Bringing a Hunting Lodge Aesthetic to a Tablescape
I love the aesthetic of European hunts: the clothing, landscapes, and colors. I've never been on one, but I appreciate the imagery.
In my one bedroom NYC apartment, I created a tablescape and dinner party inspired by my interpretation of an Austrian hunting lodge.
For the "tablecloth," I used "moss mats" from Jemali in NYC's flower district (see here). I stuck the mats to my dinner table with tape!
Pheasant feathers felt appropriate! I purchased a few packs of these.
These antler candlesticks came from a maker on Etsy here.
I sourced lots of my table decor in the produce aisle of the grocery store! Including these large porcini mushrooms!
Another grocery store find ... cabbage!
When I hosted this dinner I hadn't yet launched my tableware line, but I would have used Chefanie Bamboo Placecard Holders to assign seats.
I collected acorns from my family's house in Westchester!
Option #1 : Dress like you're actually hunting in Bavaria, with a cloak and a hunting hat from Gössl and a shawl from Hermes.
Options #2: Wear a ballgown. This one is from Alexia Maria.
Option #3: Pants and a crop top. My pants are from Nasty Gal, and my top is from Alexia Maria. Learn how to make tartan donuts here and the corresponding the donut umbrella here.
Pearl Basket earrings feel appropriate for a dinner around collecting things to bring home.
Our Bamboo Bangle Bracelet is another nice natural touch.
Our Basket with Recycled Fox Fur feels really hunt.
Our Black Caviar earrings are an elegant and discreet button option.
Of course I painted the menus ... in the upper right hand corner, I wrote each guest's name, so the menu doubled as a place card.
Our salmon and caviar cones are always a crowd pleaser. I pipe crème fraîche in each mini cone and then dollop caviar or diced smoked salmon.
Our "Beggar's Purses" are smoked salmon "purses" filled with caviar and tied with chive.
I could eat our Beef Tenderloin every day for the rest of my life. Recipe here.
Duck confit ... never not perfect.
As side dishes, roasted potatoes and roasted haricots verts. Everyone is gluten-free and dairy-free these days, so potatoes feel like a safe carb.
Wish I had a better picture of the chestnut soup.
I like a dessert buffet because guests will graze around it ... and linger longer ...
A cake decorated with Firenze Chefanie Sheets can pop out of the dessert table!
Pop a bottle of bubbly when guests arrive ... always.
Aldo Sohm knows his wines ... and his Grüner is delicious. It will bring you straight to Austria.
Vietti Barolo is my favorite red.
On the record player: The Kinks.
If you were to play classical music, the party would be pretentious. If you were to play something soft, the party would be twee. Playing classic rock & roll demonstrates some self-awareness.
