A Sit-Down Mini-Tasting Luncheon

 

I have been collecting various sets of mini-tasting dishes ever since first seeing them a few years back on the Pier 1 website.  Their pictures made the food in these little dishes look so cute and fun! (Don't bite-sized portions just make everything classier and tastier?!) I wanted to give it a try but it took awhile before I could work out the logistics of how and what I wanted to serve in my mini-settings.

 

First off, I decided hosting a sit-down mini-tasting luncheon for a few women family members would be easiest.  I felt the sit-down part would give me more control over serving the items intended to be hot.

 

 

A tray of mini-appetizers became the centerpiece. (hard for me to give up that valuable real estate on a table to food!) 

 

 

 

Here's a photo-list of the appies on the tray.

 

 

 

 

A closer look at the other side...

 

 

 

Each guest took one of each type of appetizer from the tray. (faux apple is for decorative purposes only)  A large square charger plate with paper doily on top serves as the base for all the mini-dishes.

 

 

 

 

Next up...the entree course

 

 

This is where it was helpful to have my daughter's assistance in getting all the items dished up and to the table before they got too cold.

 

 

Here's a photo-list of the entree items...

 

 

 

 

The beverage-to-taste was a Vanilla Vodka Punch which guests helped themselves to for a pre-luncheon drink. 

 

 

Before I show you the dessert course, here's a look at some of the table decor.  I went with a Spring green with contrasting black and white for the colour scheme.

Above, you see that I placed the tray(s) on a couple of my glass blocks to give the food-as-the-centerpiece some height and I thought it appropriate as it suggested the tray was "on ice".

 

The side-piece (versus centerpiece) shown below was created on a tray that came with one of the mini-tasting dish sets. 

 

 

 

Take home favours were two votive candles wrapped in lace-look bags tied with green ribbon.

 

 

 

 

Okay, on to the dessert....

 

What's more perfect than mini-parfaits? (I actually really enjoy making these!)You will notice one parfait has a candle in it - Yes, this was one of my "self-hosted birthday luncheons"! (Click HERE for details on how/why I host those)

 

 

 

And along with the parfaits, we also had my mom's homemade butter tarts with vanilla ice cream.

 

 

Now that I've finally "tried out" my mini-tasting dishes, I can see all sorts of possibilities for them ... at various gatherings and for a variety of food items.

 

I'd love to hear if you've used any mini-tasting dishes and how it went!

 

Thanks for visiting!

 

I'll be linking this post to the following terrific blogs:

 

Sunday Showcase at Under the Table and Dreaming

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
Tutorials & Tips at Home Stories A to Z

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style
Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch

Tutorials, Tips & Tidbits at Stone Gable
Be Inspired at Common Ground
Foodie Friday at Rattlebridge Farm
Show & Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

 

 

 

Easter Table 2013

 I hope you all had a wonderful blessed Easter!  The weather here was just fabulous for all 4 days of the long weekend and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

 

I thought you might like to see what I came up with for my Easter table for 2013. 

 

It began with this 'bunnies-in-a-basket' centerpiece I created with a greenery-ball, some Easter eggs, a white lace runner and a rectangular basket that I wrapped with pink berry-garland.

 

 

In the picture below, you can see that I raised the centerpiece to give it some height and a bit more presence on the table. (I used three of my glass blocks covered by another white lace runner but you could use some books with cloth napkins, etc to provide the needed elevation.)

 

 

 

I like to think the bunnies are enjoying a munch or two of these tasty green sprouts.

 

 

 

 

I wanted to use my pink/green dishes because they are so spring-like and as such, I was forced to go with a colour scheme that is, as you know, a little outside my comfort zone.

 

 

 

It is hard for me to embrace pastel tones but Easter/Spring decorations tend to lean in that direction so I went with it.

 

 

 

 

Besides the bunnies in the centerpiece basket, other bunnies were called into action as well.

(I picked up two of these cuties from a local Pharmasave drug store.)

 

 

 

 

Chocolate Lindt bunnies served as placecard holders and take-home favours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stemware consisted of my trusty amber wine glasses and clear glass water goblets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These bunnies almost look like they are made of metal in a bronze tone but are actually lightweight resin. (I got them a few years back locally at Coopers' grocery store)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I put a Lindt chocolate inside these plastic eggs at each place setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 What was on the menu?, you might ask....why, "take-out" of course! That's right, family and guests agreed we should take it easy this year and order in.  Since we all love Chinese food, that was the natural choice.

 

 

 

We all got to be outside enjoying the sunshine and Spring weather instead of slaving in the kitchen!  With the table set and special guests gathered, the Easter menu can be whatever you like!  Clean-up was a breeze too!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

I'll be linking this post to these fabulous blogs:

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Tablescape Thursdays at Between Naps on the Porch
Masterpiece Mondays at Boogie Board Cottage
Swing Into Spring Party at DIY by Design
Let's Dish at Cuisine Kathleen
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits at Stone Gable