floral of the day: billy balls

You've seen them around, probably at a spunky modern wedding, and we know you love them.  So do we and that's why they're the floral of the day!  We can see these on almost any table, from the aforementioned modern wedding table to a spring brunch for seven.  They look good in almost any configuration.  Try separating them out individually in translucent blue vases or bunching them together with succulents for a vibrant natural arrangement.

daily inspiration: breakfast table for two

It's easy to overlook the simple pleasure of breakfast for two, but care and thought can be applied to this table to delightful effect. Take the table below via Kinfolk Magazine. It encourages lingering and pleasure without a lot of effort. Exactly what many of us need to reconnect with a loved one or friend.

Let's breakdown the elements here and recreate this table, salt and cloth style.

Napkins: 'Blue Stripe Linen Napkins' by Simon Pearce



Flatware: 'Everyday Cutlery in Ivory' by Canvas $28



Place setting: 'Dinner Plate' in white by Billy Cotton $15



Cutting Board: 'Bread Board' from Brookfarm General Store $37



Glassware: 'Picardie Glass Tumblers' by Williams Sonoma $15-79


Flowers: Try Crab Apple Blossoms.



Vases: 'Vintage Metal Cup' via Etsy



Pitcher: 'Galvanized Pitcher' by The J. Peterman Company $125

vendor spotlight: maggie austin cake

Maggie Austin Cake takes a special occasion cake beyond your local bakery...like way beyond. They create their works of art in a studio near Washington DC and all their work is custom created for their clients. Although all work is custom, it's easy to point to favorites in their portfolio, and believe me we have quite a few. See below for a mega dose of weekend inspiration.

If you're in the DC area, be sure to place an order for your next special event. Ok, make that a very special event, as pricing starts at $500.

floral of the day: lavender

Looking for a casual centerpiece that doesn't scream "I've been arranging this masterpiece for the good part of an hour, you'd better compliment it"? Lavender is your girl. Throw it in a terra cotta pot, like the bunch above or place in a matte white or grey vase for a more modern spin. Either way, be sure to serve up a good bottle of Pinot Noir- try 'A to Z 2010' and a great dish of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a little French baguette on the side.

cocktail hour: hibiscus

The cocktail of the day comes courtesy of Williams-Sonoma, who we are now following on Pinterest. This refreshing cocktail would be perfection with a Southern style lunch (hello spiked sweet tea!). Cornbread with loads of fresh whipped butter and honey, fried catfish, a fresh bean salad and a big ole berry cobbler to round it out. Enjoy the recipe y'all.

'Minted Hibiscus and Raspberry'

Ingredients:

8 cups water
3 cups raspberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, plus leaves for garnish
6 hibiscus tea bags or 6 Tbs. hibiscus flowers
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups silver tequila
1/2 cup Grand Marnier
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Ice as needed

Directions:

In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add 2 cups of the raspberries, the chopped mint and the tea bags. Remove from the heat and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Remove and discard the tea bags and strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. Discard the solids. Add the sugar, tequila, Grand Marnier and lime juice and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with the remaining 1 cup raspberries and mint leaves and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

element of the day: striped candles

Ana Striped Candles $24

The element of the day comes by way of Schoolhouse Electric. Widely known for their vintage reproduction lighting, they also have a great selection of home goods. These candles struck our fancy because while they are boldly striped, they also ooze an earthy goodness. These candles would be at home in a turned wood candle stick with mixed wildflowers in small ceramic vases surrounding them. What meal wood compliment these lovely sticks? Why comfort food of course! That and loaves of hot crusty bread. Perfect for a cool spring evening.

floral of the day: ranunculus

We here at salt and cloth have a long standing love of ranunculus. Maybe it's the multiple layers of petals like a buttery floral croissant or perhaps it's the broad range of colors, whatever the reason it's captured our heart. Consider setting a rustic farmhouse inspired table with these using galvanized tins, like the photo above, or green milk glass vases. Leave the table bare (if you're lucky enough to have a perfectly rustic farmhouse style table) or dress with a fine burlap or Belgian linen tablecloth.

etsy item of the day: creamer

Highlighting creative unique artisanal items is what Etsy.com is all about, and we're happy for the rich source of tableware. Today's item is made by JD Wolffe Pottery, and as the name states, is a minimalist piece of heaven on a well designed breakfast table. Enjoy!



'Minimalist Handleless White Creamer or Syrup Pitcher' $24

clean plate: asparagus

Not sure about you friends, but coming up with a great side dish is always the toughest part of planning a meal. When we spotted this recipe in Gourmet magazine, we thought it would be the perfect compliment to a grilled main dish with friends on a crisp spring evening.

