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Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Pinkest Party on Earth!


In my city, March brings a festival which celebrates the blooming of over 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees. It is truly a sight to behold! Time to “think pink”!


Pink pancakes, pink poodles, balloon glows, free cherry ice cream being served in one of the downtown parks – just of few of the sights and tastes that we enjoy this time of the year. Even the local newspaper prints a pink edition each year.



We have our own cookbook, which contains only recipes using cherries as one of the ingredients. I will share one of the recipes with you at the end of the blog – White Chocolate Cherry Tart. Yum!!





My contribution this year is a luncheon table setting for six friends to enjoy, before going to the annual tour of homes. In keeping with the spirit of the season, almost everything is pink!





I so enjoyed bringing all of the pink together, but I started with a white “Peyton” tablecloth, which is made by Ralph Lauren and I bought it at Dillard’s. I thought that the pink would photograph better on white.





Pink placemats purchased at Big Lots for a ridiculously low price were added on top of the tablecloth.





Pink napkins and “pearl” napkin rings were purchased online.







The white plates on top of the placemats are Lenox Opal Innocence Carved. I love these plates – they are dinner plates, but large enough to use as chargers for older china patterns.







On top of the Lenox plates are smaller plates with marbleized rims. They are actually Johnson Brother’s “Rose Chintz” accent dinner plates. There are roses in the centers, but you cannot see them under the smallest plate.









The plate on top is a salad plate made by Narumi and is the pattern, “Mountain Cherry”, which fits into the theme perfectly!









The tall pink water goblets are from an unknown maker, although I saw some similar blue ones for sale on Etsy that were advertised as having been made by the Dugan Glass Company. I bought mine from Replacements. My daughter loaned me the other lovely footed pink glasses.







The pink centerpiece holding the flowers is an Indiana Glass compote in the “Teardrop” pattern. I bought this one on Ebay, but I have owned a clear glass one for many years. It belonged to my mother.





Also, decorating the table are two pieces in the Fostoria “Fairfax” pink pattern. One is a mayonnaise bowl.







The other is a bon-bon basket. I will use it as a butter dish with a round mound of butter in the center.




Pink Hocking “Block Optic” footed salt and pepper shakers are used at one end of the table.







Hanging from the chandelier is a Japanese paper lantern – who could resist, when setting a table to celebrate Japanese Yoshino cherry trees?






The place setting sterling flatware is “Strasbourg” by Gorham.






My favorite things on the table consist of the other two pieces of sterling silver. The pattern is a very old Blackinton pattern, which is named, “Cherry Blossom”! One piece is a master butter knife and the other is called a large cream ladle, although, it does not look that large.

I wish that all of you could join us in my city to enjoy the beautiful spring weather and witness the look of thousands of cherry trees bursting out in blooms at the appointed time, as though some magical alarm clock woke them just in time for our glorious Cherry Blossom festival!! Enjoy the recipe!




WHITE CHOCOLATE CHERRY TART
1¼ cups butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bar, 3 ounces, white chocolate
Crunchy Almond Pastry Shell
Cherry Topping
¼ cup toaster sliced almonds
Cream butter until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar until mixture is smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and white chocolate. Spoon into Crunchy Almond Pastry Shell. Chill until firm.
Spoon Cherry Topping over tart. Chill up to 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator about ½ hour before serving. Sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds to serve.
Crunchy Almond Pastry Shell
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
¼ cup diced toasted almonds
3 tablespoons water
Combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture looks like coarse corn meal. Stir in almonds. Blend in water to form crumbly dough. Pat into bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart or pie pan. Chill 20 minutes. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
Cherry Topping
1 can, 21 ounces, cherry pie filling
2 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Combine cherry pie filling, brandy and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Blend in almond extract.


Sharing at:
http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
http://fishtailcottage.blogspot.com
http://www.elements-interiors.net/
http://fadedcharmcottage.blogspot.com
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/
http://www.ontheverge6.com
http://astrollthrulife.blogspot.com/
http://romantichome.blogspot.com/

31 comments:

  1. All so pretty. Mountain Cherry dinnerware makes my heart skip a beat.

    I'm in south Ga. and would love to get there for your festival.

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  2. Stunning tablescape! Everything is gorgeous from the Mt. Cherry dinnerware,to every plate, the tablecloth and napkins and rings, the gorgeous flatware and the pink glass ware... everything is amazing in pink! Love it! I wanted to follow you as I was so excited to see this, but I had, the pleasure already.
    Hope you come over, I'll be honoroured!
    FABBY

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  3. Beautiful Cherry Blossom themed tablescape! In awe of the glassware! The flatware, stunning and your perfectly crafted napkins.

