Kitchen Essential

A buffet meal is ideal for occasions where there is to be a large number of guests such as christenings, weddings and similar gatherings. It may also suit a smaller gathering such as an informal supper with friends after the theatre or an evening at home where a dinner around the table might be more formal than you want to make it.

When planning the table arrangements and flowers or other decorations, think carefully about a colour scheme or theme to suit the occasion. For example, if the meal you are planning is to celebrate a silver wedding, choose white flowers with silvery foliage, silver candles or white candles in silver candlesticks and trimmings of furled silver ribbons. Silver serving dishes and silver cutlery will help to set the scene and if you don’t have these yourself, you can hire, or possibly borrow them. If the occasion is a christening, you will probably choose pink or blue as the predominant colour, and flowers should be delicate and unfussy.

The next most important decision is where to place the table. Continue Reading »

The most important aspect of a wedding reception is that it should be very enjoyable. Whether the meal is a formal seated affair or a buffet, everything should run calmly and smoothly and everybody should be very relaxed. This is why most people put the whole affair into the hands of outside caterers who will do all the worrying and wedding hard work for them. However, it is not impossible to organize a wedding reception yourself and still be a relaxed guest or member of the family party. Do get as much help as you can, however —wedding waiters, wine waiters and kitchen help are almost essential.

The first consideration when planning the wedding table layout is the colour scheme. The colour of wedding table decorations, the wedding cake and any wedding flowers on the cake must tone with the bride’s dress and bouquet and the bridesmaids’ dresses. Continue Reading »

To celebrate a wedding anniversary in style it is a fun idea to take as the theme the symbol that represents the particular number of years a couple has been married. The first few are a bit of a joke but as the number of years of marriage increases so the anniversary symbol becomes more valuable and romantic. They are:

• One year Wedding Anniversary: Cotton.
• Two years Wedding Anniversary: Paper.
• Three years Wedding Anniversary: Leather.
• Four years Wedding Anniversary: Fruit and flowers.
• Five _.years Wedding Anniversary: Wood.

Continue Reading »

Some of the most successful parties that are fun to organize are theme parties. These are variations on the fancy dress party. The idea is to choose a theme, for example: black and white; red and gold; hats; characters from musical shows; a desert island. Send out appropriate invitations in plenty of time so that your guests have the opportunity to dream up a costume, and then plan the decorations, food and drink so that the entire event follows the theme through.

Invitations can be home-made or, if commercially produced ones fit the theme, use them. For a stylish black and white party, all sorts of design ideas are possible: a silhouette cut-out of Fred Astaire in Top Hat and Tails; a chessboard with the words written in the white squares; two masks cut out side by side, one black, one white, with the details of the party on the back. Do state clearly whether the event is to be a dinner party or a larger, informal gathering, and insist on fancy dress. Continue Reading »

For a dinner party, set a festive scene by choosing a colour scheme that has a special, celebratory feel, for example: black, gold, and purple; red, white and gold; silver and pink. Gift-wrap ribbon is always ideal for creating festive, table-centre decorations as it can be curled into streamers, and trailed over or around table decorations. As it is shiny it reflects candle-light very effectively. Choose real or artificial flowers to fit your chosen theme; arrange candles and ribbons with the flowers to form the decorations for the table. Tie curled strands of ribbon around paper or linen napkins to add to the decorative effect. Continue Reading »

For a celebration dinner or lunch at Easter, choose colours to create a spring flavour. A bright yellow, green and yellow, or white and yellow cloth with matching or contrasting napkins will set a sunny mood, and napkins can be folded into rabbits’ ears for a bit of fun. Bright, flowery china with a predominantly yellow or green pattern will look good against the cloth. Fill a large jug with masses of bright spring flowers — daffodils, jonquils, narcissi, etc. — and place in the middle of the table.

If there are children at the party lay a brightly-wrapped Easter egg and a little fluffy chick or rabbit at each place. Hand-painted eggs also make very good decorations to brighten up the table. At intervals on the table lay little dishes filled with one or other of the following: green Turkish delight, pale green fondant mints, yellow and white sugared almonds, or green grapes dipped in beaten egg-white and castor sugar. Continue Reading »

When you have spent both time and money choosing tableware that is suited to your lifestyle, it is important that you know how to keep these things looking as good as new. This is full of useful tips for cleaning, storing and removing stains from all your tableware.

TABLE SURFACES AND CHAIRS

Wood

With the exception of whitewood, all wooden furniture has been given a final surface treatment by the manufacturer. That is why it is important to know what the material is when you buy and, if possible, obtain advice on how to care for it. If the original finish is to keep its looks, it needs a certain amount of regular attention. Continue Reading »

Basic Needs

Now for the stores required:

Flour—plain is essential; self-raising highly desirable; wholemeal a slight “extra,” but it makes wonderful scones. Baking powder and cornflour, which is used in many cake and biscuit recipes and also for fillings.

Bicarbonate of soda has its place in many scone and other recipes, and cream of tartar is often wanted for scones, too, and also for some toffees and sweets. Continue Reading »

Your choice of colour will determine the style and ambience of a table, so don’t rely on a quick decision. Colours can be used quite consciously to achieve precisely the effect you are hoping for.

