WARM and SPICY Chases Away the COLD – Color matters!

Whether winter where you are is freezing, cool, warm or even hot – the art of color and flavor will brighten you winter scene with table dressings full of color and spicy warm flavors.
Specifically to escape the cold, color can be a key. While most of us react to red as a color of warm temperature, and blue as one of cool perceptions, color can also be rooted in very personal life experiences and certainly even cultural influences. To create an environment that incorporates color to change the perceived temperature, what might you think to do? In this case, bright, bold colors add vibrancy to what might be considered a more dormant time of year. We dined at this table last week. The colors and the spicy flavors instantly created a scene of warm, exotic indulgences.
Soft lighting, warm colors, inviting materials all contribute to comforting sensations when one is trying to escape from the violating effects of the cold. The colors can be somber, earthen and muted tones of red, rusts, burnt oranges, browns, smoky olive greens, yellows, gold and ochre…but add bright splashes and the scene comes alive!
On this trip, as we head south and gravitate to the tropical climes of Mexico, these bright, bold colors are warmed further with the soft lighting, and punctuated with spicy salsas that further infuse the experience with a warm feeling of utter contentment.

El Arrayan table setting

Warm and spicy colors and flavors at El Arrayan in Puerto Vallarta!

Try adding bold accents to you table dressing – the tropical accents are not limited to summer, here I found a Bobby Flay recipe that is easy and very warm and spicy.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/skirt-steak-tacos-with-roasted-tomato-salsa-recipe/index.html?ic1=obinsite

Coming soon to PATRICIAN DESIGN – Watch for our new oilcloth table cloths to bring more exotic and fun fabric to your dining scene!