We are overjoyed to share Part Two of Floret Flowers Workshop and Dinner with details from owner Erin Benzakein. Read Part One here.

“After gathering these unique botanical ingredients, the students then utilized their new design skills to create lush centerpieces and floral installations for an Elevated Wildflower Meadow-Inspired dinner party within the barn studio. 

Long arches of flowering branches and greens framed the entry, creating a lush indoor garden feel which transformed the space into an ultra-romantic candle-lit dining room filled from floor to ceiling with flowers.

Elegant fruitwood Chiaveri chairs lined the long King’s table, which was set with Villa pattern dinnerware, hemstitched linens, etched crystal glassware and tall bone-colored taper candles in brass candleholders. The tablescapes featured natural elements including chunky pieces of honeycomb, golden plums on the branch, bowls spilling over with fresh fruit alongside Floret’s fresh-cut garden roses, vines, grasses, dried seed pods, dahlias, cosmos, amaranth, hydrangeas and zinnias artfully arranged in earthy terra-cotta vases. 

With a menu created specifically to the season and unique venue, the creative chefs at Bellingham-based Ciao Thyme prepared a farm-to-table feast utilizing local, seasonal produce. The menu featured: 

Coal roasted beets and potatoes with Shropshire blue and whole grain mustard vinaigrette
Roasted carrots with white bean and tahini puree, parsley-mint chimichurri and fried carrot tops
Grilled flatbread with preserved lemon lebnah, fava beans, peas, green garlic, and pickled shallots
Heirloom tomato and melon salad with tamarind vinaigrette and feta
Alder smoked grilled salmon with edible flowers, olio verde and smoked salt
Burk Ridge flat iron steak with cherry-apricot relish
Passion fruit-berry trifle with ricotta pound cake

The celebratory dinner served as the finale for the three-day workshop--a veritable feast for any flower lover’s mind, body and soul.”

Artistic Credits: Photography by Heather Payne Flowers & Event Styling by Floret Flowers Menus & Name Cards by Brown Linen Designs Vases, Bowls & Planters from Campo de' Fiore Chairs & Dishes from ABC Special Event Rentals by CORT Candles from Creative Candles Linens from La Tavola