A Table full of Apples

With the end of summer, we have to say goodbye to certain fruits like fresh strawberries or juicy watermelons – but at the same time the high season of another fruit starts, time for apples! And what would be a better place to celebrate them than this magical apple meadow, in the shade of old fruit trees and the golden rays of the setting sun?That’s exactly what we did, packed our table and picnic basket and drove to Saxony on a lovely late summer afternoon for a little picnic. As soon as we got to the apple fields of the Lockwitzer Landschaftspflege GmbH we felt like we passed a gate and dove into a fairy tale. It was suddenly so calm and peaceful, that we couldn’t help ourselves but set our garden table twice and even after the last rays of sun had disappeared we had to force ourselves to leave.

For our first setting, we stuck with light colours that made the red and green apples truly shine. We skipped an actual table cloth and used single linen pieces instead to lay out underneath the plates. These don’t have to be too neat, on the contrary, the frayed edges actually add to the effect. On top, we put two stacked plates. The bottom layer was made of tin – vintage from the sale of a family collection – and the upper one a ceramics plate that was made for us by the »Halleschen Haus« in Berlin. What is so special about these plates are their subtle, colourful lacquers that make each of them unique and one of a kind. Just like the cherry on top of the cake, we finished off the arrangement with an apple on each plate, which corresponded well with the fruit on the table as well as the plums and rosehips. And of course our picnic itself is marked by the topic of apples as well – with a rustic pie that was very well received by the whole team.

An ideal drink for such an occasion is something fresh and of course fruity. If you took a car to your little nature escape, you can still enjoy a van Nahmen Gourmet fruit juice or one of their fruit-seccos - sparkling without any alcohol. Concerning the glasses, we mixed materials up by pairing cooper cups with glasses that have a crystal design. With its natural flair, we didn’t want to overload the table which is why the only other decorations are an old book underneath a vase turned milk jug. Besides that, the apple meadow itself is decoration enough. Just a little add on for chilly fall nights: the plaid blanket by Puebco does not simply look pretty, but is also great to cuddle up in it when the temperatures drop.

In our second setting, stronger and darker colours dominate – according to the rustic snack of fresh bread, cheese and of course apples served on a rectangular wood board by Brood & Plank . A real highlight is the dark wooden surface of our table, that we left exposed for a full effect. The only textiles are the colourful tie die napkins as joyful colour accents. Check here to find out how you can easily make these yourself. The dishes we used in this setting come from the Free Folding Ceramics Studio in Israel. Under that name, Artist Michal Gelman creates beautiful plates, bowls, vases and many more ceramics and sells them via his Etsy Shop . What is so special about them is the folded origami style in some of the pieces, like the bowl of apples. This makes the ceramics appear like fine paper or fabric.

Just like the other one, this table setting, is more on the minimalistic side, as the room in your car or picnic basket is probably limited, too. Even more important are small highlights like the twigs on the napkins and the table as well as the neatly tied silverware packages. And don’t underestimate a drink in a matching colour like the van Nahmen fruit secco apple-red currant-raspberry .

Having a sip of this while watching the sun set behind the apple trees is a perfect ending for our little trip to the world of fairy tales, before it is time to pack up the table again and go back to reality.

Text: Franziska Winterling

Illustrations: Simone Hawlisch