Backcountry Mercantile founder Amanda Gaudelet has been drawn to heirloom elements, such as glassware, cutlery, teacups, and linens, for as long as she can remember. Her passion for blending these vintage elements with those that are new is where her appreciation for setting a table was born. Antiquing from Greenwich to Palm Beach to Paris, Amanda is always on the hunt for heirloom treasures.
With a professional past in the hospitality industry, and being married to not only a restaurateur but a classically French trained chef, there is an innate desire to set a table and entertain at home. After sourcing vintage wares and custom ceramic wares for a number of restaurant projects, the idea to create custom, bespoke tableware for the home was born.
Designing and importing custom maiolica from Deruta, Italy, as well as bespoke porcelain from Limoges, France, is what she would call the meat and potatoes of her business. The vintage wares, the accoutrements. Married to her husband Alexandre, they reside in the backcountry Greenwich, Connecticut, with their two daughters and goldendoodle Caramel.
How do you like to set the theme of a table when entertaining? What is the vibe? For me, it is all about mixing the old with the new. Each tabletop has a story to tell, and the host is the storyteller. I take heirloom elements, such as my grand-mother’s vintage china or stemware, and mix it up with some newer elements, such as tapered candlestick holders, whimsical glass figurines, or anything from our hand-painted ceramics collection. I begin focusing upon the seasonal theme of the tabletop, and then deciphering what bold pop of color will be the focal point, whether it be glass goblets placed at each table setting, a bright and cheerful cake stand that takes center stage, or simply the dishware itself.
What are you serving? Now that it is summertime we are using the bbq more often and serving whatever produce happens to be fresh and in season. We love to toss vegetables in a generous helping of evoo and sea salt, and then simply grilling them to perfection. Street corn and tacos are another big hit in this household. For dessert, poaching peaches and cherries in a little port wine, flambeing them on the grill, and then serving them alongside vanilla ice cream is always a crowd pleaser.
What are you sipping? I am most definitely sipping rose all summer. When entertaining large groups, we like to chill and display large formats of wine such as magnums in advance. For taco nights we shake it up and mix spicy margaritas, and for hot summer nights we like to start with an offering of an Aperol Spritz.
What are you wearing? In the summertime I am wearing lots of billowy, maxi, light-weight dresses, linen fabrics, and flats. Come fall I will transition to pant suits, my favorite boyfriend jeans with blazers, and rich colors/textures. And, I am always in a hat. In summer, you can find me in one of my favorite Eric Javits straw hats, come winter a pom-pom.
What are you listening to? Recently my daughter has introduced me to Faye Webster and I am enjoying her alternative/indie vibe. I often have her on in the background while I am setting the theme for the evening.
If you are hosting a dinner, what is your go-to centerpiece? I am a big fan of going out into the yard and being resourceful. Snipping cherry blossoms in the springtime, hydrangeas in the summer, an array of colorful leaf branches in the fall, and then adorning the table with red berries and holly, or any snipping of evergreens in the winter. McArdles, a local garden center and floral shop, is my ‘go-to’ when in need of a really special table arrangement for a festive occasion.
How do you end a celebration? I send guests home with dessert leftovers, sometimes adorned with a ribbon and a note. If I have overloaded on floral arrangements, then I send my guests away with those. During the holidays it might be a glass figurine that was used at an individual place setting. I am a big fan of parting gifts.
What is your favorite Half Past Seven product to entertain with? I am currently obsessing over the Starry Nights stemless wine glasses. They are most perfect for entertaining outdoors and under the stars, they also pair well with our patriotic collection that we break out from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Let’s play this or that…
- Charger OR Placemat: Sometimes both! I don’t play the ‘less is more’ game, rather the ‘more is more’ one.
- Stemmed OR Stem-less: Stemmed for indoors and Stemless for outdoors.
- Red OR White: How about red and white!? More is more!
- Tablecloth OR Bare: It just depends on the mood! There are no rules.
- Votives OR Taper Candle: This also depends on whether a tall centerpiece has already taken center stage, or a tall cake. It is all about balance, in this case.
- Formal OR Informal: Formal for festive holidays, informal for most days in between. Setting a table that tells a story is what becomes the foundation of a memorable celebration, formal or not.
