Lafleur

To impress your guests with an original table centrepiece, say good-bye to floral arrangements that empty your wallet, and say hello to decorated squash which can be just as fanciful.  Compliments guaranteed!

You have two choices
To create a table centerpiece, you can:

1. Use decorative mini-squash like those found in any supermarket. When lacquered, they can be kept for a long time but are not edible.
2. Select small squash like acorn squash, pattypan squash, crookneck squash or butternut squash which have the advantage of being eaten after the festivities.

How to make this...
A few squash nicely placed in a decorative basket or plate is more than enough to add a touch of joy. You can also combine them with other decorative items:

• Decorate your basket or plate with multi-coloured maple leaves or a nest of small branches gathered by children.
• Surround them with river pebbles, walnuts in shells or fir pine cones for a traditional look.
• Arrange your mini-squash in a ring-shape and adorn the centre with a decorative candle.
• Line up a few decorative squash in the center of the table, alternating or not with small paper lanterns.
• Use only one squash or medium-sized pumpkin and simply wrap a pretty napkin around its stalk.

Blend usefulness and pleasantness
Remove the top of a large pumpkin or turban squash, and empty it using a large spoon, cover the interior walls with aluminum foil and then fill it with ice cubes to make an ice bucket. How's that for breathtaking inspiration!

How to
In Quebec, winter squash is picked towards the end of summer and throughout fall. When kept in a dry, fresh location, they can be kept and eaten for up to twelve months.