How to properly serve cutlery: the intricacies of etiquette

Since ancient times, celebrations have been accompanied by feasts, and it was then that the customs and rules for table setting began to form. Over the years, they have perfected, turning into a kind of rituals. Some of them flowed smoothly into everyday life.

For many, the table setting shown in films and TV series or described in books is frightening in its complexity. A lot of devices, the purpose of which is not always clear. A variety of dishes, which are scary to approach, and wine glasses of all shapes and sizes is not clear for which drink. But everything is not as scary as it seems at first glance.

The basic rule of table etiquette is "from edge to center". As the dishes change, the devices that are farther from the plate are used. The same goes for glasses and glasses that change from left to right.

Table etiquette includes the rules for serving dishes, the order in which the cutlery is used, as well as the rules of behavior at the table and basic principles of politeness. The basic rules of etiquette include:

• the location of the napkin is strictly on the knees;
• “Thank you” and “please” should be said both when making requests and when fulfilling them;
• slouching while sitting at the table is not accepted;
• men sit at the table after women, having previously pushed a chair for them;
• being late for a festive event is considered disrespectful:
• elbows on the table are a sign of bad manners;
• you should not start eating if your companions have not yet brought plates;
• the knife must be held exclusively in the right hand;
• fork and spoon - the perfect combination for long pasta;

• it is indecent to cut or bite off bakery products, you should eat them in small pieces, broken off from the whole;
• the device dropped on the floor must be replaced;
• educated people chew with their mouths closed;
• to slurp in society is indecent;
• bad taste - eating with a knife;
• before pouring a drink, offer it to your neighbors;
• no need to be greedy when applying from a common plate;
• you need to close your eyes to violation of table etiquette by the interlocutor;
• slightly under-eaten soup is better than a tilting plate;
• using a knife and fork, calculate the strength to chew right away without biting off;
• cutlery laid in a criss-cross means that you are waiting for the next dish, folded in parallel - a sign of the finished meal;
• in any awkward situation, it is worth apologizing.

As mentioned above, there may be a lot of cutlery on a served table, but not all of them are there at once. Today there are a lot of different cutlery designed strictly for your type of dish.

General rule applies "From the central plate to the sides."

Types and purpose of spoons:

• dining room, oblong - for soup;
• bouillon - round, otherwise indistinguishable from soup;
• dessert, smaller dining room;
• tea room;
• coffee - less tea;
• for ice cream - has the same dimensions as a coffee shop, but longer;
• salad - served on a plate with salad;
• for caviar - another small spoon resembling a shell;
• pate - common cutlery for all guests;
• sugar scoop;
• sauce ladle - served with a gravy boat.

Forks:

• dining room - for second courses;
• dessert;
• for spaghetti - has five teeth, makes it easier to wind pasta;
• for sprats - a general device;
• for seafood - a two-pronged fork;
• for molluscs - with three prongs, the largest of which separates the meat from the shell;
• herring - a two-toothed fork for transferring herring from a common dish;
• salad dressing - served in a plate with salad;
• cocotte - an elegant trident fork used to lay julienne;
• lemon - serves for shifting pieces;
• for olives;
• for fruits - used for chopped or small fruits.

Knives:

• dining room, its prerogative is the second courses;
• snack bar;
• meat - served with the dish;
• fish;
• cheesy - used only for slicing;
• oil - general device;
• fruity - served for unpeeled fruits.

All tongs (except the last) are used by all companions together:

1. for ice;
2. confectionery;
3. asparagus;
4. for spaghetti;
5. salad;
6. for lobsters.

Plates:

• soup - wide and shallow is better;
• bowl - narrow, small in diameter, very relevant for cream soups and broths;
• diner - usually flat;
• dessert, served only for confectionery;
• fish - a common dish for all guests;
• chill mold - a small ladle for julienne;
• shop - a sign that a buffet is organized at the celebration;
• herring - an oblong-shaped dish;
• egg;
• saucer - used as a cup holder;
• socket;
• bowl - used for jellies, mousses and ice cream.

Wine glasses and glasses:

• high for champagne;
• wine (separately for white and red varieties);
• liqueur;
• cognac;
• for martini.

Glasses:

• for whiskey;
• for cocktails;
• punchy;
• for juice and water.

And also glasses for vodka and other drinks of comparable strength.

Cups:

• tea room - on a silver platter with an appropriate spoon;
• small cylindrical - for espresso;
• under cappuccino;
• for glaze.

