A Taste of Provence: Hosting a French Country Style Dinner with Rustic Elegance
There’s something effortlessly romantic about French Country style—the way it blends timeworn beauty with nature’s bounty, the balance of rustic charm and refined detail. It’s not fussy, but deeply intentional. Every detail is a quiet celebration of the everyday: a good meal, a shared laugh, a long evening that drifts into candlelight and conversation. Today I'm sharing A Taste of Provence: Hosting a French Country Style Dinner with Rustic Elegance.
Welcome to Monday Morning Blooms!
Pam, Mary and I are excited to have our friend Shannon of Belle Bleu Interiors join us today. I'm sharing links to all their end of summer posts at the end of this post, be sure to visit for fabulous summer floral inspiration!
Our common theme this month is country flowers, but since I have shingles { if you haven't gotten your vaccine DO!!!} and have limited options for driving, I opted for country tomatoes. So my post is under the theme "one of these is not like the others!"
This summer is the perfect time to host a French Country-inspired dinner at home—an ode to the August garden, when tomatoes are warm from the sun and basil perfumes the air. It's so easy: here’s how I brought the magic of Provence to my own table. {I'm also sharing a great easy recipe for an appetizer!}
“La vie est faite de petits bonheurs.”
{Life is made of little joys.}
Setting the Scene: The Table
The table itself was dressed simply, but beautifully. At each place, I laid chambray placemats—soft like a linen shirt. The muted blue of chambray is a natural pairing with sun-kissed produce and creamy white stoneware. The linen napkins are embroidered in green thread that remind me of French topiary gardens—just enough color to echo the centerpiece.
The plates are vintage—ivory porcelain rimmed with gold and a delicate fleur de lis motif. They add a subtle formality to an otherwise relaxed table. On top, my green leaf majolica plates look just right.
The Centerpiece: Garden Simplicity with Ironstone Elegance
The heart of the table is this simple centerpiece that comes together in minutes but looks like something out of a French still life painting. I used an antique white ironstone pedestal bowl, beautifully aged. Into it, I piled garden tomatoes of all shapes and colors: deep red, golden yellows, bright green, and even a few tiny cherry varieties, still attached to the vine.
Tucked between the tomatoes are little sprigs of fresh basil from the garden—their fragrance did so much to set the mood as their vibrant green leaves did to lift the arrangement. There were no flowers, no foam, no fuss—just tomatoes and herbs, at their absolute peak.
The Feeling: La Joie de Vivre
The heart of French country entertaining is about making guests feel welcome, never about perfection. It’s a stack of plates, a linen napkin resting in a lap, the scent of basil mingling with wine, warm tomatoes and laughter.
At the end of the evening the table looked even more beautiful, crumpled napkins, empty glasses, tomato stems resting where they fell. A perfect, imperfect evening.
I kept the menu super simple!
We started off with an easy appetizer inspired by the creator of our favorite Boursin cheese - François Boursin Summer Appetizer with crisp slices of French bread.
Then we had a simple salad with heirloom tomatoes, red onions, pine nuts and roasted red peppers served with a vinaigrette and an easy pasta dish. Dessert was a few meringues, with soft whipped cream and summer berries on top.
François Boursin Summer Appetizer
- 1-2 Boursin cheese - I used the Classic and the Rosemary & Black Garlic flavors.
- Heavy cream, just enough to mix into the room temperature cheese to create a softer, creamier consistency.
- Chopped cherry tomatoes {cut in 4's}-place in bowl and drizzle good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Spoon cheese mixture on a platter, and spoon the tomatoes on top. Surround with the bread slices, and crackers if desired.
Please be sure to visit my Monday Morning Blooms Friends by clicking their links below for more summer inspiration!
and me, Lidy at FrenchGardenHouse
Thanks so much for your visit, I cherish your friendship and your comments.
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Anja
August 22, 2025
Dear Lidy, hope you’re having a speedy recovery and that you’re not in too much pain.
A simple but very tasty idea for an appetizer