In the Kitchen

In the Kitchen: Decorating with Fresh Produce

By Lisa Marie Blair

Fall is a favorite time of year for many and bringing nature’s bounty indoors is a wonderful way to embrace the season. Decorating with fresh produce is both economical and environmentally friendly. The large variety of fresh produce can also add texture and color to your kitchen. Bringing the outdoors in, is a simple way to fall into the autumn season.

Creating a stunning fall vignette for your kitchen island or dining table can be easy-peasy. Simply start by taking a stroll through your local farmer’s market or grocery store. When doing so, keep in mind that not all fresh produce is created equal. So much of what nature creates is visually beautiful and worthy of displaying. Unfortunately, much of it is also very picky of its required climate control. There is a reason why hobby stores sell so much faux produce for decorating purposes. Most fresh produce will need to remain refrigerated to last and remain edible. For decorating purposes, select the produce that has a longer shelf life like mini pumpkins, winter squash, and gourds. Opt for a variety of color and finishes, that will add interest to your fall vignette. Those bumpy gourds and squash might not be pretty at first sight, but they will look amazing when displayed next to shiny, smooth pumpkins. Be sure to leave the adorable little pumpkin stems on. Dirt and mold picked up from the field will shorten their display lifespan so be sure to give these little guys a bath in your kitchen sink. Simply add 2 Tablespoons of bleach, a squirt of dish soap per gallon of water, soak for 10 minutes, and pat dry. These small steps will help preserve them longer so they can easily last several weeks to a couple of months.

There are so many fun and whimsical ways to display your fresh fall produce finds. You can simply arrange them in a large wood dough bowl or on a serving tray and add in a touch of seasonal greenery. A mini pumpkin perched on top of a candlestick can add some elegance to your fall décor. If you are wanting a farmhouse touch, just write “hello fall” on a pumpkin and put on display. Apples are another fresh produce to decorate with but only last about a week at room temperature. Green or red apples look great in a glass cloche, bowl, or nestled in a basket. Pears might not last long on the counter, but they can look cute in a bowl and be handy as a snack. You can always decorate as simple or as extravagant as you would like. You really cannot go wrong when creating your own one-of-a-kind fall décor. n

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