tuscan dessert table

Remember the fundraiser dessert table I mentioned last week?  Well, here are a few pictures... the theme for the evening was Tuscan.  Sal, the beloved honoree of the evening, was Italian and used a tuscan color palette throughout his home so the theme was very fitting to him.  I used photos from a trip to Tuscany a few years back to steer my inspiration.  I put a couple pictures together as an inspiration board... sunflowers, yellows, lemons, cypress trees, rolling landscapes.  Enjoy!

I thought my floral arrangements turned out nicely in the tiered basket and stacked bushels.  In addition to the sunflowers, I used faux lemons and grapes from the dollar store.  

I made everything except these beautiful macarons.  (I figured trying them for the first time while on assignment wouldn't be the wisest choice!)  I bought them from the delicious La Cuisine Bakery in Branford, CT.  One little tidbit I have to share... the garnish atop the mini vanilla cupcakes are chocolate covered sunflower seeds.  I love when little details like that come full circle to really drive the theme home.  

Here are the amaretto tiramisu on dessert spoons and limoncello mousse cups.  I used a chocolate mold to make the little lighting bolt shaped garnish.

These are marscapone tarts with blackberry and almond garnish and Nutella pineapple.  Look at those cute skewers I found at the party store - I just love them!  I cubed pineapple, piped on a circle of Nutella and topped with chopped hazelnuts.  See the card holders?  I thought they were reminiscent of all the cypress trees and topiaries I saw in Italy.  I added a little sunflower detail to the base.  

And finally, this "sunflower" tower is made up of chocolate covered Oreos and yellow tissue squares.  A very simple dessert made special though presentation.  The display is not my original idea.  I saw it on the ever-amazing Rebecca Thuss website.  Once I saw it, I knew I was going to use it for this table.  It was so fitting to the theme and a great way to add height to the table.  When you have 600 pieces, you have to go UP!