Creating a Spring Themed Dinner
Spring has definitely sprung here at Bella Terra. All the flowers are blooming, my garden is growing and what better way to share it than a spring themed dinner at home.
Recently we hosted friends of ours who are out of state that is still experiencing snow. It is their first time to our house, however, we spent a great deal of time together when we all went to Mongolia last June. With their differing food likes and dislikes, it makes sense to make a meal that can accommodate everyone’s culinary wishes.
The Tablecloth
I love this linen tablecloth embroidered with an assortment of spring flowers. This seems like the perfect base for the spring themed dinner. My recollection is that I bought it during a trip to Italy….or I found it in a thrift store. I think the Italy story is better!
The Centerpiece
On the way home from a doctor’s appointment, I stop at Trader Joe’s and check out their flowers. These purple decorative cabbages catch my eye and are the basis for the centerpiece.
Using floral wet foam and a plastic rectangular container, more flowers are added. Fragrant purple stock and freshly cut irises from the garden surround the cabbages. Mums, daisies and roses from the yard fill in the rest. Not only is the centerpiece a tribute to spring, it smells heavenly too. Here is another centerpiece I created using 4 of these plastic containers.
The Dishes
With such a light and bright tablecloth, I select these Fondeville Ambassador ware dishes because of the spring green and flowers in the pattern. Since I only have the dinner plates, I add a Leslie Roy neutral, clear glass salad plate with a gold rim on top.
I play around with different chargers and settle on this clear one with a golden beaded edge. Though they look like glass, the chargers are actually plastic. $2.99 each from Hobby Lobby. Don’t they look elegant?
Stemware
Lenox water and wine glasses with a narrow gold rim are simple and elegant, focusing attention to the pretty vintage dinner plate. Wallace Napoleon Bee stainless with gold accents is a favorite flatware.
Yellow linen napkins from Sferra (see similar here) add a bit of spring color to the table. Detailed bird candles are placed around the centerpiece for another spring element.
The lighted candles in the Waterford crystal candlesticks provide a romantic glow.
The Menu
In order to provide meat for some, my husband prepares the steaks on the grill. A large salad and baked sweet potatoes with lemon (my favorite recipe is below), provides sustenance for the non-meat eaters.
Dessert is homemade rangpur tartlets (shared with you on a recent Saturday Meanderings) and is served on vintage Fondeville plates (which can be found on eBay).
The food is delicious and the company is delightful! What a lovely evening with friends and setting a special table always makes your guests feel welcomed.
Are you enjoying Spring weather? Any spring entertaining on the horizon?
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Sweet Potatoes Baked with Lemon
Ingredients
- 6 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 cups light brown sugar (or a mixture of light and dark)
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- A (6 inch) strip of lemon zest yellow part only
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 6 TBSP unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse the potatoes under warm water. Place in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are just tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- Combine the sugar, 1/2 cup water, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt in a medium saucepan, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add 5 tablespoons butter and stir well. When the butter has melted, remove from the heat and beat in the lemon juice.Set aside.
- Heat oven to 425 degrees.Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/2-inch disks.Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease a shallow baking dish. Lay the sweet potatoes in the dish in a single layer and pour the Leon syrup on top. Bake until bubbling hot, about 30 minutes.
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What a beautiful table and centerpiece. The table linen is stunning and I love how everything came together!
Kristin, thank you so much!
Mary, your tablescape is stunning. I love your place settings. The plates are gorgeous. Happy Spring. My friend.
Renae, I love these plates and have never been able to find more…Thank you for your sweet comment.
Mary,
Your spring table is stunning. You have such elegant taste. Everything is perfection. I plan to share a link on my Sunday, DRA.
Rachel, thank you so much for sharing my link to your huge audience. You are so nice to do so!
I love your stunning spring table, Mary! The floral centerpiece with the purple cabbage, the linen tablecloth, the dishes…every detail is perfection my friend. Thank you for the inspiration.
Kim, thank you so much for sharing my post. I wrote two comments but not sure they ever got through to you. Hope your trip to Palm Springs was fun!
I think the Italy story is better too! LOL I am loving Spring Mary and I see you are too at Bella Terra! I love the placements and the flowers you chose are my favorite color, love them! Keep up the beautiful work! Thanks for sharing!
Gabie, SO great to hear from you! Often I try to respond to your posts but have difficulty doing so as my recollection is that a sign-in/password is required? Nonetheless, thanks for such a sweet comment and I am happy the flowers are your favorite color!
Mary,
Aren’t those chargers the best?! So glad you incorporated them last fall at your fall/holiday event. I am intrigued by the sweet potato recipe too. Never put lemon with sweet potatoes- I think I need to now! Lovely tablescape…as always!
Karleen
Karleen, you will LOVE the sweet potatoes with lemon…such a bright taste to add. Yes, I love those chargers too~hard to believe they are plastic. Thanks for commenting.
Mary, you are too perfect, I’m packing for Amsterdam and Hungry for a month, been home for last 10 days, Vail for a week, month before in Morocco and Portugal.
I read your posts from all over the world, yet think, I’m going to look for those chargers! Love them, you’re so dang classy, would be hard having you to dinner with my paper plates and plastic glasses
Bev, you are certainly the traveling queen~what fun destinations! Now with a new puppy, our travel will be limited, at least this year.Have fun and stay safe. And we would love to have dinner at your place any time!
Really pretty and so full of the liteness of Spring, Mary!
Sue, thank you so much!
Just lovely!!! I, for one, love the special attention to detail…and, that’s why I DO IT!! franki
Franki, glad to hear from another detailed oriented person! I bet your dinner parties are fabulous.