Break the Bread

While visiting the fam this weekend, Dad and I decided to get a little pastry at the new Le Pain Quotidien location on 85th and Madison on Saturday morning. 

{image courtesy of http://www.thesweetkitchen.com/}

While they do have the obligatory French patisserie 2-top tables they believe in family-style or they call it "communal dining."  So, we grabbed 2 seats in the middle of a no-elbow-room table of people indulging in some decadent finger foods.  What caught my eye the most {...besides the newlywed couple necking on the other side of the table... now that is French.}  was the menu holders adorning the center of the tables.

They had sliced up an old loaf! Amazing!

First of all: I love this level of super creative recycling. 

Second: It works so insanely well with the ambiance.

It made me think: I wonder if you could do something similar to create a candle holder? Perhaps a melon baller or a thin knife to cut out a cylinder deep enough that a candle stick could be held strongly within it, or perhaps a wide shallower cut could be used for tea lights.  I'll have to give this a try and let you know how it goes. If you don't want to attempt experimental DIY with the candles, next time you have a dinner party whip up a cheesy, clip art menu for your guests {my grandfather does this} and slice the bread the way you see above and slip them in.  It would automatically make a great homey atmosphere and be sure to make your guests smile.