Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Celebrating With Thankful Hearts


Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving with thankful hearts for the bountiful blessings in our lives.

We will dine with friends at their home for Thanksgiving this year, so for this week's Tablescape Thursday and the "Give Thanks Party" @ The Vintage Nest, I decided to share our table and meal from Thanksgiving 2009.



Four friends joined us for dinner last year.





Salad Plates in Olde Avesbury by Royal Crown Derby



Dinner Plates in Palermo Brown by Richard Ginori



Italian Pewter Chargers by Cosi Tabellini and Talisman Enameled Silver Flatware by Christophe



Crystal Stems in Rich Amber by Denby



Antique Sterling French Napkin Rings Collected Through the Years



Some are monogramed in beautiful scripts.



The heirloom napkins were a gift from my mother-in-law. Each have been monogramed by hand and were stitched by my husband's grandmother.



The table cloth is by Yves Delorme in shades of green and subdued teal blue.



My Tuesday Morning acorns were pulled into service as place card holders. Fallen leaves from a Red Oak were inscribed with each guest's name using a silver paint pen.



Small initialed treat boxes were favors for each guest to take home.



Inside were honey glazed Texas pecans.



The center piece was a single pillar within a crystal hurricane lantern flanked on either side by small white pumpkins, and placed on a pewter tray.









Dinner was served from the nearby sideboard in white French porcelain dishes.



A simple glazed container held a bouquet of tulips, gerber daisies, hypericum berries, and golden thryallis.



Red ware pottery, acorns,



squirrels, horn votives,



candles, an amber glass turkey container,



vintage candy containers,



pumpkins, gourds, and more turkeys set the mood for Thanksgiving.



After dinner. . .



dessert was served in the adjoining sun room.



A lemon cyprus topiary and pumpkin shaped gourds were the centerpiece.



Coffee and dessert was served on Richard Ginori china.



~Le Menu ~

A French Thanksgiving?

Yes, I know the French don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but one of our dinner guests was French, and this was in her honor.

We started our evening by popping a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and nibbling on appetizers.



Liver Paté with Herbed Crostini



More Paté. . . Paté with Truffles and Paté de Campagne



Artichoke Spread with Cayenne



Served on Heart Shaped Lahvosh



We started dinner with a salad of baby spinach garnished with fresh grapefruit and blue cheese crumbles.


The main meal was served from the sideboard.

My husband is the chef in our home, and he likes to march to his own drum. Though he has roasted a turkey for Thanksgiving at times, he often likes to cook a different bird for our Thanksgiving meal. We've had pheasant, quail, cornish game hens, and last year he selected to serve duck. He actually bought it smoked, and it was delicious!



Smoked Duck



Garnished with Cherry Tomatoes



Wild Rice with Dried Sour Cherries and Roasted Sweet Potatoes



Haricots Verts with Bacon and Onions



Country Bread



Sweet Cream Butter



A nice Chardonnay from Chateau St. Michelle



A Cru Du Beaujolais. . . Perfect Pairing for the Duck!



After dinner we moved into the living room around the cozy fire to enjoy coffee and dessert.



Expresso with a Touch of Irish Whisky and a Topping of Whipped Cream



A Bite of Chocolate



Homemade Pumpkin Pie



Just so you don't think I'm totally worthless in the kitchen, this little birdie wanted me to tell you that I get the credit for baking the pies.



Pumpkin Pie Topped with Fresh Whipped Cream and Honey Glazed Pecans



Friends, Food, and Fun

That pretty well sums up our Thanksgiving evening last year. We definitely enjoyed a delicious meal and delightful evening with friends. I'm very thankful for my family and the friends who fill my life with joy each day.


Thanksgiving Blessings to All!

