Making A Holiday Centerpiece Isn’t Complicated

A few loaves of bread, some clusters of grapes and a little style are all it takes to make a lovely holiday centerpiece.

The arrangement is large - perfect for a buffet table - but you can set other dishes around it.

The slender loaves that form the foundation of the centerpiece are known as epis, the French word for heads of grain.

If you can’t find it this specialty bread, any long, slender loaf will do nicely. Here’s how to do it, according to the California Table Grape Commission:

Take three baguettes and form a triangle, alternating loaf ends under and over to provide a level center.

Select a plate to form the platform for the grapes. Adjust the triangular bread “frame” to your plate size.

Where the loaves cross, secure with ribbon.

Place your plate in the center of the triangle; the plate will be raised slightly from the table.

Tuck pine, fir or cedar boughs, dried flowers, ivy, holly or other foliage into the bows to further frame the plate.

Arrange red, green or blue-black grapes on the plate for a finishing touch.