The Edible Centerpiece

By Joyce Wagner - July 19, 2007

Who needs conventional solutions? Originality is often the result of a problem that translates into an opportunity for originality — especially when it concerns entertaining at home. Especially when it concerns table settings.

Lack of funds for flowers needn’t cause a table centerpiece from suffering aesthetically; in fact it might well work out to be a benefit. Whether for a formal wedding or a picnic on the beach, you need look no further than your own kitchen to discover everything necessary to create a notable tablescape

Three of the Island’s most popular caterers, florists, and entertaining experts, Louise Sweet of Flowers on the Vineyard, Jaime Hamlin, of V. Jaime Hamlin and Sons Caterers, and Dee Smith of Tea Lane Caterers, offer their ideas on creating edible tablescapes to dazzle both eye and appetite.

It begins with fruits and vegetables, most of which can be easily assembled into eye-pleasing centerpieces by themselves, or in combination with flowers, candles, or — the Island favorite — seashells.

According to Ms. Sweet, one of the easiest and most impressive centerpieces for your table is often the main course itself. "If you’re serving turkey, put the turkey in the middle of the table,” she recommends. "If you’re serving chili, you can put a big bowl of chili in the middle of the table and you can have other bowls of fresh cut greens, onions, or shredded cheese around it.

"I always try to take elements of the preparation of the meal and show those,” she continues. Some of her favorites are fresh hot peppers and tomatoes which she uses for their colors. "I love to buy those little heirloom tomatoes that are around now,” she says. "They’re purple, they’re yellow, they’re orange, they’re red —they’re gorgeous! You can put them on any table, especially with pasta or similar tomato dishes or salads.”

A favorite among all three professionals is lemons and limes. For events Ms. Smith frequently uses lemons and lemon leaves to create topiary. She likes their versatility, availability, durability, reusability, and accessible price. When entertaining at home, she fills a clear-footed trifle bowl with lemons, limes, oranges, and apples. "I buy those sweet cherry tomatoes that are on a vine,” she explains, "and grapes, and I let them dangle over the rim. I use long carrots that haven’t been peeled and leave them sticking out of the bowl in a V-shape.”

Jaime Hamlin also likes the citrus tower look. "A cake stand is an easy dish to begin with,” she says. She builds a pyramid of lemons on a footed cake plate and tucks in and trails ivy and other vines. "Having a little height in the middle of something gives it a focal point.”

Another favorite edible decoration is champagne grapes, those tiny purple or green clusters that you can find during their summer season at Island fruit stands.

Ms. Smith has a special affinity for them. "They’re not readily available,” she admits, "but they’re wonderful incorporated into a fruitscape. They’re gorgeous.” She suggests piling the grapes, in both colors in a stemmed bowl.

For something dramatic, design with eggs and shells, cranberries, marshmallows, popcorn, small pumpkins and squash, fresh aromatic herbs in small pots or fashion a jellybean path down the center of the table. The idea is to try something new and original. If it doesn’t look as expected, just gulp it down and try again.

The assembly is usually simple. Most fruits and vegetables can be arranged in bowls or even strewn in lines down the table. For more formal arrangements, the edibles can be made into a construction by attaching one piece to another using wooden toothpicks or skewers.

Part of the fun of creating edible arrangements is finding the perfect plate, vessel, wicker basket, or favorite serving piece to display them in or on. Stemmed bowls, cake stands, or trifle bowls are obvious choices for centerpieces.

Louise Sweet believes versatility is key. "It doesn’t have to be big and fancy or even all the same thing,” she advises. "It can be a special bowl or a stemmed bowl or great big salad bowls filled with yummy things. It can be extremely casual. It doesn’t have to be overly formal. Don’t over-think it.”

So pull out those flea-market finds: depression glass in their beautiful greens, pinks and ambers; the wonderfully iridescent carnival glass or lusterware; clear glass in round, cylindrical, or square shapes that draw attention to their contents; flower pots or the beautiful purity of creamware that contributes to sophisticated simple arrangements. If candles are going to be incorporated into the mix, placing them on a mirror or other reflective surface adds to the drama.

It is wise to remember that if the design or colors of the vessel are complex, keep the contents either monochromatic, or use one kind fruit or vegetable. As Dee Smith says, "Don’t muddle it.”

"We’ve done a lot of things with plain glass tall cylindrical or square vases,” Jaime Hamlin says. "Fill them with water and put in lots of cranberries; or fill several with lemons, oranges, limes – each vase with a different fruit.”

For picnics and other very casual décor, use colanders and wire baskets to hold your arrangements.

The foods themselves can be used as containers, either for other edibles or for tea lights, sand, shells, or colorful pebbles. Hollowed-out bell peppers, or lettuces, like kale and chicorina with their dense cores that can be carved out to accommodate condiments or candles, make striking choices as containers.

Ms. Smith uses peppers in red, orange, and green to hold dips like hummus when offering vegetable crudities. "Imagine going to a wedding and having vegetable crudities as your centerpiece.” she says. "People will sit down and eat it. Why not?”

Ms. Smith notes the added bonus of not having to deal with end of the evening centerpiece traumas, and quips, "Aunt Anne isn’t arguing with Aunt Margaret about who takes home the centerpiece.”

Joyce Wagner is a freelance writer who divides her time between the Vineyard and New Hampshire.