ELEVEN SIX WOMEN | DIMITY PALMER SMITH + EMMA FISCH

Can you share a bit about each of your backgrounds and how you came to start the Dinner Last Night podcast together? 

[DPS] I have been working in education my whole career—as a teacher, nonprofit leader, and consultant—but I have always loved food and community. My most vivid childhood memories were around the kitchen table eating the delicious (and often strange!) food our mom would cook—always from scratch, unless it was fish fingers. In my 20’s, my favorite thing was to cook for friends in my tiny apartments or share a meal at a restaurant. When I became a parent, caring for a whole family on top of work meant cooking was no longer a stress-free activity, and I felt uninspired. I started asking other parents what they were planning for dinner, and this always led to such wonderful conversations about shared challenges and backgrounds. It was a great way to get to know someone’s story, and honestly, not feel so alone in the mess of parenting! Emma and I have always wanted to team up on something, and as a cookbook author and food blogger, it felt like the perfect fit to launch this podcast together. 

[EF] For as long as I can remember, I’ve been enamored with all-things-food: gardening, agriculture, cookbooks, cooking, and sampling local flavors on travels around the world. My career has wound through all these sectors of food. Over the past decade, I was a top finalist on Food Network Star, have taught campfire-cooking classes and catered events at the glamping resort I co-founded with my husband, Firelight Camps, and published two cookbooks – all whilst raising two daughters! Becoming a mother fueled my curiosity for how other parents feed their children, so when Dimity proposed the concept for Dinner Last Night, I was all in! I couldn’t imagine a more fun project, let alone have a better creative/business partner. 

Dimity wears the Harper Sweater & Pia Tube Skirt in Ivory

You both entered parenthood with full careers and strong personal identities. How did becoming mothers change your relationship with food and the act of feeding others? 

[DPS] Becoming a mother really helped me think more about balance. I did a lot of dieting and restrictive eating in my early years—from high school until I had my babies. That kind of approach left me feeling exhausted mentally, and I didn’t want to impart those kinds of unhealthy habits on my children. Now, we focus more on having balanced meals, thinking about where our food comes from, eating treats in moderation, and having open conversations about all of these things. Now that my children are older and athletes, they are more curious about eating well, so our conversations and their eating habits are shifting. It’s fun to watch!  

[EF] I identify wholeheartedly with Dimity’s response. I would add that Dimity’s sense of “balance” in the kitchen includes giving herself permission to use premade sauces, frozen foods, and other shortcuts. Because of my background, and the blessing-sometimes-curse of knowing “too much” about the food system (particularly processed foods), I began motherhood painstakingly making everything from scratch, and being dogmatic about sourcing sustainably-grown food from small-scale, local farms. In fact, food awareness and quality of eating was my top value I wished to impart on my children – and still hovers at the top. However, along the way I realized that a dogmatic approach to anything can be harmful. Restricting processed food would have the potential for my children to have an unhealthy relationship with it as they grow up. Over the past few years, I have become a lot more relaxed about what they eat outside the home – we stick primarily to whole foods at home – and a lot more intentional about how we talk about food. And, I’ve accepted and come to depend on the frozen chicken nuggets and dumplings in our freezer! 

Emma comes from a professional culinary background, while Dimity’s work centers on education and community. How do these perspectives shape the conversations you have on the podcast? 

[DPS/EF] It feels like we are truly complimentary hosts. Dimity has a lot of experience working with and leading extremely diverse groups of people and teams, and is very skilled at asking questions and guiding conversations. And, her combined experiences in education and as a mother give her a unique lens for talking to parents and understanding parent-child dynamics. Emma’s expertise in food is helpful for addressing specific recipe questions, guiding conversations around food production and other food-related themes, and asking questions that get to the heart of how cooking and eating is shaped in our guests’ homes. 

Emma wears the Starla Cardi paired with her own pant

How has listening to families around the world changed the way you approach dinner in your own homes? If you could rewrite the narrative around feeding families, what would you want it to say? 

[DPS/EF] Every time we record an episode, we leave that recording thinking, I want to be more like them! But in reality, it’s more subtle. We take little tips and tricks we learn from our guests and incorporate them. Just last night, my (Dimity) kids didn’t finish their dinner, so I put it in the microwave for when they would inevitably be hungry later—a tip we learned from our guest Rachel Tidd—and sure enough they finished it off before going to bed. We’ve also been singing the motto, “you have to eat super to be super,” something we learned from YOU! 

[DPS] If I could rewrite the narrative, I would encourage families to let go of the guilt. This is just as much a rewrite for me as for others! We are all doing our best. Some nights that might look like eggs and toast, others it’s bolognese from scratch. Not every night will be perfect, but my hope is that our kids remember the feeling of eating and being together around the table when we can make it happen. 

Food often carries culture, memory, and tradition. With your multi-heritage roots—British, Italian, and American—how do these influences show up in the meals you serve your families today? 

[EF] Our multicultural heritage (which includes Jewish roots) deeply inspires what we cook and how we celebrate, but our Italian heritage is the main driver on a daily basis.. As you (Catherine) put it so beautifully, Mediterranean eating is very simple: olive oil, garlic, and fresh ingredients. This takes away a lot of the guesswork with cooking and keeps things simple, which as a parent, is crucial. With that being said, we make an effort to expose our children to different kinds of food, whether at home, in relative’s homes, or out to eat. I also think a lot about how to tie celebrations and traditions to the rhythm of the year—most religious holidays and foods can be traced back to the Earth’s revolution around the sun, such as “fertility offerings” in the Spring, or “harvest foods” in the Fall. Celebrations are also a great opportunity to pass down cultural traditions. In my book Seasonal Family Almanac, I include several recipes (like Latkes and Hamentaschen) that we prepare for Jewish celebrations, as well as seasonal recipes that celebrate the time of year where we live. Ultimately, I think I use Mediterranean cooking methods to shape what I make, and seasonally available ingredients to honor the places where we live and bring flavor and life to our meals!  

