remodeled kitchen. The Arkansas Democrat Gazette even interviewed me for it. Thanks Beth for the inspiration. Feel free to gather inspiration yourself. I promise she won’t mind.
{yes, this really does go all the way to the ceiling}
The kitchen tour winded down and Beth plated the final finishing touch, a homemade tart. She is a girl after my own foodie heart, providing us both with a savory tart and a little after dinner blackberry bubbly apertif.
{a picture of domestic bliss}
{red, red, red accents everywhere}
Can you see why I love to call her my friend? Everyone should be so lucky to have a little big of sunshine and inspiration in their lives. I call mine… Beth.
