Country Living November 2014

I'll admit it: I love cranberry sauce from a can. In fact, it wasn't until I was in my early 20s, spending my first holiday away from home, that I came to realize that—horror of horrors!—cranberry sauce comes in non-cylindrical form. I was at a friend's house when I found myself face-to-face with some fancied-up version of the tart Thanksgiving staple. It had texture. It had real cranberries. It had no business on my plate. Now, before you pity my culinary upbringing, rest assured that my mother, Carolyn, is one fine cook. She makes a perfectly juicy turkey, a mean sweet potato casserole, and her pecan pie is likely the sticky-sweet glue that has held her marriage together for 42 years. But canned cranberry sauce is her one Thanksgiving shortcut.…

Rachel Hardage Barrett EDITOR-IN-CHIEF EXECUTIVE EDITOR STEELE THOMAS MARCOUX DESIGN DIRECTOR Eva Spring MANAGING EDITOR AMY LOWE MITCHELL STYLE DIRECTOR JAMI SUPSIC EDITORIAL DEPUTY EDITOR Caroline Collins McKenzie ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Caitlin Murphree Miller COPY CHIEF Katie Bowlby ASSISTANT EDITOR Laurren Welch EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jeanne M. Lyons EDITORIAL INTERN Rachel Wilson STYLE & MARKET DECORATING EDITOR Page Mullins STYLE ASSISTANT Alison Allsopp ART DEPUTY ART DIRECTORS Erynn Hedrick Hassinger, Jennica Johnstone DIGITAL IMAGING SPECIALISTS Robert Gillo, Ken Pecca PHOTO PHOTO EDITOR Mackenzie Craig ONLINE SENIOR WEB EDITOR Lauren Matthews ASSOCIATE WEB EDITOR Michelle Profis WEB INTERN Johanna Li PROJECT MANAGER, COUNTRY LIVING FAIRS Crystal LaFond Simon CONTRIBUTORS Marsha Bemko, Heather Bullard, Mary Randolph Carter, Sarah Cave, Marcia Dixey, Helaine Fendelman, Jessica Leigh Hester, David…

You Love Fiesta… "I couldn't get enough of the Fiesta ware feature [page 27]! As a collector, I enjoyed seeing the bright colors on the page." —Sue Baxter, Woodstock, Georgia "The Fiesta guide made me move my collection out of storage. Thanks for reminding me how special (and colorful) they are!" —Elizabeth Smith, Columbus, Ohio …So we're giving it away! Replacements (replacements.com) and Happy Heidi's Vintage American Pottery (vintageamericanpottery.com) kindly loaned us the Fiesta ware you saw in our September feature. Enter for a chance to win one of their yellow pitchers and start your own collection! (See official rules at right.) READER PET OF THE MONTH Meela, a 5-month-old chocolate Labrador, can often be found chasing wild turkeys at her home in Peru, New York. HAPPY HEIDI'S VINTAGEAMERICANPOTTERY.COM SWEEPSTAKES,REPLACEMENTS.COM…

DISH OUT SOME HOSPITALITY Greet guests with this charming alternative to a fall wreath. Simply apply a layer of chalkboard paint to the inside of an old tray, then add autumn branches and bittersweet berries for a seasonal finish. (Swap in evergreen and holly next month!) USE THE FREE BLIPPAR APP to buy products from this section. Making a Country Living For South Carolina native Kay Holseberg, starting a pecan business in her mid-fifties proved to be anything but nuts. Who: Kay Holseberg What: Molly & Me flavored pecans Where: Holly Hill, South Carolina Town to Country "When our kids left the nest, my husband, Fred, and I decided it was time to trade Charleston for wide-open spaces. We purchased a farm an hour northwest of the city. I loved…

SUNDAY DRIVE SOUNDTRACK: "Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles! Their soulful sounds inspired my recent album, Everlasting." 30 Greatest Hits—Aretha Franklin (1), $12; and Ray Charles The Ultimate Collection (2), $10; amazon.com SECRET COUNTRY SOURCE: "Nashville's White's Mercantile, a modern-day general store owned by Hank Williams, Jr.'s stylish daughter Holly." Cornmeal (3), $9; whitesmercantile.com WEEKEND UNIFORM: "If I'm in the kitchen, an apron, jeans, and Chuck Taylor sneakers." Apron (4), $60; nellandmary.com . J Brand Jeans (8), $185; jbrandjeans.com . Missoni Sneakers (9), $85; converse.com . GO-TO FALL DISH: "Chicken-and-sausage gumbo. My three daughters love it, so I included it in my book." Around the Table (5), $29.99; barnesandnoble.com THANKSGIVING TRADITION: "Giving my rustic table an elegant overhaul complete with hand-lettered place cards." (6) BEAUTY REMEDY: "Slowing…

Antique finds and what they're worth, including a marble clock valued at $1,250 SPRINGERLE COOKIE MOLDS These intricate templates originated in Germany in the 14th century. ("Springerle" is German for "little knight.") Many U.S. models are from the 1800s when the country saw an influx of German immigrants. 1. Eight-Panel Mold The images on this piece depict traditional German icons, including edelweiss flowers and a pretzel. (Individual cookies were cut along the framed edges.) The circa- 1900 mold sells for $120. A similar version from the 14th century would go for several thousand. 2. Nine-Panel Rolling Pin Carved from maple in the 1880s, this stunning rolling pin impressed nine tiny images celebrating the summer harvest into dough. This rare and wonderfully preserved springerle example is now worth $100. 3. Two-Panel…