We’ve been Celebrating the Grape and enjoying Bottled Sunshine during September in observance of North Carolina’s Wine Appreciation Month.
Harvest festivals with serenades, grape stomps, and harvest-to-barrel celebrations are abundant with October’s arrival.
Taking my cue from the harvest events at North Carolina wineries this month, I pulled out my grandmother’s dishes~ Harvest Time by Johnson Brothers~ to enjoy with some wine we purchased during our tasting visits.
I harvested some Goldenrod along with clippings from some shrubs for filler~ grasses in bloom, Loropetalum and Abelia for a centerpiece.
Mums for some seasonal color and produce from the grocery store~ artichokes, apples & grapes~ are paired to fill my urn for a full-bodied arrangement for the table.
I fitted a wine bottle with a candelabra insert ~ a fun addition for the table & a keepsake bottle after the contents are gone :)
Cradling a bottle from RayLen Vineyards & Winery~ this little bird told about the upcoming mini-release party of RayLen’s newest vintage of Carolinius~ a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, with details found here.
Ripe for the picking, I found a grape-producing tablecloth & napkins ~a Ralph Lauren varietal~ at HomeGoods a couple of weeks ago~
I found a cheese pairing suggestion for one of our wines~ a Childress Barrel Select Barbera~ since I had ricotta on hand, it was a natural choice and was simple & delicious~
Ricotta with Blackberries & Lime~
Serves 4
Ingredients
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3 cups fresh blackberries
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2 – 3 tablespoons sugar, depending on sweetness of berries
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Zest & juice of 1 lime
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8 ounces whole milk ricotta
Method
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Place 1 ½ cups of the blackberries in a blender and puree with the sugar. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Add half of the zest and lime juice, stir & refrigeration a minimum of 20 minutes
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Reserve the remaining blackberries and lime zest in the refrigerator.
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Using a small 1- ounce ice-cream scoop, place 2 tablespoons of the ricotta in the middle of each of 4 small dessert plates or bowls. Toss the blackberry sauce with the remaining berries and spoon a quarter of the sauce around the outside of the ricotta on each plate.
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Garnish with blackberries & lime zest.
Harvest Table details:
Tablecloth, Napkins & Bird Wine Caddy/HomeGoods
Dishes/Harvest Time by Johnson Brothers
Goblets/Mikasa French Countryside- Tuesday Morning
Chargers/ Pier 1
Flatware/World Market
Thank you for your visit, I’m joining:
Posted in Decor, Flowers, Food, Wine
Tagged Alphabe-Thursday, Childress Barrel Select Barbera, Foodie Friday, Fresh Cut Fridays, Harvest Time by Johnson Brothers, HomeGoods, NC Wineries, RayLen Vineyards & Winery, Ricotta with Blackberries and Lime, Seasonal Sundays, Table Top Tuesday
Harvest Time by Johnson Brothers was my grandmother’s pattern. I have the remaining pieces of her place settings~
With Harvest as a theme, I harvested a medley of veggies, fruits & flowers for this table. . .
These dishes are lovingly worn and chipped in places. Only three Dinner Plates are left. One Lonely Salad Plate. Three Soup Bowls. Four Bread & Butters. One Oval Platter. And five Fruit/Dessert Bowls.
This bountiful centerpiece is easy to create with veggies, fruits & flowers from the market. Pots of pansies or flowers can be concealed easily with moss~
Tuck in artichokes, asparagus~ any veggies that have an appealing texture or color. . .sunflower stems are in water picks~ use whatever flower you like that is available~
The best part is since it’s temporarily constructed, you can break it down and eat it for dinner later :-)
I love the texture of this savoy cabbage with the sunlight highlighting all its veins. . .
I confess I enjoy playing with my veggies more than eating them :-)
Thank you for your visit, I’m joining:
This is my grandmother’s china, you may remember seeing here. It is Harvest Time by Johnson Brothers. I was inspired to bring it into spring time, when I ran across these striped placemats at Home Goods, a few months ago, that tied the pink together with the brown. I added som egg cups, flowers, and Easter goodies to help with the transformation.
These glittery “Easter Greetings” postcards are available at World Market.
I pulled this bunny, that normally functions as a bookend, over to the table. I love his distressed finish (I’m pretty sure it’s a him :-)
This stemware I’ve had for ages. . . I don’t remember the manufacturer, it came assorted in 4 colors. I love the bubbles in it.
This “chocolate” egg wreath was at A.C. Moore this spring.
History.com has this to say:
“The Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare called “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws.” Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit’s Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests.”
Read more about the Easter traditions of eggs, bunnies, and candy here.
These plum tree blossoms have been so pretty this spring . . . especially since not much else is blooming yet in my neck of the woods. I actually stole pruned these from a tree in the parking lot at Walgreens . . . do you have pruning shears in your car too?
I love the vintage-graphics on these reproduction postcards.
These ivy-printed napkins came in a 4-pack at Home Goods ($9.99!) and are Ralph Lauren. . . I’m on the lookout for another 4-pk!
These malted eggs are calling my name, but so far I have resisted temptation :-)
These flowers were in a bouquet at Trader Joe’s–they have the best looking fresh and seasonal flowers at great prices, if there is one near you.
Head over to the Porch for more inspiring tablescapes . . .
I’m joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps on the Porch.
Last week with Spring on the Horizon, I had a botanically inspired tablescape to share. This week, our weather has taken a nose dive. Last weekend’s weather was a teaser. Winter is still here, scarves, gloves, and coats are still required.
I am sharing my maternal Grandmother’s (Lottie’s) China Pattern, Harvest Time by Johnson Brothers.
Lottie was born in 1901. She was one of nine children and raised her three younger brothers when her mother died. She didn’t marry until she was 26 (an Old Maid in 1927!) She attended Elon College (now University) for one year. She passed away in 1993.
It would probably be more fitting to share this in the fall, given the pattern’s motif and colors. I must confess though, that there is something very comforting and homey I find with this pattern, especially when it is still winter outside.
I have always been a Brown-Girl. My favorite dress in the first grade was brown. To me, there is something soothing about brown, it feels like home. And partially because of my grandmother too, I’m sure.
These dishes are lovingly worn and chipped in places. Only three Dinner Plates are left. One Lonely Salad Plate. Three Soup Bowls. Four Bread & Butters. One Oval Platter. And five Fruit/Dessert Bowls.
I have fond memories of her preparing breakfast on these plates. She would put on a full spread. A lumberjack would not go hungry :-)
She also was up with the chickens ;-) Rattling around her kitchen in the wee hours of the morning, setting the table.
I have paired her Dinner Plate with a Matceramica Charger underneath.
She handwashed these dishes, and I usually helped dry– so I’m probably partially responsible for some of the missing place settings.
For more tablescaping inspiration head over to the Porch.
