Derby Day Box Lunch

Today was the day for the home tour that we have been planning. As usual, it was hectic at the last moments, getting the final touches on the tables. Nose gays were placed inside of fluted linen napkins, and the ice bucket, made of roses and ferns frozen in ice, was placed on the table. Our Kentucky Derby Box Lunch, served in vintage silver vegetable dishes, was tied with wired twine and a menu label, disclosing the contents, Hot Browns, Mint Julep Pineapple, and Orange Pecan Bourbon Pie. Paper cones on the back of the chairs were made of sheet music - My Old Kentucky Home - and filled with roses, lamb's ear and ferns. Wooden platforms held the silver boxes, and a little knife rest of sugar snap peas was placed on the side to enhance the gold pea pod forks and knives.We used a glass etched of ferns. On the grand server of iron and limestone, we used silver mint julep cups filled with mint and our Orange Bourbon Pecan Tart. A brown and white houndstooth tablecloth was a great contrasting background for the silver lunch boxes.