Joining






Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

49 comments:

  1. Oh, Sarah! That is my kind of Thanksgiving! I am just breathless with all of that great china, the sterling, the linens, and the food! Where do I start? Love the Royal Crown Derby plates, and Richard Ginori has always been a favorite of mine. And the Christophe flatware! And the French napkin rings AND those linens... breathtaking heirloom linens with fabulous monograms, and the Yves Delorme tablecloth! Sarah, you have amazing taste! Oh, and that cute, cute redware turkey platter, and the adorable acorns with the leaf tags, and the yummy party favors. And that menu! Oh, YUM! Okay, I am definitely coming to your house for Thanksgiving NEXT year!

    xo,

    Sheila :-)

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  2. How could I forget those Denby stems??? Oh, fabulous! Still ooohing and ahhhing. :-)

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  3. You are such a gracious hostess, Sarah! The table is set perfectly...simply gorgeous! And kudos to your "chef" for a wonderful dinner! Everything looks so delicious! I am sure that your guests enjoyed every miute of it...wonderful company and the beautiful surroundings...not to mention the fabulous food! Happy week!...hugs...Debbie

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  4. Sarah, I want to come when you have a dinner party. Wow, you went all out last year. Love the table and the cute acorn place cards and the favors. What scrumptious looking food.

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  5. This table setting is absolutely divine!!! I love the china, but the heirloom napkins and the different sterling napkin rings just about took my breath away!
    It is just amazing...and then there is all that wonderful food - fit for a king! AMAZING!
    Rhonda

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  6. Dear Sarah,
    your Thanksgiving dinner must have been gorgeous. I love all this wonderful items, Ginori china, Cosi Tabellini pewter, Denby stems and the wonderful antique things like that napkins and silver. This is all worth for King and Queen. And you continued that with the food. Every course is fantastic. I wish you to have such a nice Thanksgiving this year, too.
    Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
    Greetings, Johanna

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  7. Those salad plates are something else and your buffet looks so fallish. I love your little acorn placeholders. Your menu sounded devine. Joni

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  8. Sarah, You chose a great tablecloth to showcase those gorgeous plates. I like the acorns being used as place cards.
    I love the redware turkey platter.
    Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

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  9. My eyes have feasted on all of your wonderful servings of Dinnerware, Food, Desserts, Decorations, Duck, and Drink. Goodness, but I bet your French guest was Thankful she was sitting at a Texas Table!

    Fantastic post...I know everyone at Lynn's Give Thanks Party will enjoy this feast! I'll see you on Friday!

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  10. WOW...that's some fantastic Thanksgiving! So many wonderful touches and yummy food...so welcoming and warm!! Wish I could have been there...if even just to smell the festive scents!!
    Enjoy a fabulous Thanksgiving Sarah with your friends and family xOxO Nerina

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  11. Just beautiful! I'm sure your guests enjoyed everything! You have so many unique things I enjoy seeing them so much! Love the lady figurine with the cornucopia! The real leaves on the acorns is a neat idea!

    Lucky you to have a husband who loves to cook! Your pie and pecans look delicious as well!

    Katherine

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  12. How fun to see your whole table, room and food. I love your salad plates. They are wonderful. All of the lovely touches and then I am drooling over the food, especially those fabulous pecans. Did you make them? They are just huge. What a wonderful event.

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  13. WoW! You really did good!! Thanks sharing with us! The food you prepared looks and sounds wonderful!!

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  14. Hi lovely lady, I love your Tablescapes ever one is Beautiful !And the food is also lovely.I will be over for Thanksgiving sweet lady. Thanks so much for your lovely comments on my Tablescapes for two.~~~~

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  15. Hi Sarah...

    Ohhh...what a fabulous Thanksgiving you had last year! Your table is gorgeous...my favorite...those fabulous salad plates! Ohhh...I love that pattern! I also loved those deep amber colored stems...sooo elegant! Well my dear, your Thanksgivine decor was fabulous and your menu...fabulous!!! I'm sure that your friends had a marvelous time! Mmmm...and smoked duck? That sounds divine! Everything was sooo lovely, Sarah...thank you so much for sharing your Thanksgiving with us! I also wanted to thank you for coming by today. I so enjoyed your sweet note and warm well wishes...thank you, Sarah!

