Monday, January 7, 2008

Start the year off White: dramatic, colorful presentations look best on neutral-toned plates



With the growing popularity of the Food Network, Top Chef and other cooking
programs many people are looking for ways to create restaurant-quality meals at
home. I know for myself, I’m not only looking at what tools and utensils the professional
chefs are using, I’m also looking at how they plate the food. What I’ve noticed is that
stark white dinnerware sets the stage for today’s food. Even for a home cook, like myself,
illusion is the key: a disastrous culinary misadventure can be salvaged when I place it on
a pristine white plate.


(l to r: Calvin Klein Circles, Bloomingdales; Bernardau Louvre, dinner plate, $32.00, Horchow)

With today's eclectic menus, anything goes, and since everything goes with white it
continues to sustain its popularity. A major advantage to using white dinnerware is
its price niche. White dinnerware is the least expensive in any manufacturer's lineup.
Economics aside, the aesthetically pleasing properties of white also account for its
appeal year after year.


( above: Juliska Berry and Thread dinnerware, Juliska)

White china is dynamite if you want to put more interest on the food. But white can be
improved upon, for the hottest, trendiest new look in tableware, try mixing and matching
whites with patterns and color.


(above: Astier de Villatte Regence, John Derian)

With the broad range of stylish white dinnerware on the market today, "setting the table"
to suit your personality, your home's decor, your food and your mood is easy, affordable
and lots of fun. The white dinnerware that I’ve mentioned here are just a few of my
favorites.


(l to r: Rosenthal A La Carte, Tatami, Scoop, Nimbus; Ralph Lauren Spring Lace, Bloomingdale's)

8 comments:

perfect bound said...

I'm so excited to see this post. We just picked out our china and I am SO in love with it. Westerly by Lenox. White and very pristine.(I love that you too have "disastrous culinary misadventures!")

amber {daisy chain} said...

gorgeous post. I love white dinnerware, food just looks it's best on white! My dishes are similar and so fun for a fancy night (see my past post)
http://daisychainae.blogspot.com/search?q=turkey+day

girl meets glamour said...

I am a big fan of white china...and you have some really great finds here Sarah!!

~Kate

Sarah Dennis said...

Anne, love the Lenox Westerly dinnerware! The art deco design makes it easy for you dress it down and the platinum trim gives you the ease of dressing it up! What a versatile collection. Excellent choice! Did you get the coordinating stemware or did you choose something else?

Sarah Dennis said...

Ahhhh Amber thanks for sharing! I absolutely love your plates. You mentioned that you got them in Sonoma, what's the brand? They're fabulous! I love the fact that they're not "cookie cutter", you know, like everybody else.

You put your own unique touch on your table setting and the details made all the difference. I'm sure your friends and family were blown away.

"Cheers to the well-dressed table"!!! Sarah

Sarah Dennis said...

Hey Kate, thanks for stopping by and I'm glad you enjoyed the post. I have all sorts of plates (as you can imagine) but when it comes to showing off a great meal - - - I reach for white china.

ami @ elizabeth anne designs said...

absolutely gorgeous - i love the juliska

Mike said...

That butter knife is very shiny.