Wine Club Evening

It's our month to host our wine club!!!  

Everyone brings an appetizer to share, which all went on the dining room table.  In the center of the table was an idea I've had for a long time.  I've stacked wooden wine crates, and placed them on a burlap runner.  I wanted to keep this earthy and rustic.

I included a couple of wine related books, corks, grapes, birch covered votives, and burlap wired ribbons.

Here it is from the other side.  I took these photos before I pulled the chairs away.

The floral wholesaler was pretty short on sunflowers and earthy colors.  Every other person there was shopping for soft, pastel colors for their Mothers' Day clients, and that's what they were stocked up on for the weekend.

To hold the flowers, I used an old wooden pedestal bowl with this interesting monogrammed badge.

 

I love this burlap ribbon I found.  It was a good way to introduce another texture and I scattered some of the blossoms here and there. 

I set the coffee and dessert up on the drop leaf table in the bar.  Centered there is an arrangement of oak leaf hydrangeas and regular mop head blue hydrangeas with a little pampas grass.

I used this two layer server for the mini desserts that I made and served in 4-oz.square plastic cups from Party City.  That little silver trophy cup holds demi-tasse spoons that are the perfect size for these little cups.

  I made four flavors of desserts: banana pudding, tiramasu, chocolate/peanutbutter, and key lime pie.  All of the recipes came from the internet, but when I make these again, I'll just use my regular recipes for these desserts.  The whole key to making these is to use disposable piping bags for each part that goes into each little cup. 

My other contribution to the evening was this marinated shrimp dish.

I worry about fish sitting out all evening, so I used a large, shallow bowl and filled it with crushed ice.

Then I lined the edge of it with hydrangea leaves......

and placed the shrimp dish on top.  Keeping it cold makes the food taste better, too.

These little booklets that I made for everyone held a sheet for each of the six wines with reviews, price, descriptions, and information on the vintners.  

Pottery Barn is selling these sets of 26 wine charms that look like typewriter keys.  I usually think that wine charms are sort of cheesey and I hate the way they clink on the stem.  I buckled and bought these for the convenience of the group and I think they're pretty cute.

As usual, few people took the time to fill these out.  Really.....I don't blame them......all you need to know is if you like it. 

These manila tags were tied around the neck of each bottle.

Each wine was well received, which pleased me.

What a nice night.  We sat outside on all three levels and laughed among the bull frogs until the rain drops chased us inside.  

I'm joining:

Let's Dish

Cuisine Kathleen

Tablescape Thursday

Between Naps On the Porch

Marty's Tabletop Tuesday

A Stroll Thru Life