Food Centerpieces

The fall entertaining season is now here, and if you're looking for ways to make your event stand out, certain foods make unusual centerpieces, either on buffet tables or dining tables.

More traditional centerpieces are usually things like flowers, potted plants, topiaries, statures, ice sculptures, etc., and we love these too.

But in the past five years or so, the idea of food centerpieces has also been growing, and these offer great new possibilities, and not just for weddings, where they're increasingly popular.  Most events of any size can use the idea if well done.

By food centerpieces we mean things like baskets or decorative containers or stands of artisan bread displays, cheeses, chocolates, cheese and fruit, or fruit.  Or themed food centerpieces feature things like, for example, a basket, wooden cheese round, or other container filled with French pastries, brioches, croissants, small Bries, and other French foods.

Should we eat this?

Your guests WILL eventually eat from food centerpieces.  You can either make the food centerpiece part of the total guest food served or have it as an extra amount of guest food.

But don't stress if your cake stand or whatever holding your food centerpiece looks a little bare at the end of your party because guests ate from it--instead, look around and see how much everyone is enjoying themselves!

Food centerpieces are fun and unusual and in a way less wasteful--you can always give whatever's left from your food centerpiece to someone, or to a shelter.

Here are more ideas for food centerpieces.  Remember that a food centerpiece always looks better with a little height and a sort of "piled up" look:

• Seedless grape bunches on a cake or tier stand, with our without flower blooms
• For a smaller gathering, a cake or tier stand with finger foods or soup shooters as the centerpiece (in addition to other trays or platters of food)
• Harvest or seasonal fruit "cornucopias" (piled-up display, but not in a basket cornucopia)
• Berry "cornucopias"
• Candied violets or other artisan candies
• Mini brownies, mini lemon bars, mini rugelach, or other mini desserts that won't get smooshed when piled up
• A layer cake on a cake stand--Put something on top such as one or several whole berries, an organic flower head, or a chocolate figurine

Enjoy!

Kristina

Fandango Catering and Events
(713) 522-0077
www.fandango-catering.com