[DPS] Emma put it perfectly. I think Emma is more intentional about this than I am and I am always so inspired by her! Our go-to meals in our home are definitely inspired by our Italian background—pasta bolognese, lasagna with bechamel, Mediterranean cooking—but my son also loves baked beans toast. I think what our multi-cultural upbringing really did for us is allowed us to be open to trying new foods, and that is something I know we both impart on our children.  

Emma wears the Mila Sweater in Magenta + Dimity wears the Maiyet Cardi in Magenta paired with their own jeans

As identical twins, how does your shared history influence the way you work together and tell stories? 

[DPS] Despite being identical, we actually bring different strengths to working together. Our creativity shows up in different ways. Emma is much more attuned to writing, telling narrative stories and envisioning the big picture, whereas I love creating systems, structures, and graphic narratives to support our work—I’m much more in the trees. We make such a great team in that way! I think my years of working an “office” job have also made me more tech savvy. Emma, how would you answer this? 

[EF] In our workflow, Dimity brings decades of “office culture” to the table, which makes her the more tech savvy twin in our partnership, such as editing and task management for our podcast. Emma’s creative background in writing comes into play with marketing copy and long-form emails related to each episode. Just the other day, Dimity said, “Is it ok if I edit this episode while you write the introduction for the next episode?” We were both relieved that neither had to do the other task! It’s been so wonderful to find such effortless synergy working together. 

What does a “good” or “successful” dinner look like to you now, in this current season of family life? 

[DPS] All four of us around the table together with candles lit for ambiance. We’re eating something homecooked that includes a protein, starch, and vegetable, with a side of happy conversation (and minimal sibling bickering or reminders!). “Racoon plates” at the end (clean plates means everyone enjoyed it!). 

Is there a favorite meal or recipe that you’d both like to share? 

One of our favorite childhood meals was polpettine—meatballs. We both remember our mother cooking these and always sneaking one of the plate when they were still hot and crispy. Our kids love them too! HERE is the recipe:  

January birthday looks are chosen! Dimity wears the Ella Fringe Dress +  Emma wears the Celina Crochet Top & Sia Crochet Skirt 

Is there a series, movie, or book you’ve recently fallen in love with? 

[EF] Dimity is notorious for watching trashy teen romance, and recently forced me to watch The Summer I Turned Pretty with her while traveling in Italy. Alright, maybe she didn’t force me. I’ll take any excuse to cuddle up with my twin and watch something! It’s also admittedly so mindless that I can fall asleep after, whereas most other television programs stimulate me too much to fall asleep. We are both voracious bookworms and constantly swapping novels back and forth. We read all genres, but my favorite is historical fiction through the female perspective, such as Circe, The Marriage Portrait, and The Frozen River. A great piece of historical fiction for tweens, which I just lapped up, is The Witch of Blackbird Pond. 

[DPS] Ha! It’s true…though honestly after watching all three seasons of TSITP, I don’t understand the hype (don’t kill me!). But I will take a rom-com over an action or horror movie any day. We both also loved the White Lotus series! I also love historical fiction. Reading is my escape, and I read in bed every night before going to sleep. 

If you could hop on a plane tomorrow purely for pleasure—not work—where would you go, and why? 

[DPS] Always Italy. Despite only being a quarter Italian, we feel this heritage so deeply. Italy feels like home and also vacation. There is so much of the country I have yet to explore, and I haven’t found a place yet that I don’t love! The food, the people, the language, the landscape…it’s all incredible.  

[EF] “EMPHATIC DITTO” (To borrow DImity’s phrase!)! In fact, I’ve literally just done that with my family. My husband, two daughters, and I have embarked on a 4-6 month world-schooling trip around Europe (predominantly Italy) and beyond. I’m very excited to help my children gain more mastery of the Italian language, explore the food markets together, and cook dinner! As a first-generation American with family scattered around the world, it feels very important to me to connect them with this part of their heritage, which is the only place where we have longstanding family roots.  

What does the ELEVEN SIX brand mean to you? Which pieces from the Holiday Collection resonate with you the most, and why? 

[DPS] My Eleven Six pieces are probably my favorite items in my closet (aside from my mother’s vintage Laura Ashley dresses!). I read somewhere that wearing an Eleven Six sweater feels like a warm hug, and it’s true! But when I wear Eleven Six, I also feel like my outfit is immediately elevated. The pieces are made with such care—you can really feel it. My favorite pieces from the Holiday Collection are the Harper Sweater and the Ella Fringe Dress. The Harper is a beautiful, cozy sweater that you can throw on with a pair of jeans or dress up with some black pants and heels. It also has a classic look that makes me think of the English Lake District of Scotland, places I love. The Ella Fringe Dress is incredibly flattering and fun and speaks to my love of dancing! Who doesn’t want a dress you can swing around on the dance floor?  

[EF] Dimity has always been the stylish twin, and I have (almost) always listened to her style advice. When she met Catherine and discovered Eleven Six, she would not stop raving about the clothes. Once, she let me borrow her fuchsia Tess Sweater, with the condition that I would NOT ruin it (she has never let me live down some garment I reportedly destroyed in high school, of which I have no recollection). But I agree with Dimity. Wearing an Eleven Six piece immediately makes me feel fabulous! I love the Celina Crochet Top and Sia Skirt from the Holiday Collection - I felt instantly sexy, powerful, whimsical, and elevated, and could dress down the top with a pair of jeans, or the skirt with a white t-shirt and sneakers.