Sukkot, often referred to as the “Festival of Booths,” is a time for enjoying delicious meals with family and friends, and finding new inspiration for a holiday themed table! As we gather to celebrate in our Sukkah, we were looking for a way to infuse some great style into our table design. We found a beautiful and easy way to use a combination of dried fruits, flowers, and your favorite Apeloig Collection Oil Menorah, Challah Board, and Challah Cover.
You’ll be amazed at how easy it was to create this look. We’d also like to give a shout out to CSquared Placements because we really love their unique designs.
Here’s how we got the look:
The Process: Dehydrating Oranges
1. Slice and Prep: Begin by slicing oranges into thin rounds(Use a Mandolin If you have one). Lay them out on a cookie sheet, ensuring they aren’t overlapping. This simple step ensures that they dry evenly.
2. Drain the Excess: Before placing them in the oven, dab the slices with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. This is important for the dehydration process.
3. Slow and Low: Set your oven to its lowest temperature setting – we chose 200 degrees because our oven would not go lower than that. Bake the orange slices for approximately 2 hours on each side. Flip them over halfway to ensure even drying. Once dehydrated, they should feel dry to the touch but still retain their vibrant orange hue.
Assembling The Floral Display
With your dried orange slices in hand, it's time to assemble. Fill the canals of the oil menorah with water. Using a dropper makes it easy. Arrange your flowers. Then push toothpicks through the center of each dehydrated orange slice, and place them in between the flowers. The natural, citrusy appeal of the oranges combines magically with the colors of fresh flowers!
To infuse that Sukkot vibe, complement it by adding branches. We used some that are similar to the roof of our Sukkah.
Accenting with Oranges
The versatility of these dehydrated oranges doesn’t end here! You can use them in so many different ways.
- Napkin Holders: Thread some jute string through an orange slice and tie it around your napkin rings. This touch pairs nicely with the “Hummingbirds Paper Placemats” that we got from CSquared.
- Edible Table Décor: What’s better than décor you can eat? Along with oranges, experiment with lemons and limes. If you dehydrate your etrog, you can even save it for the following year.
Laying on Natural Tones and Our Favorite Judaica
We decided to pair this delightful setup with an eggplant striped challah board. The deep purple hues contrast beautifully with the radiant orange and browns. Round challah and honey is still used during Sukkot by some people. We usually go back to braided challah and Salt after Simcha Torah.
As for the plates, we opted for bamboo which are sustainable and their earthy tones tie in with the festival's outdoor theme.
Enjoy you time to rejoice and be Happy !
Shalom and Chag Sameach!
