When enjoying a meal, what’s on the menu is just part of the overall experience; the flowers you pick for your centerpiece also matters. To help you set the scene for your next dinner feast, here’s a quick guide for matching flowers with your menu:
Image by swedg on Flickr
Classic French + Iris
French cuisine is renowned for its reverence to tradition and classic ingredients.Therefore, it only makes sense to use the iris, France’s national flower, as the main attraction of your floral centerpiece.
Afternoon Tea + English Roses
Complement strong, flavorful tea, dainty pastries, and cool cucumber sandwiches with an elegant arrangement of classic English garden roses. The best way to present these flowers is to let them shine through; just hand-tie them and leave the bright green stems and foliage exposed in a clear vase with water.
Image by Taijiquan-SchuleOrtenau on Flickr
Japanese + Ikebana
Emphasizing flawless technique, restraint, and understated elegance above all else, Japanese cooking and Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower design, are an obvious match. Just as like how your centerpiece may be sparse and have only a single bloom, and the main dish feature a single type of fish, the intense care and focus that goes into the preparation makes the whole experience minimalist without being austere.
Italian + Sweet Pea
Keep in mind that not all pairings have to be “matchy-matchy.” The sweet pea, which is native to Sicily and southern Italy, has a delicate quality to it, making it an ideal match for the strong and hearty flavors of meat, tomatoes, basil, and oregano that Italian cuisine is best known for.
Image by Alexs Photography on Flickr
Spanish Tapas + Red Carnations
Red carnations, often seen in the mouths and hair of flamenco dancers, are the national flower of Spain. These small, flame-colored blooms provide a wonderful contrast with several plates of tasty Spanish appetizers or tapas. Whether you mix them with greens or bunch them together to go with your plates of Jamon serrano, croquetas, gambas al ajillo, or tortilla Española.
Got other floral centerpiece ideas for your dinner table? Share them with us; we’d love to hear from you!