How to Set
A Formal Table
By Mary
DeMello
Throwing a formally
dinner party doesn’t need to be a stressful occasion. You
can really impress your family and friends and make even
Miss Manners proud if you know how to host an event properly.
And, if you know how to set a formal table, your food will
present in a much more appealing way.
There are several
items that you will need to set a completed table. Formal
dinnerware, along with a complete set of flatware will make
for a nice looking table when used along with fine glassware
and table linens.
• Dinner plates
need to be centered in front of each chair, if using placemats,
they should be center in front of each chair with the
dinner plates centered on the placemats
• Soup bowls should sit on top of each dinner plate
• Salad plates are placed to the left of and just above
the forks or on top of the dinner plate, if there is no
soup to be served.
• The bread plate should be placed to the right and slightly
above the salad plate.
• You can also bring each course’s plates out with that
serving of the meal, so that p each appropriate plate
is placed on top of the dinner plate with each specific
course. For example, soup bowls are placed and removed,
to be replaced with salads plates, etc. Get creative with
how you fold your nalpkins and make your table elegant
and original!
• Napkins can be placed on the plate, under the forks,
or inside the drinking glass.
• Water glasses are placed to the right of the knife.
Wine glasses and other drinking glasses areplaced next
to the drinking glasses.
• Cups and saucers are put near the knives, or can be
brought out after the meal, if coffee or tea are only
being served with dessert.
• Silverware that is used first should be the furthest
away from the dinner plate so that your guests will be
using their flatware from the outside and work towards
the plate.
• Forks are placed to the left of the dinner plate; knives
and spoons go to the right.
• Knives should be placed with their cutting-edge toward
the dinner plate, except the butter knife which should
be laid flat on a bread plate.
• Utensils should be about 1/2-inch away from the plate
or each other, and they should also be lined up evenly
from their bottoms. Each course should have its own utensil,
but don't overdo it.
• Dessert silverware can be originally placed at the table
setting if you wish. The dessert fork or spoon should
be centered above and parallel to the dinner plate.
And remember to
relax and enjoy the company of your friends and family,
After all, isn’t that the reason you decided to invite them
in the first place?
Mary DeMello is the manager of
Cooking Supply Company where they sell all the products
needed to for both formal and informal dining. You can check
out her store at http://www.cookingsupplycompany.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_DeMello
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Set-A-Formal-Table&id=231989
