« Hollis and Lina Win | Main | Timing »

A good portion of my time is spent making food look good. The food already tastes fabulous (I am totally arrogant like that...), but in my line of work, it has to look fabulous, too.

So we've got shelves full of props; vases, candlabras, tiered dishes, urns, flower pots, etc. etc. etc. We've got fancy linens and casual linens and table skirts and we've got an old saddle and cowboy boots for that person who wants all things Western. It's endless, really. But all of these things help in creating a tablescape that is not to be forgotten. Well, maybe the guests go home and don't give a damn, but we get a real rush out of it.

However, we are careful to stay right on the edge of going overboard, never entering into the world of tacky excess. No one likes to fish a raw oyster out of 10 yards of silver lame'.

It's a lot of work, but that's what I get the big bucks for.

Which is why in my "real life", I appreciate the simple things.

Yesterday was spent at a family reunion and I am happy and exhausted from a day filled with old stories, watching new babies, meeting new spouses, catching up with loved ones - and eating myself silly.

The Great-Aunt, never one for flashy excess, has an old dining room table that could easily seat 16 people. She purchased it years ago with family gatherings in mind. The finish is worn and there are spots from too-hot casseroles and scratches from wayward carving knives. There are a lot of memories attached to that table and today was no exception.

When I stepped into the kitchen to give hugs all around, I yelped excitedly as I saw Aunt Carlene mashing anchovies into olive oil, preparing to make her fabulous Caesar salad. And over by the stove Aunt Betty was putting the finishing glazes on her famous ham. And on the banquette Aunt Sadie was tearing apart her melt-in-your-mouth potato rolls while Aunt Katrina put the finishing touches on her antipasta platter.

When all was said and done that worn old table was groaning under the weigh of that ham, that Caesar salad, those rolls, that antipasta platter and... herb roasted chicken, fresh pasta with pine nuts and olive oil, creamed corn, spinach salad, lasagne, grilled asparagus, grean beans with bacon and shallots, focaccia bread, prime rib, fruit, glazed carrots, pickled beets, roasted red potatoes, herbed cucumber salad, carrot and raisin salad, cabbage salad, greek salad, hummous, leg of lamb and I don't know - I can't remember it all. It was completely overwhelming.

And it was beautiful.

And not because it was displayed so beautifuly or layed out just so - but because each dish was an old baking pan or an old casserole filled with food made by the most loving hands anyone would ever have the pleasure of knowing. Each family made their favorite dish and every person in that house ate like it was The Last Supper, moaning and groaning for the sheer volume of it all.

As The Great-Aunt called on The Great-Uncle to gather everyone around, I told her how stunning the table looked. "Stunning? Sweetheart, don't be silly. That ratty old table and those ratty old linens and these old worn-out dishes are just good old family wares - not fancy, but made with love."

"Exactly", I said.

Never in a million years could I create a table so fabulous.

Posted by Foodwhore at July 25, 2005 10:42 AM

Posted by: Cheri at July 25, 2005 11:32 AM

Posted by: Kim at July 25, 2005 12:24 PM

Posted by: Alida at July 25, 2005 06:35 PM

Posted by: Dr. Biggles at July 25, 2005 07:22 PM

Posted by: Barbara at July 26, 2005 06:37 AM

Posted by: kitchen hand at July 26, 2005 04:28 PM

Posted by: kay at July 26, 2005 06:52 PM

Posted by: Margaret at July 26, 2005 07:20 PM

Posted by: plum at July 27, 2005 04:22 AM

Posted by: Suebob at July 29, 2005 05:48 PM