It may help you to run through the colour palette, starting with the colour which appears on almost every table — green.

Green for freshness

For nature lovers, the fresh green of flowers and leaves brings life into the house, especially during the winter months. Therefore green is a welcome addition to the table, because besides its fresh appearance, it has another quality. Green lifts and emphasises other colours, especially its complementary colour, red. You can exploit this characteristic if you place big green leaves on the table and then lay a single, or just a few, brightly coloured blossoms on top (for example, rhododendrons orhydrangeas). Continue Reading »

The table illustrated here is not just a still life; it is a compilation of a small selection of things which are used as decorations for various tables in this book. This should give you a fewideas about the many accessories whichsurround you in your house.

Every container, every sculpture, pretty stones or shells, decorative ribbons or marbles can provide you with ideas for table decorations. Don’t be afraid to use simple, everyday items from house and garden, or even foodstuffs. What about wire, pieces of cloth, sand, old pots or flasks, balls, candles, mirrors or even toy cars? What is wrong with a large cabbage or asparagus as a replacement for, or addition to, flowers? Why not use fifty sharpened pencils for an accountant’s fiftieth birthday party table? Or why not put brown leaves on the table, when we enjoy them so much outdoors in autumn? Continue Reading »

Either you’ve just come back from a holiday in Italy or you’ve got it still to look forward to. Or maybe you simply love the Italian way of life, relaxed and friendly, cheerful and colourful. Of course, you’re just as keen on Italian cuisine as well, which is so much more than just pizza and pasta. What about the typical antipasti, and many delicious Mediterranean specialities, or “formaggio” (cheese) to round off a meal, and wonderful red wine to drink?

Get together with your friends for a “Bella Italia” evening, and give your table an appropriate southern flavour. You simply must have tomatoes, red wine and, of course, spaghetti! Continue Reading »

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the shepherds in Scotland would gather together in their huts, known as bothies, to tell stories, sing, drink and simply get warm.

The Scots have retained elements of this along with many other good old traditions. They still get together to talk about the day’s events,to exchange news and spend some time together over a cup of, tea and a snack.

Even if friends have just dropped round for no particular reason and you’re only having a snack, you may still want to decorate the table and make it look different.

What to do:

If you have a wooden table, then don’t bother with a tablecloth. Wood looks good in this simple, rather rustic table decoration. Continue Reading »

Decorating with vegetables instead of flowers — many people turn up their noses at this suggestion. But have you ever thought that a combination of Savoy cabbage, grapes, horsechestnuts and apples could create a quick and cheap alternative to a bunch of flowers on the table? Furthermore, your guests are hardly likely to overlook this decoration, because Savoy cabbage doesn’t appear on the table like this every day, does it?

What to do:

All the ingredients for this decoration only cost a couple of pounds and some of them can be consumed after use. Apples, grapes and cabbage come from the greengrocer or market; horse chestnuts and ivy from the woods; bear grass from the florist. The only other things you need are a simple wire basket and a little thin wire. Continue Reading »

Planning — think first, then act

You start with a good idea.

If you only have a vague idea, turn to paper and pencil. A firm design concept can often develop from just a passing thought. There are three steps to achieving this. As a first stage, make a note of everything which you could do. The second stage is to mark what you would like to do on this occasion, and then outline how you intend to carry it out.

Write everything down, even the little trifling things which often get forgotten during preparations and then don’t get done at all. It is always worth writing out such tiny details.

If you are doing a complex table decoration it is worth writing out a timetable, counting down to the big day, with greeting your guests as the final item. Continue Reading »

Getting organized is your top priority in the kitchen. Deciding how much youwant to store and where it will be most accessible will help you eliminate kitchen clutter. Space is the most precious commodity, and the use of variable heights and split- levels can provide some ingenious and visually exciting solutions.

Plan your shelves to accommodate the various shapes and sizes of your crockery, cooking utensils and glassware. Functional flexibility is the key to effective storage. The style and appearance of your storage in the kitchen must reflect the character of the room. Continue Reading »

Just one look at this table setting will inspire you to rediscover the hidden bounty in your cupboards and drawers, and to go out and search for treasures inshops and flea markets.

Table settings can include china, coloured glass, damask or homespun place mats, large candles or hurricane lanterns, and other attractive details that create intensely personal, decorative settings.

This exuberant Bohemian style will appeal to anyone who loves to see and be inspired by homes that are full ofpassion and originality. The style lends itself to improvisation from cast-off materials, and juxtaposition of an assortment of idiosyncratic and everyday items.

There is a treasure trove of quick and easy ideas for creative table settings. Try inexpensive painted embellishments that echo elements in your furnishings. Explore the use of rich colours; mismatched glass in jewel-like hues and unusual containers for flowers and candles, such as large tin cans tied with organza bows and tea lights in small multi-coloured glasses.

In summer time the cooking is easy. To keep your guests lingering at your table, avoid a fussy table setting and scour cookbooks for ideas and inspiration for preparingtasty, home-cooked meals for your guests.

Evening entertaining can be magical as the light fades, the air stills and the first stars appear. Vintage Provençal table linen, fresh-cut flowers and wine sets the ambiance.

This French look can be achieved in any style of home, from contemporary to Provençal and from farmhouse to city apartment. Continue Reading »