Food, Fun and Fabulous 56
Tuscan tables are a great way to try out a multilevel presentation. You can set up a
tablescape on a kitchen island, sideboard, or coffee table, whatever works. Just go through all of your
cabinets and pull out anything that looks useful or interesting. Create different levels on the table by
turning bowls upside-down and setting platters on top—just hide the mechanics of the levels with
greenery or fresh produce. I like to use antique olive jars, crock bowls, wooden pizza boards,
copper pieces, marble, and stone for an authentic Tuscan presentation. I always like to include piec-
es from Alabama-based Earthborn Pottery in our displays; my dear friend Tena Payne is the owner,
and she has such an amazing line of custom-crafted pottery in a color palette that looks great with any
décor. Use stacks of kale, cabbage, grapes, and whole veggies to create a bountiful presentation
full of color and texture. French baguettes look great in an urn. Always fill over-sized dishes with
crackers or bread broken into large pieces and let them artistically spill onto the table.
One of my event coordinators, Natalie, says when setting up a Tuscan display, "messy is good!"
Create a Tuscan Table
