The Perfectly Set Table

 Everyone thinks the turkey and trimmings is the star of the Thanksgiving Day table. That's no t really true. It's the table itself.A perfectly decorated one with elegant plates and slverware is what guests will be talking about for weeks after. It's teh table that makes the bird not the other way around.

Regular contributor and chef Tejal Rao wrote about the tablescaping craze in today's New York Times Wednesday's Food section, Setting a beautiful table has been around for centuries. Table scaping as it's called was first coined by British designer David Hicks in the Sixties, There are even contests revolving around this. At Los Angeles County State Fair  There are table scaping contests.These are not only over the top but also have been extremely popular since the 1930'sIt;s not just LA that offers this kind of contest. State fairs around the US have included them their many contests.The tables maybe have evolved but th discipline of selection have remained the same.Tables can be holiday themes or whimsical with papier mache aliens emerging from space crafts. The plates and utensils must be spotless.Each setting should anticipate its' respective menu.Judges dock points for the obvious flaws like spotted or soiled forks and glasses. Even a wrinkled tablecloth could means points off. Every aspect of table setting has to be perfect.

 Themes vary. One seemed to have a memorial dinner complete with an urn for an imaginary 's cat;s ashes One couple Branden Boyer-WHite and Shannon Waters devised one to fit the opening credits of Masterpiece Theater's Mystery series.It was a salute to the illustrator Edward Gorey, with characters that danced across a cross stitched table cloth made to look like inked wood grain. Chef Rao also includes tips for tomorrow;s table. She recommends a color theme of anywhere from two to four colors, Try fallish one s like golden hues, browns and deep oranges. Use handmade items whenever possible. Think of a bundle of twigs wrapped with  ribbons or perhaps pretty construction paper place holders with guests names written in calligraphy.. Start with straight place settings.Use cloth napkins. NO paper ones,NO big centerpieces. People need to see each other and talk.When you finish setting it sit a different angles and see how the whole table looks.If everything looks perfect then sit back and relax for a few minutes before the big task of cooking.

A perfectly set table is what guests will talk about. Make sure it is lovely and charming like those in the LA County Fair. Table scaping is just as important as cooking.