Article: C+G At Home with Sophie Hansen
C+G At Home with Sophie Hansen
There’s something magical about Easter in Orange, NSW. The crisp, golden light, the abundance of late-summer produce and the long weekend that stretches out and invites us to slow down and savour time with friends and family. This year, we had the pleasure of bringing one of our long-held dreams to life—an Easter shoot with the incredible Sophie Hansen, a cook, writer and storyteller whose warm hospitality and love for seasonal feasting inspire so many (including us).
Tablecloth in Paprika, Placemat in Pinot, Napkin Set in Yellow Stripes, Napkin Set in Ochre
Nestled on her picturesque farm, Sophie set the scene with a table dressed in our linens, a spread of delicious home-cooked dishes and the rolling paddocks of Orange as backdrop. A highlight of the day? The beautifully golden fish pie, a playful nod to the Good Friday Easter tradition of eating fish, shaped like an egg and packed with delicious flavours.
Tablecloth in Olive Check, Extra-Large Placemat Set in Aegean, Linen Napkin Set in Olive
Of course, no Easter table is complete without a good bottle (or two) of wine. For this shoot, we had the pleasure of showcasing Printhie Wines, a cool-climate winery perched on the edge of Mount Canobolas. Known for their elegant, high-altitude wines, Printhie was the perfect complement to our autumnal feast.
Tablecloth in Olive Check, Linen Napkin Set in Tobacco, Extra-Large Placemat Set in Aegean, Linen Napkin Set in Olive
For Sophie, Easter is a time of homecoming. After the heat of summer, she welcomes the cool change, the arrival of quinces, figs, plums and apples and the opportunity to slow down and gather with loved ones.
Tablecloth in Ochre, Tablecloth in Paprika, Napkin Set in Ochre, Tea-Towel Set in Lavender Check
As we wrapped up our shoot, we couldn’t help but take a moment to soak it all in—our linen gently stirring in the breeze, the sound of laughter carrying across the paddock, the warm Autumn sun. The sense: this is what Easter is all about. Slowing down. Coming together. Sharing food, stories and a glass of something good.
Tablecloth in Ochre, Tea-Towel Set in Lavender Check, Tablecloth in Olive Check, Napkin Set in Tobacco, Extra-Large Placemat Set in Aegean
Read on below for our full conversation with Sophie, where she shares her thoughts on life in Orange, Easter traditions and her favourite C+G linens for setting a beautiful table.
Tablecloth in Paprika, Napkin Set in Yellow Stripes, Napkin Set in Ochre, Placemat Set in Pinot
C+G: Doing this Easter shoot has been a dream of ours at Carlotta + Gee, we are so happy it came to fruition. Did you enjoy it?
SH: Yes! I’ll take any excuse to set up a beautiful table in the paddock and catch up with friends. And it was so fun to play with all your beautiful linens.
C+G: You have been in Orange for over 20 years, what do you love about the Autumn season in particular celebrating Easter?
SH: The cool change after a long dry summer, the produce (quinces, figs, tomatoes, plums, apples….), the colours and best of all the long Easter weekend with everyone home!
Tablecloth in Olive Check, Napkin Set in Olive
C+G: How and where will you be celebrating Easter this year?
SH: We will be at home with friends coming to visit. So there’ll be a paddock-wide egg hunt, a barbecue and definitely fish pie and hot cross buns.
Tablecloth in Olive Check, Extra-Large Placemat Set in Aegean, Linen Napkin Set in Olive
C+G: You'll be sharing some amazing recipes with our readers in the upcoming journals, inspired by the Easter shoot – can you tell us a bit about the story or inspiration behind them?
SH: I love that the pie is shaped like an egg, it’s such a fun (and delicious) thing to make for Good Friday (or anytime) and the gremolata tabouleh is bright and fresh and full of citrus - a good balance to the rich pastry. I also love that this, while it isn’t a super quick recipe, can be done completely in advance so all you need to do on the day is heat and share.
C+G: We are so happy you are a linen lover and use linen napery - what is your favourite C+G tablecloth colour?
SH: Yellow is my favourite colour so it would have to be anything in that general direction.
