French Table Decor
Leave it to the French to show you how to make your own easy centerpiece that looks as elegant as the flowers at La Grenouille restaurant in New York. The proprietor, Charles Masson, is famous for his creative centerpieces there. The secret is he is there almost every morning arranging the fresh flowers in their vases.
Masson is actually the son of the founder of the restaurant. The story goes that his parents opened December 19th, 1962 on a snowy night but inside there were flowers. He says "Just a few roses here and there." but the centerpieces were to become a signature of the restaurant which prides itself on having served every American President since the sixties. Masson who has lectured on flower arranging has created a setting that has a homey feel. He likes to keep it simple and seasonal. When you make your own centerpiece, you can do this.
Here's a delightful excerpt from an article quoting Masson:
"Flowers, of course, are an important part of the story. Eschew the ubiquitous poinsettia in favor of amaryllis, jasmine (which Masson uses to evoke holiday memories of the South of France and Morocco), tuberoses and other nontraditional fragrant blooms. “Capture the season spontaneously, and let the season be your guide,” says Masson. For the holidays, that means using clementines, pomegranates, cloves, cinnamon, vanilla beans, oranges, citrus fruits, chestnuts and kumquats. All these – plus meaningful bibelots, flowers, herbs, vegetables and spices – provide a structure to “create a story using your own eye, taste, color and composition as a guide."
You can make your own centerpiece with flowers, fruit, spices, herbs, vegetables. Now all you need is a good recipe for turtle soup or Vichyssoise. Masson says creating centerpieces is like creating a menu. |
