As the last days of Summer are approaching, I’m inviting some family and friends to an outdoor Easter luncheon on our verandah (COVID restrictions pending!) I start to think about the food and drink to share, and how to set and decorate our long table.

I want my guests to feel welcome and comfortable, so a casual table setting is required, but with a little ornamentation to make the occasion special.

The easy part is getting the basics in place. I like to start with my tablecloths, using them to disguise the mismatched tables, maybe with a table runner down the centre. I space my dinner plates equally along the table, mindful of table legs which could be troublesome. I am a stickler for keeping the table setting tight and neat. Ideally, each person faces another guest. I like my forks on one side of the table to line up with the knives of the opposite place settings.

The bread, side and dinner knife blades should all be swimming in the same direction. The base of the cutlery handles all line up 2 or 3 cm from the edge of the table. A water glass and comfortable-sized wine glass complete the setting. Mr Carson, the butler on Downton Abbey, would be proud! Many years ago, not having enough linen napery, I used brightly-coloured tea towels as a napkin at each place setting, folded into a simple rectangle. Pastel colours work well with Easter.

One of Nigella Lawson’s tips – when time is short – is to buy a few bunches of inexpensive mixed flowers, adding a few stems from the garden. I trim all the flowers down to fit into an assortment of vintage jugs placed along the table, but old jam jars work too!

Another idea is to place tea light candles in more jam jars along the length of the table, to prevent the candles blowing out in the breeze.

I am also going to scatter along the table some individual chocolate Easter eggs for each guest. I find it hard to choose between the quality of the chocolate and the colours of the foil wrapping (my all-time favourites are the Lindt milk chocolate Easter bunnies with the red bow and little bell).

I’m hoping (hopping!) for a lovely sunny day: guests free to walk around my garden, playing, laughing, enjoying good cheer and company.

Happy Easter!

Published in the March 2021 Issue of The Trentham Trumpet