As you can see from all of the above, there are a lot of serving items. Do not be alarmed, because each name speaks for itself. Appliances used to lay dishes from common utensils are shared.

Color is always important, and their harmonious combination will help in design. The white tablecloth is a tribute to tradition, it fits almost all tableware colors. Variegated dishes look great on a plain tablecloth, but for a plain service, you can equally choose both tablecloths. Napkins should be in harmony with the tablecloth.

It may seem that black and white serving is something out of the ordinary, but it is not. The harmonious combination of these two colors can give a special charisma to the reception.

The combination of purple and mint (green) looks very fresh, the red color adds solemnity. Silver and gold are essential attributes of a wedding. A dinner in honor of a man must be laconic, with white dishes and contrasting napkins. Bright colors are the best solution for a bachelorette party.

Do not put too many cutlery on the table; it is better to leave some free space. No matter how many changes of dishes are planned, it is better to take out the required appliances and objects with a new serving. In the picture below you can see an example of correct serving.

As you can see from the image, knives and spoons are always placed to the right of the plate (except for the oyster fork). Above them are wine glasses. To the left of the plate are forks, with a pie plate above them. Dessert utensils should be placed over the plate. As mentioned above, the location of the devices depends on the order in which they are used.

Place the napkin on a serving plate. Before serving food, lay it out on your lap. Common meals must be arranged symmetrically.

You need to put dishes for a new dish only after the previous shift has been removed. It is recommended to arrange devices at the same time.

Appetizers are served first - cold first, then hot. They are followed by the first dish (soup), followed by the second: fish, meat. Dessert is served before fruit, which is the conclusion of the meal.

In appetizers and cold second courses, you should switch from fish to meat, then to vegetables and mushrooms, and, finally, to dairy (cheeses).

The sequence of serving is observed to avoid loss of appetite and dullness of taste. Of course, everyone has the right not to eat what he does not like, especially if everything is immediately present on the table.

If you have finished your meal, roll the napkin off your lap, hiding the stained parts. You need to place it in the place of your plate, if it is occupied - to the left of it.

After eating liquid food, the utensils should be left in the plate or bowl in which the dish was served. It is considered bad form to swear at the cook, as well as outright lie that you really liked everything. Better highlight something that you really like.

You need to set the table not only for guests, you can do it every day for yourself.

Breakfast is the start of the day and can be enjoyed beautifully. It is better to place the plate for the main course in the center, in front of you. It is better to put a fork or spoon on the left, and the knife on the right. You can put a tea cup and saucer over the knife, and put bread over the fork.

At home, it is quite possible to dine with two courses. Take soup and pasta for example. Under a deep plate, place a plate for the second, which will act as a serving plate.Diagonally on the left, there will be bread, and on the right, you can put a glass for water and a cup for coffee. The spoon and fork will traditionally be located on the right and left, respectively.

Dinner can be the perfect end to a busy day. One has only to add a couple of instruments, and arrange the wine glasses taking into account the wine glass. Paper napkins are placed on the left.

There are a lot of options for table setting.

As mentioned earlier, black and white will add solemnity and special chic. Black fabric stripes and candles are in perfect harmony with gilded appliances. The white tablecloth echoes with napkins and roses, and the snow-colored wine glasses and plates go well with all of the above.

A white tablecloth on a round table with pale pink napkins and flowers in a vase will be an excellent decoration for a holiday in a women's team. Glass candlesticks matching the flowers and napkins, matching the shape of the glasses, fill the atmosphere with coziness.

It is not necessary to invent something special to create a beautiful table. A service with an unobtrusive cream painting and a bouquet of flowers on a white tablecloth are all you need for a small family dinner.

Turquoise wine glasses, napkins and tiny gift boxes are perfect for a celebration, and flowers to match the tablecloth will only cheer you up.

The layout of the fruits is very simple - you can just cut them into plates. However, you can create a whole installation that will become a real decoration of the holiday.

And, of course, you shouldn't forget about alcohol. Buffet tables can be arranged in different order, forming different shapes. Glasses are arranged on them with a snake, glass herringbone or triangles. A pyramid of wine glasses can make a real sensation.

You can find creativity in everything. Table etiquette isn't all that strict. You can arrange your own, unforgettable and unlike any other banquet.

You can learn about the correct layout of cutlery in the following video.