How Alexis DeBoschnek Sets the Table at Her Busy Catskills Farm
For weeknight dinners, DeBoschnek said she relies on the durability and maneuverability of stainless steel cookware. “I only cook with stainless steel,” she told me, opening her cabinet to reveal her extensive collection. She cited the “harder sear and deeper flavor” yielded by the pans, which call for high heat to prevent sticking.
Her go-to is a stainless steel sauté pan. It’s ideal for searing as well as for cooking saucy pastas or steamed mussels (which the high sides can contain). The pan is well balanced, and it can easily move from stovetop to table. (This is also our favorite stainless steel skillet.)
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This ratchet mill is easy to grasp, and it grinds pepper when you move the lever back and forth, so it may be gentler on your wrists.
This eclectic sensibility translates to her collection of drinkware, which she keeps in a vintage cabinet that’s also stacked with handed-down pottery, Japanese serving bowls, platters from Spain, and delightful vintage coupes. “It’s about having a stash, yes, but also just using the stuff,” she noted while showing it to me.
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These classic, French-bistro-style glasses are known for their durability.
For staples, DeBoschnek has amassed a collection of Moroccan glasses, which she praises as being “almost like Duralex” for their indestructibility. Duralex Picardie tumblers, among of our favorite drinking glasses, have been a Wirecutter recommendation since 2014.
She mixes them with vintage barware and more-playful pieces, like colorful wine glasses from vibrant New York City–based tabletop brand Big Night (she has a straight-stemmed version). These colorful glasses are hand-blown and made from borosilicate glass. So they can resist extreme temperature changes without cracking or shattering, which is handy if, say, you’re serving ice cream and pouring hot fudge on top.
These colorful hand-blown vessels are made from durable borosilicate glass. Similar to the straight-stemmed style DeBoshnek uses, the ball stems add whimsy to the table.
DeBoschnek’s approach to setting a table (and “using the stuff”) extends to linens and cloth napkins. Rather than reserving linens for special occasions, she considers them to be everyday essentials. And to protect hands and keep food warm, she uses linens to wrap the bases of sauté pans and other serving vessels when she brings them to the table.
The grid-patterned mats from Japanese lifestyle brand Fog Linen are in heavy rotation. Although they’re actually placemats, she uses them as napkins: “They have a softness and a flow to their movement,” DeBoschnek noted. (Fog Linen also makes a standout apron, which one of our kitchen writers deemed “the Magic Smock.”)
These airy Japanese linen placemats get softer with each wash. The navy-and-ivory grid pattern has a timeless simplicity that works nicely for mixing and matching.
DeBoschnek said she is also a fan of Hawkins New York’s cotton napkins, which she has in an extra-pigmented, hand-dyed mustard color. The earthy, slightly unexpected tone plays well with some of her vintage pieces. “I’m trying to toe the line, where everything is thoughtful, but not overly formal,” DeBoshnek said. “Finding that sweet spot is the goal.” (They’re also a favorite in our guide to dinner napkins.)
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Fringed borders and rich hues make these smooth, lightweight cotton napkins an excellent fit for mixing and matching at the table.
By mixing functional pieces that blend old and new, classic and contemporary, you can create a table that feels both intentional and laid-back, whether you’re cooking for your family or a gathering.
