Fresh-cut flowers are another nice accent to the dinner table. Buy a
bouquet of fresh flowers and arrange them in a vase. If you’re lacking
in the vase department, use a nicely-shaped glass jar or a big aluminum
can (with the label peeled off and adhesive thoroughly removed, of
course). If you can’t get all the sticky stuff off, wrap the jar with
pretty paper or fabric.
get in the mood
Having perfected your table setting, you’ll want to attend to the
general ambience of the room. Lighting and music are both key
mood-enhancers. Keep the lighting very minimal; candlelight is always an
elegant option. Use an assortment of pillar candles set on a pretty
plate, tall tapered scented candles set in matching candlestick holders,
or floating candles in a glass bowl. And if you’ve got a fireplace and
it’s winter, go ahead and light a fire. Meanwhile, play relaxing
background music – it’ll help the flow of dinner conversation by
masking any potentially uncomfortable pauses. Whether it’s jazz, big
band, classical, or salsa, be sure to choose music that sets the
appropriate mood.
serve it up with style
For your ordinary weekday meal, it can certainly be practical to use
the cheap plastic cups and the chipped dishes. When entertaining guests,
though, there’s really no excuse for not breaking out the nicer stuff.
If you’re serving salsa or dip, for instance, serve the dip/salsa in a
pretty bowl, or use half a bell pepper (de-ribbed and with the seeds
scooped out). If you’re having salad, don’t bring those plastic squeeze bottles out to the table – either serve the
salad with a simple oil and vinegar dressing or, if you simply can’t
do without that pre-made ranch, pour some into a small bowl and serve
with a small spoon. If you do make your own dressing, and it’s light
and non-creamy, serve it in a wine bottle with a pour spout attached
(available at liquor stores).