Asparagus with Morels and Tarragon

SERVES 6
ACTIVE TIME:1 HR
START TO FINISH:1 HR

Tarragon leaves and meaty morel caps shoot up all over the Jura mountains in the spring. Here, tossed with juicy green and white asparagus—Europeans are particularly mad for the latter—they're a genuine sampling of the season.

1 lb white asparagus, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 lb green asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (2 large)
1/4 lb pound fresh morels, cleaned and halved lengthwise if large
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

GARNISH:
chopped fresh tarragon

Cook white and green asparagus separately in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes for white asparagus; about 3 minutes for green asparagus.
Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water (to stop cooking), then drain again. Pat dry.
Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallots, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add morels and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, tarragon, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter and sauté, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve immediately.
COOK'S NOTE: Asparagus can be boiled 1 day ahead and chilled in a sealed plastic bag lined with paper towels.

RECIPE BY GINA MARIE MIRAGLIA ERIQUEZ

PHOTOGRAPH BY DITTE ISAGER

cocktail hour: peach mojitos

A trip to The Viceroy in Palm Springs inspired today's cocktail. A refreshing and delicious peach mojito. While they're outstanding to sip while floating in The Viceroy's private pool, they're equally at home on a late afternoon lunch spread. Think an avocado and citrus salad to start...

Here's the recipe:

Peach Mojito
approximately 10 servings

Ingredients

3 cups peach nectar
1 t grated lime rind
1 cup fresh lime juice (roughly 4 large limes)
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups white rum
4 cups club soda, chilled
crushed ice
mint sprigs, for garnish

Prep
Combine rind, lime juice, sugar and mint in a large pitcher and crush with a wooden muddler or back of a spoon. Add the peach nectar and rum and stir until the sugar dissolves. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with mint sprigs.

raiding the pantry: the ultimate pancake mix

A good pancake mix is the foundation of any great weekend breakfast, and there are few pantry items that have been more beloved throughout history. Forget almost any mix you can purchase at your local grocery chain, that's just not good enough for you my friend. You need to get your hands on the holy grail of pancake mix...Stonewall Kitchen Farmhouse Pancake and Waffle Mix. While they have a variety of delicious flavors to choose from, keeping your pantry well stocked with the basics keeps you flexible throughout the seasons. Think seasonal farmer's market berries in July or a hot apple compote in the fall.

With this mix as your pantry partner, you can't go wrong.




'Stonewall Kitchen Farmhouse Pancake and Waffle Mix' $6.95 for 16 ounces

sustainability focus: roots

salt and cloth is a big proponent of sustainable, organic and local food. The fresher the better for us. So when it comes to our table, we're thinking as much about what were serving our food on as what we're serving. Vivaterra shares that vision all over the house as well as the table, but we particularly love the 'Root of the Earth Bowls' made from the discarded root balls of Chinese fir trees. We love them as a centerpiece overflowing with succulents and moss, or to hold a lush display of organic fruit. We think you'll love them too.



'Root of the Earth Bowls' $35-149

retail spotlight: alder & co.

Alder & Co. is one of our new favorite retailers, and lucky for us (since we don't live near one of their brick and mortar locations) they have an online presence. There's no need to say anything more, we'll just let their selection of great tableware do the talking.




'Cream and Sugar Set' $72



'Small Table Vase' $30



'French Ceramic Petite Bowl' $55



'Half Butter Dish' $85



'Honey Jar' $28

We're certainly feeling inspired for our next Sunday brunch spread!

floral of the day: parrot tulips

Spring is way ahead of schedule here in the midwest, so the early flowers have been popping up, tulips among them. Tulips are lovely in any form, but we came across these unique blooms called 'Parrot Tulips' and they really take your standard tulip to the next level. They hit the right note between sophistication and earthiness, so they'd be perfect on a Friday night supper table for you and your five closest friends. Start with a bottle of Sauvion Sancerre 2009 and build your menu off of that. You can't go wrong.

element of the day: notary mug

'Notary Mug' $24

Our morning coffee is almost a religion here at salt and cloth. The selection of the ideal freshly ground beans (try Intelligentsia), the perfect amount of grounds heaped into the French press, the water boiling in the kettle on the stove waiting to pour over those perfumed grains of salvation...After all that work, you can't just pour your perfect brew into just any mug, which is where the 'Notary Mug' from Adler & Co. comes into play. Handmade in Oregon and crafted of white glazed ceramic, you've just found the ideal way to begin your day.

welcome to salt and cloth.

Welcome friends!

Interest in all things event related, whether it be an intimate dinner for two or a wedding for two hundred, seems to be growing at a rapid rate. While many elements contribute to a wonderful event experience, the table often ends up becoming the centerpiece. This blog seeks to explore the inspiration, elements and resulting experience behind a well designed table.

Welcome to the experience.

salt and cloth