Friday, October 30, 2009

Happy Halloween!

Here's a look at some of our employees past Halloweens as well as some Halloween celebrations at Wisteria! Enjoy!

Paige, our Production Manager, with her siblings. Paige is the scarecrow!

Audrey dressed up for her Halloween close up.

Cooper, Susanna, their friend, and Hudson.


Last year, we had a pumpkin-carving contest between departments.

Several years ago, a few Wisteria employees dressed up as Andrew in his standard outfit, a blue button down shirt and khaki pants (apparently he didn't get that memo because he wore jeans that day).

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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Employee Spotlight: Lisa



Lisa is our Senior Merchandising Manager who works with several of our artisans oversees. She does an amazing job keeping up with all the crazy things going on in her department, from communicating with our artisans who are in different time zones to ensuring the arrival and quality of several of our products!

What are your favorite things about working at Wisteria?
The people and the opportunities! My favorite moments are when we have an extra day during our travels around the world to learn about different cultures and environments.

What is one thing about you people probably don't know?
I contemplated changing my major to become a Dental Hygienist. I absolutely love going to the dentist!

What is your favorite place to visit?
Anywhere that I have never been! It is always exciting to explore new locations and open your eyes to the unknown. I am a big fan of San Francisco and the surrounding area (Napa, Sonoma, etc.). It also helps that my best friend Barbie lives there as well!

What is the one place in the world you've never been but would love to go?
Egypt and Ireland. These are two places I must visit in my lifetime.

How would you describe your personal style?
Well, now that I am married, I am trying to juggle my husband's taste for antiques and traditional furniture with my style of having to have a certain piece and not caring about what room it will work in! My taste varies with each new catalog drop. The French Chest and the Grandiose Mirror will be coming home with me soon.

I'm also known for always being cold! Seriously, who turned the A/C on?

What is your favorite Wisteria item?
There are so many! I absolutely love the Vintage Chinesse Butcher's Table. This piece is simply stunning in my living room and everyone makes a comment about how great this piece is. Second runner up would be the incredible, one-of-kind samples that I have purchased in our Outlet (Nandi's, vintage mirrors from India, wooden capitals). It is dangerous to walk through the Wisteria Outlet because there is always something that I can't live without. For our November catalog, I must have the new Antiqued Glass Finials and the Silvered Mistletoe.

What is your most treasured item?
DVR? Actually I would have to say my family and friends! I have a huge soft spot for my basset hound. Who can resist those ears?


How many/what languages do you speak?
English and Dog Whisper. I would love to learn to speak Chinese. I can count to ten and say hello and things of that nature; does that qualify?

My one indulgence is . . .
Warm, sunny days at the lake and my Nikon D300.

Craziest food ever eaten:
In reality, I don't think I want to know the names of a few things that I have tried! The most unusual food that I have eaten has been in China. Our team had lunch at a temple in Xiamen where the food was prepared by monks. I never knew tofu could be so delicious! I still crave the food to this day! Also, I found out that I am a huge fan of the lotus root (pictured below).



Favorite spot in my house:
My patio on a nice day.

Favorite food:
Tex-Mex.

My pet's name:
Mosley (basset hound) and Shadow (black lab)

Favorite place to watch the sun set:
Too many to choose from! Top choices would be Maui, Hilton Head and of course any place that my husband can watch the sunset with me.

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Friday, October 23, 2009

Dinner Dishes


Jerry, our Vice President of IT, shares his wife's recipes for two of their family's favorite dinners. He said that whenever his sons come in town from college, his wife make a big batch of the penne pasta so they can take some back with them to school.

Penne Pasta with Feta

Ingredients:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Pinch of salt
1 bunch green onions, chopped
4-5 tomatoes, chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper
7 oz penne pasta
Feta cheese
Parmesan cheese
Kalamata olives
Cook chicken or shrimp, cut into strips

Saute garlic cloves in olive oil. Add salt, chopped green onions, tomatoes, and small amount of crushed red pepper to taste. Boil penne pasta and drain when tender (yet reserve some pasta water if needed later). Add pasta with garlic mix (and here you can add a bit of pasta water if need more moisture). Add feta cheese, fresh parmesan cheese, Kalamata olives, grilled chicken strips/chunks or shrimp.



Chile Rellenos Casserole

Ingredients:
8 to 10 4.5 oz. cans whole green chiles
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
Taco seasoning (2 small or 1 large package)
2 tsp. cumin
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. sugar
8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese. grated
4 eggs
1 13 oz. can evaporated milk
1 tbsp. flour
1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato sauce

Remove seeds from chiles and layer half of them in bottom of casserole. Brown beef with onion and add garlic, half of taco seasoning and 1 tsp. cumin. Place beef mixture on top of chiles then other half of chiles. Mix cheeses together and sprinkle over chiles. Beat eggs, milk, and flour together and pour over cheese. Mix diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, other half taco seasoning, 1 tsp. cumin, and sugar in sauce pan; simmer about 20 min. until slightly thickened. Cover top of casserole with tomato mixture. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven about 1 hour or until edges begin to brown. Allow to sit 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

