A Lexington, Kentucky, native, Jane Scott Hodges grew
up with an appreciation for family heirlooms, such as presidential julep
cups and embroidered linens. But when it came time to register for her own
trousseau, she was frustrated that she couldn't find the
heirloom-quality monogrammed linens she envisioned. And thus, a thriving
business was born.
Leontine Linens is named for the street in New
Orleans where Hodges settled with her husband, Philip, after attending
Tulane University. Through the shop, she has brought some of her Kentucky
heritage to New Orleans, and when she returns home several times a year,
she brings some New Orleans spice to the gentle rolling hills and verdant
farms of the Kentucky horse country.
Not too far from her family's home is Keeneland
racetrack, "one of the most beautiful in the country," says
Hodges. Each April and October, her favorite months in Kentucky, she
returns to visit with family and friends and attend the horse races. Those
visits are also a chance to introduce her daughter, Talley, 8, and son,
Nalty, 5, (both family names) to the Kentucky traditions she grew up with.
On this October weekend, Hodges hosted a luncheon, on
the lawn of her parents' 1780s home, that honored her Kentucky roots
with dishes such as country ham on beaten biscuits, a childhood favorite,
as well as new loves from New Orleans, such as spicy cheese straws. "I also wanted to meld fine elements with the outdoor setting,"
she explains.
So while she used her best china, silver, and trademark
monogrammed napkins, she set them against rustic wood place mats and
fashioned a tall, loose centerpiece of black-eyed Susans, bittersweet, and
grasses from the surrounding fields. Family silver goblets mingled with
colored handblown-glass goblets, a treasured wedding gift. Antique silver
napkin rings are from a collection Hodges' mother started for her
when she got married.