    In case I don't get back by before Thanksgiving...I just wanted to wish you and your family a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving holiday!!!

    Warmest wishes,
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  16. It looks like you had a great night Sarah! The table is beautiful and I love that vintage turkey candy box:@)

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  17. What a beautiful table Sarah, and such a delicious meal! I love those heirloom napkins, what a wonderful gift. And the acorns make the cutest place card holders, what a great idea. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Kat

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  18. Sign me up for a French Thanksgiving, s'il vous plait! How wonderful to have a chef under your roof~ what a treat to be a guest at your table! Your sterling napkin rings & hand stitched monogrammed napkins~ Be Still My Heart~ What a Treasure! I am always thankful for your generous comments, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your friends this year :-)

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  19. How elegant! Those napkins are so special, and I am sure your guests enjoyed the royal treatment!
    You did a beautiful job.
    Mike likes duck, but I won't touch it, I am a white meat person!

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  20. Oh, Sarah... I am just sighing over this gorgeous table. I just took in each and every perfect detail. I love the silver touches - the napkin rings especially. How wonderful to have such a special heirloom in those napkins. The food looks absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing this with us.

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  21. The table is lovely, I especially like the monogramed napkins. My Aunt in Georgia just recently sent me twelve hand embroidered napkins. I wasn't expecting them. You can imagine my surprise. Your pie is just gorgeous with the leaf touch and looks delicious. Everything was thought of in detail. What a special Thanksgiving!

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  22. Wow! The details in your tablescape are nothing less than amazing. It's all magazine perfect from the silver napkin rings to the monogrammed napkins. Love the dishes, silverware, all of it. So fun to check out each and every picture.

    Thanks a million for leaving a comment on my blog. I'm glad you enjoyed seeing my daughter's wedding reception tables. They were so pretty in person! :)
    Donna

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  23. Sarah,
    Absolutely beautiful. The napkins and napkin holders are wonderful. The food looks amazing. Thanks for sharing.

    Happy Thanksgiving.

    Carol

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  24. I LOVE the acorns as place cards! How clever of you.

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  25. I LOVE the acorns as place cards! How clever of you.

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  26. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!! Those napkin rings are absolutely exquisite! I love them, love them, love them!!! The napkins are gorgeous! The salad plates....fabulous! I am just over the moon about so many of the elements of your table! Way to go!!!

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  27. Your table and buffet were set up so beautifully, Sarah! I was drooling looking through your food pictures! What a great idea for favors; I always see these type of monogram things at Michaels dollar bins and wouldn't have thought to personalize a favor that way. I like that idea!

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  28. I feel like it's a conspiracy. Every time I get ready to reply to this post, I get interrupted.

    There were so many wonderful things in this post that I hardly know where to start. I think the table you set was so pretty, and I really loved the little acorn place cards and the boxes with spiced nuts. That was such a perfect extra touch.

    Of course, my favorite thing was probably all the wonderful food. It looked like it was awesome.

    Wonderful, just wonderful!!

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  29. Oh my, what a beautiful setting Sarah!
    Your table is so elegant and so pretty! And your food is a feast for the eyes!
    Every detail is just perfect!
    Hugs,
    Cindy

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  30. Sarah I so wish we had Thanksgiving over here! I would love to be part of these kinds of celebrations each year! I hope that your Thanksgiving is even more special this year.

    "Thank you" also for your sweet birthday message last week. Your comment really meant a lot to me! I am so sorry it has take me so long to visit, but I had a great week celebrating!

    I hope your weekend is fabulous!