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Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Making Cheesy Potatoes

Paige, our Production Manager, shared her recipe for Cheesy Potatoes and the story behind it:

"People love getting invited to our house for dinner, because my mom is a wonderful homemaker and a fantastic cook. Southern-styled dishes are her specialty. And we tend to believe the best meals include meat, a carbohydrate, something green, and a roll. Potatoes are the carbohydrate of choice. My siblings and I dubbed the favorite dish that our mom makes Gourmet Cheesy Potatoes. It is intended to be a side dish, but we think of it more as a main course! And my little brother Jess came up with the best late night snack of leftovers ever: we heat up the potato mixture and stuff it into leftover rolls. It is like a cheesy potato sandwich. I told you we were Southern!"

Gourmet Cheesy Potatoes
6 large white potatoes
2 cups sour cream
2/3 cup chopped green onion
1.5 tsps. salt
0.5 cup margarine or butter
0.5 tsp. pepper
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Boil potatoes in their skins. Cool, peel, and shred potatoes and set aside. Saute onion in butter. Add cheese, stirring until cheese has melted. Add sour cream and mix well. Fold in shredded cooked potatoes. Add salt and pepper and stir. Bake in a 3-quart oblong baking dish at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

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Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Taco Soup


This week, we're sharing favorite fall recipes from several of our employees.

Nicole, our project manager for product development shared her recipe for taco soup. She's made it before for her department's potluck and everyone loved it. Her recommendation: serve it in our tapas bowls!

Here it is for you to enjoy.


Taco Soup


1 lb ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
3 cans (15.5oz) Mexican-style chili beans, undrained
1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel corn, undrained
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
1 envelope (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 envelope (1 oz) Ranch style dressing mix
1.5 cups water

Miscellaneous toppings (option): corn chips, shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese

Cook beef and onions in large pot over medium-high heat until meat is browned and onions are tender, stirring until meat crumbles; Drain.

Stir beans and remaining ingredients into beef mixture, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Garnish with toppings! Enjoy!

Makes 3.5 quarts.



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Thursday, October 15, 2009

A Fall Birthday Potluck


Yesterday in our office, we celebrated a birthday with a potluck, and we love a good potluck. Everyone brought homemade fixings for breakfast tacos. We are lucky that everyone in our office not only loves to cook, but they're good at it, too. Fresh guacamole, salsa, scrambled eggs, and dessert! Below is a recipe from that feast, black bean sweet potato chili. It goes great with eggs and tortillas but is hardy enough to stand alone. It is full of all the fall flavors and colors we love this time of year. It's a no fail recipe and if you ever wanted to try a vegetarian recipe, this one won't disappoint. We are happy to celebrate the end of summer, beginning of fall, and Masami's birthday. Thanks for celebrating with us!

Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 28-can diced tomatoes
4 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained (or 6 cups freshly cooked)
1 jalapeno chile pepper seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves washed and dried


1. Warm the oil in a large pan over medium heat and add the onion, red pepper, garlic, and salt. Saute until soft, about 4 minutes.

2. Add the sweet potato and lime zest. Cook 10 to 15 minutes more, continuing to stir occasionally.

3. Add the tomatoes, black beans, jalapeno, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cocoa. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

4. Serve over brown rice, with lime wedges and cilantro, or with corn bread, biscuits, or taco chips alongside.

Serves 6.

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Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Inspriration: Wine Bottles

We just love the graphic beauty of wine bottle labels and how every bottle has an amazing sparkle to it. They range in color and shape and look amazing empty as well as full. You may have seen our Wine Bottle Holder in our catalog. It was photographed indoors. But what is truly amazing about this rack is how lovely it can look all lit up with lights. Just string a stand or two of lights around it and let your empty wine bottles do the rest!

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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Handmade Books in Jaipur, India

This company was started when three young friends rented a booth at a trade fair 14 years ago to sell books and bags made of handmade paper. This Indian artisan has grown great lengths since then and now specializes in handmade paper, bags, books, and leather products. They are located in Jaipur, India and also have a small group of designers and workers from a small village outside of Jaipur.

This company supports Umang, a charity project for the rehabilitation of children with mental and physical disabilities. The project ensures the children's inclusion in the tasks and events of everyday life.


Jaipur was planned according to principles of Hindu architectural theory. It is one of the best-organized cities in Asia. When the Prince of Wales visited Jaipur in 1853, the whole city was painted pink. Because of this, Jaipur is known as the "pink city" because of its distinctive look and the fact that many streets, parks, and buildings are still painted pink today.

This company makes our Embroidered Gift Journals!

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Friday, October 2, 2009

Singapore

Earlier this year, Hudson and Serge took a trip to Singapore to meet some of our artisans and to attend various shows, looking at potential products. They made a stop to the Raffles Hotel, a very-well known hotel with lots of history behind. The pictures of this hotel are just incredible, so we decide to share them with you!

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