Dining Etiquette 101

Dining Etiquette 101



The holiday season is around the corner, so let's start new traditions by following old traditions. Here are some basic rules of etiquette at a formal table setting:



Salt and/or pepper:

They should be passed together, even when only one is requested. Don't season food before tasting it.



Stemware (glasses):

Glassware is limited to four (as shown). Wine is poured from the right. Don't overfill glasses.



Water glass



Red wine glass



White wine glass



Champagne flute



Place card: Never switch or change seating arrangements already planned by host.



Dessert spoon and fork: When dessert is served with both fork and spoon, the fork is the pusher and the spoon is used for eating.



Bread dish and butter knife: Tear bread into bite-size pieces on the bread plate and butter each piece with butter knife just before you eat it.



Cutlery: The rule is to use it from the outside in. Once a utensil has been used, it should not touch the table again.



Salad fork



Fish fork



Meat fork



Napkin placement: Once seated, the host takes his napkin, then guests follow and place onto them on their laps.



Flatware: The number of silverware pieces indicates number of courses to be served. A formal dinner consists of seven courses, in this order: soup, fish, sorbet (or palate cleanser), a meat or fowl dish, salad, dessert and coffee.



Meat knife



Fish knife



Salad knife



Soup spoon



EATING SOUP



When eating soup, tilt the spoon away from you.



To get the last bit of soup from the bottom of the bowl, tilt the soup plate away from you.



HOLDING UTENSILS



Knives and forks are held in a relaxed manner.



CUTTING MEATS



When holding the meat knife, place your index finger about an inch down from the handle to help press down firmly. Hold the fork in your left hand, prongs down. Cut only enough food for each mouthful.



PROPOSING A TOAST



The custom of clinking glasses originally was used to drive away evil spirits. If you clink, do so with care, especially with crystal. For the most part, simply raise your glass in the direction of the person being toasted. Toasts should be long enough to cover the subject but short enough to be amusing - about a minute.



It may be a nice idea to toast people in their native tongue:



Salud (SA lud): Spanish

Slainte (SLANT tay): Irish

L'chaim (leh KHY yim): Yiddish

Prosit (PRO sit): German

Kanpai (KAHN pi): Japanese

Sante (SAN tay) French/Quebec



FINGER FOODS These are foods you can and should eat with your fingers.



Asparagus

Corn on the cob

Artichoke

Bread

Hors d'oeuvres

Chips

Cookies

Fruits with stems

Sandwiches and fries



RESTING POSITION



When you take a break from the table, your knife and fork should be crossed in one of the positions shown.



When stepping away from the table, leave your napkin loosely on the chair.



FINISHED POSITION



The dessert spoon should be resting on the saucer and not the cup.



At the end of the meal, the knife and fork should be at the 11 o'clock position.



Wait for the host to loosely place his/her napkin to the left of his/her place setting when the meal is finished. NEWSILLUSTRATED Dining Etiquette 101 The holiday season is around the corner, so let's start new traditions by following old traditions. Here are some basic rules of etiquette at a formal table setting: Water glass Red wine Salt and/or pepper: They should be passed together, even when only one is requested. Don't season food before tasting it. Stemware (glasses): Glassware is limited to four (as shown). Wine is poured from the right. Don't overfill glasses. glass Place card: Never switch or change seating arrangements already planned by host. Dessert spoon and fork: When dessert is served with both fork and spoon, the fork is the pusher and the spoon is used for eating. White wine glass Bread dish and butter knife: Tear bread into bite-size pieces on the bread plate and butter each piece with butter knife just before you eat it. Champagne flute Cutlery: The rule is to use it from the outside in. Once a utensil has been used, it should not touch the table again. Napkin placement: Once seated, the host takes his napkin, then guests follow and place onto them on their laps. Salad Fish Meat Soup fork fork fork spoon Flatware: The number of silverware pieces indicates number of courses to be served. A formal dinner consists of seven courses, in this order: soup, fish, sorbet (or palate cleanser), a meat or fowl dish, salad, dessert and coffee. Meat knife Fish knife Salad knife EATING SOUP HOLDING UTENSILS PROPOSING A TOAST Knives and forks are held in a relaxed manner. The custom of clinking glasses originally was used to drive away evil spirits. If you clink, do so with care, especially with fine crystal. For the most part, simply raise your glass in the direction of the person being toasted. Toasts should be long enough to cover the subject but short enough to be amusing - about a minute. When eating soup, tilt the spoon away from you. CUTTING MEATS To get the last bit of soup from the bottom of the bowl, tilt the soup plate away from you. When holding the meat knife, place your index finger about an inch down from the handle to help press down firmly. Hold the fork in your left hand, prongs down. Cut only enough food for each mouthful. It may be a nice idea to toast people in their native tongue: Salud (SA lud): Spanish Slainte (SLANT tay): Irish L'chaim (leh KHY yim): Yiddish Prosit (PRO sit): German Kanpai (KAHN pi): Japanese Santé (SAN tay): French/Québec FINGER FOODS These are foods you can and should eat with your fingers. Artichoke Bread Hors d'oeuvres Chips Asparagus Corn on the cob Cookies Fruits with stems Sandwiches and fries RESTING POSITION FINISHED POSITION The dessert spoon should be resting on the saucer and not the cup. When you take a break from the table, your knife and fork should be crossed in one of the positions shown. At the end of the meal, the knife and fork should be at the 11 o'clock position. When stepping away from the table, leave your napkin loosely on the chair. Wait for the host to loosely place his/her napkin to the left of his/her place setting when the meal is finished. SOURCES: The Complete idior's Guide to Etiquette by Mary Mitchell Sun-Sentinel file photos Staff photography/Susan Stocker rkwokisun-sentinel.com Staff graphic/Renee Kwok