    Best wishes always,
    Natasha.
    xo

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  31. Hi Sarah! What a fabulous table setting! I love those gorgeous dishes and you've set your table just beautifully! Your food - oh my goodness! So delectable looking! I'm sure everyone was so thrilled you did all of this for them.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  32. "Magnificent Sarah"! I Love every detail. Those plates are incredible and they bring everything together and make the scene POP! "BEAUTIFUL"... NOW, let me pick a favorite, Hmmmm, "The Squirrel and Horn votives"(LOVE THEM)!!!
    Thank you for sharing your Delicious Post...
    Hugs to you,
    Donna

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  33. Sarah, Your table is beautiful and I love the salad plates and silver napkin rings. The monogrammed napkins are fabulous. What a wonderful Thanksgiving you provided for your guest.
    Hugs, Sherry

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  34. What a beautiful table. You sure went all out!
    Another Friday's Favorite for sure :-)

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  35. Oh, what beautiful things you own, Sarah. Your dishes, centerpieces...knowing what wines go with what...everything is just perfect. I know your guests were just delighted.
    Your menu sounds so good. I've never eaten duck before.
    And..don't you know I smiled really big when I saw that you served Texas pecans. :)
    Now, tell me how to honey them up.
    xo bj

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  36. Hi Sarah, What an elegant table!! I am crazy for those silver napkin rings, and hand monogramed napkins are a true treasure!! My Grandmother used to make sugar glazed pecans, pure delight, I may have to make some this year!
    Bella

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  37. Everything was so very festive. I especially liked the pottery platter with the turkey!!!

    My Show n Tell is here with the link that follows...I do hope you can find time to visit. click here

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  38. Everything was perfection - the table, the food and the ambiance. You're the best.

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  39. Hi Sarah,
    Now this is what I call a real feast! Everything looks perfect and I'm sure everyone will enjoy themselves tremendously. Thanks for sharing.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  40. Hi there~ all I can say is Wow!!! Wow!! WOW!! What an amazing tablescape- I love those salad dishes and all your decorations look just beautiful! Amazing food too- what a fabulous dinner party! Thank you so much for sharing at Feathered Nest Friday!! :)
    Hugs, Courtney

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  41. Your table is simply beautiful! I love that your pieces have been collected over time and tell a story.

    And I thought we put out a spread for the holidays! Yum!! What time is dinner this year? :)

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  42. What a lovely post. It belongs in a magazine, the pictures are beautiful. I love duck and yours looks delicious. Your guests were very lucky.
    Have a wonderful thanksgiving!
    Hugs,
    Carey

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  43. Hi Sarah,

    I came over from Vintage Nest.
    Your table is perfect. The Menu...It is a feast. Now that is some Thanksgiving meal.

    Have a Blessed Thanksgiving.

    big hugs,
    Barb

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  44. I'm late to this post - I'll blame the busy week. What a beautiful table you set last year. The decoration, the food - what a wonderful day it must have been for everyone.

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  45. Sarah, I don't even know where to start. Everything looks beautiful and delicious! I don't remember these photos from last year. Hmmm, I might have missed this post last year. Your tables all look gorgeous. Of course, I love the vintage turkcy candy container. And that redware with the turkey is beautiful. What lucky friends to share this T'giving with you. laurie

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  46. Old Avesbury is one of my favorite patterns...it's definitely on my "someday I'm going to collect that!" list. The Yves Delorme cloth definitely kicks the tablescape up a notch...so luxurious! I enjoyed your sophisticaled, elegant Thanksgiving feast. Thank you for sharing your gorgeous design. Cherry Kay

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  47. What a lovely tablesetting. . . I know your family will enjoy your creative efforts this Thanksgiving!

    Loved your Pink contribution to Pink Saturday! Hope you have a great weekend and a blessed Thanksgiving!

    dana

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  48. I enjoyed re-visiting this beautiful Thanksgiving post, Sarah! You have so many lovely items to share & enjoy. I'm glad you'll be surrounded with friends this year.
    Yes, we are both blessed!

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  49. oh my, what a wonderful wonderful feast!

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