Daily Art: Setting a Beautiful Table
Daily Art: Setting a Beautiful Table
We have heard often that quote of Samuel Johnson: “The way to a man’s heart is his stomach,” but few of us realize that he went a little further. “Similarly, the way to a man’s theology is the setting of his table at the various seasonal celebrations.”
The family meal table is not only a place where everyone satisfies their palates, but where they may satisfy their need for talk, laughter, fellowship. It is the stage for many happy hours, and the way in which it is set helps to establish the tone.
If we are careless in this matter, then we deny ourselves a great deal of peace and pleasure. The plates and utensils are set slapdash on the table, the food is slopped distastefully on the plates. The whole disordered scene may very well take away the appetite.
I do not mean to suggest that one must have snowy linens, polished silver, and Great-Grandma’s heavy crystal. But I do think that we should strive to convey the idea that the family meal time is a very special time, a time to pause from our labor, to strengthen ourselves with food and good talk. This can be communicated by the care with which we arrange the different items, the thought which we put into presenting to food tastefully, and the attention we give to little things that add simple, homemade beauty to the table.
Be sure to include the little ones in these preparations. It means so much to them to take part in family affairs; it gives them a mind toward industry and thoughtfulness. When they are bored and you are occupied with preparing the meal, give them a bit of pleasant direction. Set them to work in the kitchen or tell them to set the best table they know how. Girls are especially fond of “making things pretty.”
1.Flowers are bright and pretty centerpieces. It is a wonderful privilege when you can gather blooms from your own yard. Show the children how to select and arrange the flowers and greenery. Remember to keep the arrangement short, as you will want to see the person across the table. In our tropical region, our favorite choices are: bougainvillea, hibiscus, palm fronds, ferns, and the variegated mother-in-law’s-tongue.
2.Candles are nice, but should be occasional so as to keep them special. The Sabbath dinner would be a good time. Tablecloths and cloth napkins may also be appropriate at such a meal.
3.My youngest sister enjoys folding the paper napkins into fanciful shapes. Some of your little ones might like to experiment, too! Simple origami instructions are available on the internet, or perhaps they would like to try something from their own heads. Elegant swans float on plates, jaunty sailor hats perch at the side, or flowers bloom from the glasses.
4.Another thing our little ones enjoy is making napkin rings. Cardboard tubes such as those found in toilet paper or paper towel rolls are cut and decorated with paints, markers, or sequins. The possibilities are truly endless!
5.The little ones in our family enjoy setting a “restaurant table.” They love to carefully place fresh sprigs of rosemary on the edges of plates. A loaf of bread is cut into thick slices which are then carefully arranged in a basket. A plate is flooded with olive oil sprinkled with fresh minced garlic, pepper, and oregano.
6.The food can be a “decoration” too! The cook of the house should strive not only to prepare a nutritious, balanced and flavorful meal—a feast for the stomach—but to choreograph the colors and textures—a feast for the eyes.
7.Seasonal holidays provide a wonderful opportunity to decorate the table. St. Patrick’s Day calls for greenery, Independence Day for the national colors, autumn for gourds and colorful foliage, and Christmas for the Advent wreath and prayer chains.
8.Keep everything simple. It is not fun to pass plates or try to converse over mountains of even pretty things. Crowding leads to frustrations, so keep your “decorations” minimal. Simplicity is beautiful. Even a single sprig of leaves can be made elegant.
Photograph: Untitled. © Handmaidens of the Shepherd, July 2008.
Friday, July 18, 2008