Welcome to my site! Parsimonious Décor Darling is the moniker I have adapted to convey the sentiment you do not need to be extravagant to be fabulous! I love DIY projects, gardening, tablescapes, and incorporating thrifty finds and antiques with finery! My aesthetic is classic and traditional, with a touch of whimsy. Let's share!
Happy Sunday, Friends! Although we have not gathered here with my extended family for a while now, and I didn't cook a huge feast for the Thanksgiving holiday like I typically do (much smaller in scale this year), I still am a voracious foodie at heart, whether entertaining for large gatherings or not.
A charcuterie board is a perfect crowd pleaser, especially for entertaining guests. Even though gatherings may be sparse if you are following health officials' guidelines, you may enjoy this super-easy entertaining idea this holiday season.
At the tail-end of the summertime, my grapevines were abundant with fruit and we had a small get-together with the immediate family to enjoy that bounty.
Fruits of my labor:
Grapes are still available in the grocery stores, so you can definitely put together an epic charcuterie board using those or simply edit to include other fruits that are still in season. A charcuterie board full of different types of food offers guests a plethora of choices, and can be enjoyed any time of year! With Christmas and New Year's soon to be upon us, I thought, why not still share this idea?
Several weeks ago in this post, I showed you how to make your own large-scale charcuterie board. These boards are perfect for entertaining year-round!
For me, a great charcuterie board is the perfect balance of sweet and savory. I also like to include something outside the box. Consider cheeses that are not typical such as those flavored with fruit, or meats that are a little more upscale such as a great aged proscuitto. Chilled grapes compliment cheese and meat perfectly, but you may also consider berries like strawberries and blueberries which are also still available in stores currently.
On my board, I also included homemade dolmas (stuffed grape leaves). This Mediterranean classic is a perfect addition to a great charcuterie board. I made mine from scratch using self-preserved grape leaves right off of my grapevines. To view the recipe, you may see the post here on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum. There is also a video.
Add all the yummy elements and add a garnish such as a grapevine as I’ve done, or even flowers!!
There you have it!
A simple entertaining idea anyone can put together in about ten minutes' time, and an absolute no-brainer.
You can see me put it all together here. Please be sure to be in full website viewing mode rather than mobile or you may not see the link:
I hope you have had a wonderful and restful weekend!
If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives! You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling. You might like to visit my other blog hubs,
I hope that everyone is enjoying the summer, and staying cool wherever you are.
This Summer, with the temperatures here in southern California soaring well past the 100s, it definitely makes me think of the Mediterranean countryside. If you have read any of my posts, you know that I am an avid lover of music; thus, as par for the course, today as I plan a special dinner, I am listening to and reflecting upon one of my favorite composers, Isaac Albéniz. He was a pianist whose works were originally composed solely for piano. Several of the pieces were later transcribed for guitar, and have become classical guitar standards. The Suite Española is one of my favorite works in classical music. Comprised of several pieces, the works reflected the area for which they were composed. You may listen to one of my favorite pieces of the Suite Española entitled Sevilla as interpreted by famous guitarist John Williams here: It may not work via my site, but the YouTube window will open up upon clicking.
Albéniz was inspired by the cities of Andalusia, and the pieces were meant to reflect the region.
The area where we reside is very warm and it resembles not only Mediterranean countries, but Tuscany as well. There are even an abundance of wineries nearby; the terrain is so similar which is perfect for cultivating grapes (this is also why I have vines on my property). Today, I am taking my cue from Maestro Albéniz by bringing a bit of the beautiful Mediterranean countryside to my table, and also adding a dash of Tuscan charm, just right for entertaining during the late summer. I also will be participating in a fabulous blog hop hosted by one of my favorite bloggy pals, Katherine from Katherine's Corner. We would love to have you visit all of the wonderful posts in this fun summer tablescape hop! I hope you enjoy!
The table began with a simple white cloth, embellished with a rustic burlap runner.
A runner of grape vines and bougainvillea fresh from my garden adds a bit of Summer romance to the setting.
Isn't this bounty beautiful?
Placemats of rattan emulate the provincial elements of the countryside.
I kept things simple with white china, shown here:
and clear glass. Shown here.
Each place setting was outfitted with a mini pedestal to designate seating.
I wanted a casual atmosphere, so extra flatware for dessert was displayed in this rustic wrought iron silverware caddy.
I planned a special menu for this dinner party, and the elements were also meant to reflect the beauty of the region. The menu is situated at the head of the table in wrought iron.
A close look at the evening's menu:
Premier: Salade de Bougainvilliers et les feuilles de vigne avec les fraises
I wanted to keep it whimsical, so the salad was served in a fun silver wheelbarrow with an accompanying pitchfork and shovel style fork and spoon.
So cute.
If you would like to view the recipe for this salad, you may do so on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum here.
Plat Prinicpal: Gaspacho Blanc
The gazpacho was served in a simple silver bowl placed inside a wrought iron trivet.
If you would like to view the recipe for my white gazpacho, you may visit the post here on my blog Parsimonious Pabulum.
Après: 1. Gâteau au Citron avec infusion des raisins blancs 2. Glace au Vanille à la Lavande
1. I plated the Naked Lemon Cake with White Grape Infusion on this antique-styled cake plate.
If you would like to see the recipe for this very delicious (and simple, a boxed cake was used as a base...shhhh) you may view the post here on Parsimonious Pabulum.
2. The Lavender Ice cream was served in the aforementioned simple dessert glasses.
You may view the recipe at Parsimonious Pabulumhere.
Vin: Moscato d'Asti
Completed table.
The evening definitely was a success, and I hope you have enjoyed this post. These ideas are perfect for a mid-summer's siorée! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Please be sure to visit all of the other lovely bloggers in this wonderful hop!
***Update***
I was so preoccupied with my sick poochie, I forgot to list where all my pretties came from!!
Apologies!
From my collection:
White Dinnerware, Ralph Lauren Whipstitch Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Rattan Chargers, Target Silver Flatware, Wallace Silversmiths Antique Baroque Collection, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Beige Crocheted-edge tea towels, Boutross Linens, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Wrought iron silverware caddy and trivet, SteinMart Silver Bowl, Ralph Lauren Wentworth Collection Silver-plated Wheelbarrow, Pitchfork, and Shovel Set, Godinger, Horchow/Neiman Marcus Wrought Iron Book stand used for menu, Tai Pan Trading Antique-style cake stand, Tai Pan Trading Dessert glasses, generic, Homegoods Wine glasses, generic
Mini cupcake stands used for place settings, American Atelier Bianca Collection, TJMaxx
If you enjoy this post, please visit the archives! You may also visit my full profile to view my other blogs. Connect with me on my Facebook Page, Parsimonious Décor Darling. You might like to visit my other blog hubs,
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