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  4. OMGosh..I went to follow you and found I was already following you..So sorry for not visiting you sooner. Wonder how we can correct this blog flaw? I love your table setting and it looks like it should be in a magazine. Enjoy this day of beauty!
    ~Shirley..

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  5. So pretty! I love your pink depresion glass and the layers of beautiful plates!
    Theresa

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  6. So beautiful, love the pink. Pink pancakes...yum!

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  7. You three ladies are remarkable. I loved each post you all did. This one is gorgeous too.

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  8. Loved this post! Beautiful! Pink is my favorite color, just had to share this post. Elegantly stunning tablescape!

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  9. Oh my, what a pretty tablescape this is - everything about this post is so darling! Thanks for linking up to Cottage Flora Thursday's - xoxo
    ~tracie

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  10. This is completely awesome! My eye kept wandering back to your gorgeous tall pink goblets. Never heard of Dugan, but I'll keep an eye out for them from here on...magnificent. Thank you for sharing your beautiful design and your recipe. I'll give it a try...I'm quite fond of 'everything cherry.' Cherry Kay

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  11. Everything is absolutely beautiful and all in pink. What a setting for your luncheon!

    Elisabeth

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  12. Oh my gosh! I love your table. I got such a warm and fuzzy feeling while looking at this. Happy Pink Saturday!

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  13. Beautiful and so elegant...the more I see pink tables, the more I am liking them.

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  14. Your tablescape is absolutely scrumptious! Have a wonderful weekend. Terri

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  15. Just beautiful! You live in my hometown and this is the time of year I miss it most!

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  16. I'm in Macon right now enjoying the Cherry Blossom Festival! I "Pink Saturdayed" about it too. It's wonderful, and I just love this city.

    On top of it, your tablescape is just wonderful. I have been too busy to visit BNOTP this week so I missed it there. I love LOVE LOVE your pink glassware and all of the pink and white dishes. I particularly love those ones with the cherry blossoms. Trying not to covet.

    In all honesty, it's one of the prettiest tablescapes I've seen. So very "ME".

    What a pleasure finding you.

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  17. Such a pretty setting and what a neat festival! I'm sure you all had a wonderful time:@)

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  18. Oh my..those pink water goblets are so stunning!!! I'm drooling.....
    hugs,
    Shirley

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  19. Oh my, I would love to be there for the festival! Thank you for joining my new party and sharing this gorgeous pink tablescape.
    xo,
    Sherry

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  20. Soooooo pretty, pink is one of my favorite colors. That is a gorgeous tablescape. I love the dishes and those salt and pepper shakers are yummy. I'm a new follower.Please stop by and visit I'd love it.

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  21. From start to finish quite the most beautiful post I've seen for a long time!
    Just gorgeous and how wonderful to have a cherry blossom festival with so much going on.
    Your table is divine.
    Thanks for the glimpse into your world.

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  22. You did such a lovely, lovely job on your pink table. The clear pink glass is just yummy. Your recipe looks yummy, too. I love the flowers, lantern, pearl! napkins rings. A+!

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  23. Cherry blossoms and pink, pink, pink! Happy Spring!!!

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  24. So pretty and pink! Love those pink goblets. Thank you for being a part of Seasonal Sundays!

    - The Tablescaper

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  25. Your table is gorgeous -- pretty pink glass and china always look so feminine and perfect for the ladies. I would love to see those cherry trees!

    I saved your recipe for the tart -- it looks fabulous.

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  26. Such a beautiful table. Thank you for linking it to Favorite Things. laurie

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  27. What a gorgeous tablescape! I love the blooming of the cherry trees. I always wanted to see them. Thanks for sharing the table with us and linking up!
    Sherry

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  28. I love this, what a great idea! Thank you for sharing it at Masterpiece Monday. Have a great week, Mary :O)

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  29. Hi! I discovered your blog from Wow Wednesday of Savvy Southern Style. The combination of pink and white is so posh and lovely. Thank you for sharing! I hope you had a great time.

    I hope we could develop a connection by following each others blogs. That would really make me so happy.

    I wish you more wow wednesday!

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  30. Every single detail of your tablescape is beautiful! The Cherry Blossoms are on my bucket list!

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  31. Your table is absolutely beautiful!! I adore the pink swirl footed glasses. and the floral plates. so, so pretty!

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