Review: The Rose Table Presents the “12 Months of Disney Dinners” Series
Shawn Stalter, Contributing Critic - Dallas/Ft. Worth
In her Disney-inspired dinner series, “12 Months of Disney Dinners,” foodie, blogger, adventurer and culinary mastermind, Katie-Rose Watson, not only crafts inspired recipes, but she incorporates elements of her background in the Arts to infuse dinners with a sense of magic. Her blog, The Rose Table, is the canvas she uses to paint an exquisite landscape to help us all learn more about taking time to savor life’s pleasures.
Although in no way affiliated with the Walt Disney Company, Katie-Rose’s “12 Months of Disney Dinners,” delivers an entrancing and luxurious series which captures the essence of what makes the Disney universe such a magical space for people of all ages and walks of life. Through her culinary masterpieces, inspired decor, gorgeous costuming and more, Katie-Rose takes viewers on a journey transcending the boundaries of daily existence to reveal the magical spaces we can all conjure in our own worlds. In fact, the series theme of “Making Your Own Magic,” is a key concept in The Rose Table and is one of the special ingredients Katie-Rose uses to inspire people from across the world to host their own unique dinner parties.
Katie-Rose Watson, a self-described Disney fanatic, developed her fascination with the theme early in childhood, and it has only grown exponentially in recent years. Like most inspired creations, the conceptual outline for her “12 Months of Disney Dinners” came to her in the quiet space of a dream. She then took the initial concept and ran with it, leveraging extensive knowledge of design, lighting, staging and other skills honed from her experiences working in the performing arts.
The “12 Months of Disney Dinner” series drips with the exuberance, passion and exceptional taste which finely captures the nuances and magic of the Disney experience. Some of my favorite themes, and associated creative elements include:
● Snow White: This enchanted-forest themed dinner inspired by the full range of Grimm’s fairy tales includes poisoned apples, of course, as well a castle mirror, sliced cedarwood chargers and a full array of culinary delights including a sausage flight, German Käsespätzle, Black Forest cake and more. The Grand Finale? Indoor fireworks projected on the dining room ceiling!
● Aladdin - This installment in the Disney Dinner series highlights Katie-Rose’s versatile style as she crafts a Persian-themed dinner party complete with magic carpets, jewels, lamps gorgeous bouquets of vibrant roses and carnations. The menu is simple but infused with Middle Eastern aromas from dishes including Panir salad, Persian Chicken with Jasmine Rice and a Banana Trifle to top it all off.
● Pirates of the Caribbean: Katie-Rose channeled inspiration from several recent trips to the Caribbean to transport her guests to the high seas by transforming her dining room into a foggy captain’s galley. With a black tablecloth lined with fish netting and illuminated by a lantern, her guests were treated to a tasty rum punch to accompany dishes including Coconut Shrimp in Pumpkin Sauce, Grilled Lobster Tails and more.
Most recently though, Katie-Rose celebrated the successful conclusion of her “12 Months of Disney Dinner Series” by hosting a gala-style Cinderella's Ball-inspired evening bringing together all elements of her series into a glorious encore finale.
Although this round of her “12 Months of Disney Dinner Series” has concluded, Katie-Rose has much more in store for her devoted fans. Look for future events including a Kentucky-Derby themed dinner this spring as well as a Little Mermaid-inspired dinner in summer 2019.
Create some magic in your own world by checking out the “Twelve Months of Disney Dinners” series videos, recipes and more.
Be sure also to access other portions of The Rose Table to learn more about Katie-Rose Watson’s food, travel, lifestyle and luxury-inspired creations and check out her Facebook page, The Rose Table.
Photo credit: Sarah Carey