Bringing Seasonal Inspiration To Your Table

As autumn is coming up on winter, it is impossible to deny that the holiday season will soon be upon us. Stores are starting to fill with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah decorations and children are eager to start filling out their gift wish lists. Although the holidays bring joy to our homes, this does not come without the pressure to welcome the season, as well as the guests they tend to bring, with season inspired décor and cuisine.

Fortunately, party stylist and popular lifestyle expert and blogger Camille Styles, and “Top Chef” judge and Special Projects Director of Food & Wine Magazine Gail Simmons (a new mom this year) recently hosted a seasonal entertaining workshop called From Leaf to Table and sponsored by Pure Leaf Tea, at the New York Botanical Gardens–and have filled the NYF team in on some great seasonal tips and recipes to welcome the holiday season into your home.

Holidays are known for bringing families together, however the spot where everyone gathers in the house, all together, is at the dinner table. If it happens to be your turn to host a holiday this year, or simply if you want to incorporate the season into your home décor in a fun easy way, Styles has an easy D.I.Y. decorative solution.

Style’s dried orange garland is the perfect way to feature the colors and fresh fruits of the season in your table decorations. This D.I.Y. garland is fun and simple to put together, and it is something that the kids will love helping out with!

Camille Styles’ D.I.Y. Dried Orange Table Garland:

You will need oranges, twine, a baking sheet, and crafty little helpers!

1. First, cut thin orange slices
2. Place on baking sheet and put on top of the oven rack
3. Turn the oven onto the lowest setting and wedge it open
4. Bake for 8-10 hours
5. Remove orange slices from the oven and poke holes through their centers with the back of a pen
6. String onto a long piece of twine (however long you desire) and place on your table to kick off the holiday festivities!

Sticking with the theme of bringing fall inspiration into your home, celebrity chef Gail Simmons has an easy seasonal recipe that the whole family can make together.

Gail Simmons’ recipe for the perfect Pickled Radish Starter Salad:

You will need radishes, peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, 1 medium sized daikon, salt, Pure Leaf sweet tea, Mason jar

1. Pour ½ cup of warm Pure Leaf sweet tea into a Mason jar
2. Add a teaspoon of salt
3. Add ½ cup apple cider vinegar
4. Add approximately 10 peppercorns
5. Add 3-4 pieces of thinly sliced daikon
6. Add a handful of thinly sliced radishes
7. Mix together and let sit
8. Add to kale or leafy greens for the perfect, healthy fall salad

These are just two of the many fun and simple ways to draw inspiration from the festive season and bring it into your homes.

For more ideas from Camille Styles and Gail Simmons check out Styles’ new book Entertaining: Inspired Gatherings & Effortless Style and blog  at camillestyles.com; and Simmons’ website gailsimmons.com, as well as the current season of “Top Chef” at bravotv.com/top-chef!