To-may-to, To-mah-to
I love August; our Farmer's Market is overflowing with farm-fresh produce, and our small garden is bursting with tomatoes. Dear hubby and #2 son plant tomatoes in old wine barrels, which they carefully water, prune, and protect from the critters that try to eat them!
It's no surprise that we consume a lot of tomatoes at home. While there are excellent canned tomatoes on the market—Cento and Mutti are our top picks—nothing beats the taste of fresh home-canned tomatoes in pasta sauce, chili, or on pizza. Typically, around mid-August, my husband and I visit one of the larger farmers' markets to purchase a couple of flats of tomatoes and dedicate the day to canning them. By the end, tomatoes end up on the walls, the floor, the dogs, the counters—everywhere!
I've come across a few tomato-themed tables in some tablescape groups I'm part of on Facebook. This made me think, hmmm... I actually own a few tomato dishes, including a stunning bowl from Emma Bridgewater. This bowl inspired my table setting.
As I began setting the table with dishes, I realized I also had small eggplant plates. And what pairs better with tomatoes than eggplant? Oh, and let's not forget some peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms!
The tablecloth is a vintage Wilendur that sort of looks like wild roses. At first, I thought it might be too busy, but I liked it with the place settings. The vintage tablecloths are typically 54" x 54". This one appeared to be a bit bigger, but still didn't cover the entire table. I liked the wood peeking through at the ends of the table, so I didn't add an undercloth.
The plate stack is a green woven placemat with Fiesta chargers in vintage Ivory, Persimmon, and Jade. The dinner plates are Shamrock, Chartreuse, and Scarlet. I have no idea where the small tomato and eggplant plates came from; I think the larger tomato plates came from Cost Plus World Market. The silverware is my everyday Mikasa Harmony, and the glassware is vintage Indiana Glass striped tumblers. Green gingham napkins with felted mushroom napkin rings from Hobby Lobby complete the place setting.
The star of the table is the vegetables in the centerpiece. Fiesta bistro bowls in Sunflower and Shamrock bookend a Lemongrass platter in the middle atop a can of Cento tomato sauce. Fiesta Meadow pyramid candleholders complete the table.
Heirloom tomatoes with bits of homegrown basil tucked in made the dining room smell amazing!
I fell in love with these adorable mushroom salt and pepper shakers. Aren't they cute? I may have purchased them from Target's dollar aisle a couple of years ago.
We also love eggplant at our house! Sautéed, roasted, fried, all delicious! The two eggplants, one Italian and one Japanese, are destined for a roasted veggie medley for dinner tonight! Breaded and fried is a family favorite!
My summer Fiesta colors are: Butterscotch, Lapis, Chartreuse, Scarlet, Shamrock, Poppy, and Sky.
I've set the table with my summer Fiesta colors, and although I love love love fall, I'm savoring these final weeks of summer in August.
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