Renee’s Table: Easter Dinner

Last Sunday, I was fortunate enough to have family in town to help celebrate Easter. As you all know, I love to dress the table, and Easter was no exception. 

This year, we held the dinner outside across two large stone dining tables. Using the natural, stone elements of the table as our base, I sprinkled in an assortment of blush and white flowers for a subtle touch of color. 

Table décor unified this feeling with large stone eggs, and miniature nests with porcelain eggs. I sprinkled in a touch of greenery, and of course, no Easter table would be complete without a bunny (or eight)! 

For the place setting, I kept the color palette neutral while incorporating a pop of color with the blue of the linen. Simple white place cards with each person’s name written in black calligraphy, and Dior silver with wooden handles helped to extend this neutral motif.  

The inspiration behind our menu this year was to focus on fresh and local ingredients. A spring salad, sauteed ramps (wild onions), and a bountiful harvest of carrots were all sourced from our home garden, freshly picked that morning. 

No Easter dinner at our home would be complete without Bob’s favorite, SoCo Ham. Inspired by a meal he had during his time in Vietnam, we soaked and glazed a Honey Baked Ham in Southern Comfort whiskey. Before cutting the first slice, Bob shared with our family his memories of the dish during his time in Vietnam. Armed with a canned ham, bottle of Southern Comfort, and a cannister of C4, Bob and his squad cooked what he vividly described as one of his most memorable meals. Believe it or not, if you ignite C4 the proper way, it heats things up and does not explode. In the harsh jungles of Vietnam, this helped serve as an ideal makeshift campfire. 

Spending time with family is always one of my most cherished memories. It was so wonderful to be able to enjoy each other’s company, and a delicious meal, together. I hope you all had wonderful Easter as well!

– Renee