I have long pined over creating a table setting that featured multiple layers of floral patterns on top of each other; from tablecloth to napkins to dishes. However, as I embarked on making my mental vision a reality, I encountered a major issue. My dream was way more fantasy. Believe it or not, after rummaging through my vast linen collection I realized that I didn’t quite have the variety of floral patterns I had envisioned in my noggin. And because I’m the type of person who just can’t give up on an idea, I did the next best thing. I found other patterns with the intended color scheme and worked from there.
This is just the napkin selection and a few tablecloths.
With the floral theme still running through my brain, I selected the closest linen I had to Spring florals. A pinkish toned tablecloth with leaf-like swirls resembling flowers. I remember when I purchased it from an upstate vintage shop and thought it was unlike anything I had. You may think I’m tripping on some hallucinogenic imagining that these swirls look like flowers, but I was desperate.
As I continued my search for napkins among my collection I was dumbfounded not to find a single one with any real floral print or even pink tones. But then again, would I really have bought such a thing? It was at that point when I realized that the table setting would be something different from my original vision.
An intense pattern of swirls that could be flowers, no?
I pulled out a napkin set that had similar but not exact colors. Roosters and checkerboards were as close as I could find.
I used a simple fold and roll method
Given the intense pattern of the tablecloth I felt it might be overwhelming on its own. A table runner would help provide some visual relief. Yet another pattern, not floral, but tones that would complement.
A striped table runner is another pattern. It’s simplicity allows for visual interest without taking away from the tablecloth.
The search for florals continued to be a bust. No floral plates like my little head hoped for. So, instead I pulled out a more ornate plate with gold adornments, followed by soup and salad plates with gold trim.
Dishes with gold accents.
At this point, my only option was to keep building on the new theme, and upped the ante with green and gold trimmed glassware and votives. Now I at least had a pattern on pattern theme working. Florals became swirls. The key to layering different patterns is to find a common thread of complementary colors.
Fancy glasses and votives with some gold trim help to elevate the table.
With my choices laid out it was time to set the table.
All the table setting pieces ready to be placed.
The runner definitely breaks up all that pattern and the stripes down the center act as a landing strip for the candles.
Fold, roll and wrap the napkins with a ‘floral’ themed enhancement.
Typically, I stack all the dishes, but opted to keep the salad plate on the side to hint at the original floral theme allowing the leaf design to be seen. Plus I knew I would be individually plating the salad to ensure my guests ate that course. Having the plate out makes it easy to grab and pile on the salad.
Finished place setting with utensils for each course.
Pre-plating the salad makes serving a breeze. Dressing is served in bowl for guests to add to their liking.
A pretty inviting way to welcome your guests to the table.
Side note; I find that if you plate it and serve it separately before the main meal, everyone eats it. If you place a large bowl of salad with all the rest of the meal, people often times say, “I’ll serve myself later.” And later becomes, “I’m too full.” So get your greens in early.
Ok, with the table set, it was time to move onto the actual florals. Since this was a last minute table setting, and I don’t travel to the city like I used to with my usual floral stop at Dahlia - Grand Central, Trader Joe’s would have to do. They typically have a decent selection at reasonable prices. I have to admit that I got excited about the colors I saw in the store but once I got home I realized I completely missed the mark on the pink tones. However, the purchase was made and I had to push on. I’m starting to feel like the theme went from layered florals to “ just make it happen and make it pretty.” I honestly thought the colors were more fuchsia than red hued but oh well. Pops of yellow and green made it all feel fresh and Spring like. The large yellow jug added more seasonal brightness and helped to tie it back to the napkins.
Definitely a burst of floral color
The key to a well composed arrangement is color blocking and keeping to just a few colors that complement one another.
The colors were a bit off but it still adds a happy feel.
In the end the reds and yellows echo the colors in the napkins.
Happy colors.
As for the meal, this was a Palm Sunday lunch. I told my sister, Alyssa, that it would be simple since all this was a last minute idea. But alas, I made much more than a simple meal for just six of us. It ended up being quite filling, and delicious. So, if you want something a tad different for Easter, this menu could work for an simpler meal than the usual extravagant lamb dinner. Here goes:
Appetizer
Whipped Feta
This is an easy way to elevate a humble chunk of feta. Simply place the desired amount in a mini food processor and buzz it until smooth. One important note: rinse the feta block with cold water first to remove some of the saltiness. For some reason, once blended it brings out even more of the salt flavor.
Oven roasted grape tomatoes, whipped feta, garlic bread
First Course
Mixed Greens with Apple/Orange/Cucumber & Date Dressing: I used my Bibb, Arugula Butternut Squash Salad recipe swapping out the lettuces with mixed greens and the butternut squash with apple, orange and cucumber. All the rest of the ingredients and dressing remained the same.
Individually plated salad of Mixed greens with apple slices, orange segments, sliced cucumber, peptias and dried cranberries.
Main Course
Pork Loin basted in Rosemary Garlic Butter
Sear the pork loin (seasoned with salt & pepper) in a cast iron skillet on both sides. Remove from the pan and add butter, sprigs of rosemary and several whole garlic cloves slightly smashed. Once butter is melted, return the pork to the pan and spoon the butter over the pork to finish cooking and flavor the meat.
Rosemary Garlic Butter basted Pork Loin.
Seared Shrimp with garlic & parsley
Marinate the shrimp with crushed garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes. Sear in a cast iron grill pan. Remove shrimp and add white wine to deglaze the pan and pour over shrimp.
Basmati Rice with herb garlic oil
Make a “chimichurri” sauce of finely chopped parsley, cilantro, scallions, crushed garlic, lemon zest and squeeze of lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Cook Basmati rice 1 : 1.5 ratio to water. Bring water and rice to a boil, lower heat, cover and cook for 13 minutes. Keep the lid on, remove from heat and let steam for another 5-8 minutes
Add as much of the herb garlic oil as desired. You can make the rice and oil ahead. Then right before serving warm the rice and add the sauce. I used a cast iron wok to ‘fry up’ the rice and then added the sauce to finish.
Sautéd shrimp and Herb Oil Basmati Rice
Oven Roasted Red Onions
Onions are an overlooked vegetable. When oven roasted they become caramelized, sweet and delicious. Cut them in half, trimming the stem end but still leaving enough of the core to hold the onion pieces together when you cut them into quarters. Place on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees until browned and caramelized.Broccoli Rabe
Wash, trim and boil the broccoli rabe until tender. Sauté in oil, garlic slices and season with salt & pepper.
Oven roasted red onions, the humble vegetable turned the star. Broccoli Rabe with garlic oil.
Dessert was a large platter of fruit and a few Saint Joseph Italian pastries. Apologies there are no photos of that course. Even though everyone said they were stuffed, they grabbed the fruit and pastries before I could get a picture. Just image a colorful array of seasonal fruit, along with luscious filled pastry.
I hope this inspires you to pile pattern on top of pattern and let your imagination work with whatever you have on hand. I started with an idea, veered off the flower garden and landed on an array of swirls, roosters, stripes and sparkle that still made me smile. A lesson in forging forward in whatever direction the universe provides and making the best of what life has to offer.
