A Bride's Cookbook
or Surviving the First Year
Entertaining Basics
Just The Girls
For The Guys
Holiday
More Resources
The Cookbook
Learn More about the cookbook that started it all, now updated, revised and better than ever!
Popular Recipes...
More Resources
Gourmet 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, serve ware 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, use flowers, candles, berries, ornaments etc. to accessorize the table decor. Place them with place mats or name cards to enliven the table. Leave the centerpiece for a majestic creation from your kitchen.
There can never be a dearth of ideas for magnificent looking gourmet food from any kitchen. Still, we, at Celebrating-Christmas.com bring to you, some ideas and tips, just to get you started.
1. The main course of your dinner party can be a great choice for a centerpiece. The traditional Roasted Stuffed Turkey, for example, makes a wonderful centerpiece.
2. 'Accessorize' your main course with other gourmet tidbits. 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 to add more color to your centerpiece.
3. Desserts are another great choice for centerpieces. Trifles and puddings, when prepared for a fairly large number of persons, make a lovely sight.
4. If you decide to choose 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 etc. If using clear glass bowls for desserts like fruit trifle etc., 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.
5. Cakes are eternal favorites as 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 3 tiered cake stands. For Christmas, a 'Buche De Noel' or simply, a 'Yule Log Cake' makes a beautiful centerpiece.
6. Place a bowl of fruit for a wholesome and elegant centerpiece. Wash and clean all the fruits before arranging them in the bowl. Creatively, alternate frosted, glazed or plain fruit and ornaments in layers. You can also arrange the fruits on a tiered cake stand.
7. If you cannot think of dish from your dinner menu to be of the proper size and look, for a centerpiece, you can creatively use certain smaller sized items, too. For example you can arrange appetizers, miniature puddings, muffins, candy etc. on tiered cake stands. All you need to keep in mind to make this arrangement an attractive one is to play with color. Alternate food items on a color theme.
8. For a cocktail party, a perfect centerpiece will be a glass bowl filled with crushed ice carrying bright colored wine bottles. Drop a few berries and/or mint leaves to add more color.
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, serving pieces, dinnerware, mats etc. It is possible that you run out of space for a 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 them attractively. And last but not the least, at all times, take time to view your creation from all angles to ensure that it makes a wonderful sight to everyone looking at it.
About the Author
Visit us at www.celebrating-christmas.com 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.