|
Gourmet Table Centerpieces
A Holiday Dinner Party or for that matter, any dinner party,
calls for some creative ideas for table centerpieces. An elegant
centerpiece is as important a part of your dinner table, as the rest
of the table decoration, serveware or even the food itself.
Bring a creative twist to all your dinner parties this season, by
displaying abundant and fabulous Gourmet Centerpieces instead of the
usual flowers, candles, etc. Instead, kick it up a notch and combined
flowers, candles, berries, ornaments and so on to accessorize the
table decor.
The main course of your dinner party can be a great choice for a
centerpiece. The traditional roast or stuffed turkey, for example,
makes a wonderful centerpiece in and of itself.
'Accessorize' your main course with other gourmet tid-bits. In the
above example of a roast turkey, you may circle the turkey with mini
kebabs, stuffed mushrooms, marinated olives, fresh veggies, baby
tomatoes, baby potatoes etc. Garnish each little piece for adding
more color to your centerpiece.
Desserts are another great choice for centerpieces. Trifles or
puddings, when prepared for a fairly large number of persons, make a
lovely sight.
If you decide to use your desserts as centerpieces, be sure to put an
extra effort into the garnishing. Desserts can be topped with whipped
cream, custard sauce, fruit preserves, etc. and garnished with
berries, mint leaves, crushed nuts and so forth. If using clear glass
bowls for desserts like fruit trifle, decorate the empty bowl first
by piping softened jam on the circumference of the walls. This will
give off a lovely 'layered' look when viewed from the outside of the
trifle bowl.
Cakes are eternal favorites as table centerpieces. Use a beautifully
decorated cake, complete with a cake topper, for a delicious looking
centerpiece. Beautiful cake stands, available easily in stores, can
be used to hold the cake. For a timeless, classic look, place cakes
on a 3-tiered cake stands. For Christmas, a 'Buche De Noel' or
simply, a 'Yule Log Cake' makes a beautiful centerpiece.
Use a bowl of sparkling fruit for a wholesome and elegant
centerpiece. Wash and clean all the fruits before arranging them in a
beatuiful bowl. Creatively, alternate frosted, glazed or plain fruit
and ornaments in layers. You can also arrange the fruits on a tiered
cake stand.
If you can't think of dish from your main dinner menu which would be
suitable in look and size for a centerpiece, you can creatively use
certain smaller sized items, too. For instance, you can arrange
appetizers, miniature puddings, muffins, or candy on tiered cake
stands. You can make this type of centerpiece arrangement very
attractive by playing with color.
For a cocktail party, a perfect centerpiece might be a glass bowl
filled with crushed ice into which bright colored wine bottles are
set. Drop a few berries and/or mint leaves into the ice to add more
color and visual interest.
"Gourmet Centerpieces", besides being very attractive, are
also very practical. More often than not, dinner tables are short of
space with the large number of items on your menu, not to mention
serving pieces, dinnerware, place mats, etc. It is possible to run
out of space for a seperate centerpiece. "Gourmet
centerpieces" will neither take up any extra space on your table
nor too much of your time. Only a little effort is needed to decorate
and garnish a gourment centerpiece attractively.
And last but not the least, be sure to take the time to view your
creation from all angles to ensure that it makes a wonderful sight
for everyone viewing it.
Source:
Celebrating-Christmas.com: Your Guide to Celebrating Christmas in
Style.for Christmas Crafts, Recipes, Dinner Menu Ideas, Party
Planning Tips, Gift Ideas, Holiday Decorating Tips, Holiday Planning
and Organizing Checklists, Christmas contests, free downloads, kids'
fun and much more holiday stuff, vsit www.celebrating-christmas.com
|
