New Year's Dinner

This is one of my favorite tablescapes.  I assembled it quickly after Christmas by simply re-using the silverware, the candles, and the ornaments from Christmas. I added Grandma Kate's plates. 

We could begin the new year with her dishes and remember the wonderful person she was and how fortunate we were to have had her in our lives.  It was like she was looking down from heaven, saying that we would be blessed in 2011.

I decided to switch the tablecloth from black to a lighter color. I chose a champagne because it was rich and textural. White would have looked too weddingish and old-fashioned.

The plates were a gift from my husband's grandmother. I'd been trying to use them for years, but nothing seemed right. It always felt cold. This time, I supplemented the silver in the plates with gold accents. The silver and gold looked rich, warm and festive.

I bought the pheasants a few years ago to go with the plates, but they were lacking drama. This time, I elevated them on a lazy susan and spun it slightly. This caused the table runner, a gift from my sister, to twist and provide visual energy and excitement.

Lighting is key to creating a soft, romantic atmosphere, so I used the gold candles from my Victorian Rose Christmas Dinner.* 

*The Victorian Rose Christmas Dinner can be seen in the video from the Reminiscing post.

Then I scattered ornaments around. It was the perfect nod to Christmas, but seemed fresh and new. 

I chose silver chargers with a raised design. The circular pattern is repeated in the plates, the ornaments, and the glasses.

Each plate needed something special, so I added the cordial glasses.  Then I grabbed ornaments off of the adjacent Christmas tree to top the glasses.

I used simple white napkins to keep the overall appearance clean. Champagne flutes were a must.  I added bud vases as water glasses because they seemed chic.






The menu included a pear with toasted walnuts, bleu cheese and honey.
















The entree' was roasted turkey with brussel sprouts and a dressing made of rice, cranberries and almonds.

Pumpkin butter accompanied the rolls.


















Dessert was vanilla ice cream. To create the perfect dessert, I served the ice cream in mini-shot glasses with tiny spoons.

 I scooped the ice cream out of the container with a melon baller and placed them on a wax-paper lined tray and refroze them. After the ice cream had hardened, I placed the ice cream balls in the glasses and froze them again. Right before serving, I placed the mint on top and added chocolate wafers.

Happy New Year's Day!