FRENCH TABLE SETTING
Silverware Placement
- In French table setting, eating utensils, or les couverts, are placed in the order in which you will be using them. The utensils furthest from the plate are the ones you will use first.
- The forks are placed to the left of the plate (doesn't that irritate all of you right-handed people?) either with the tines pointing down, called à la française - French style, or with the tines pointing up, à l'anglaise - English style.
The knife is place to the right of the plate with the cutting surfaces pointing towards the plate.
- The spoon, once again placed either face down or up, depending if you want to do it French or English style, is placed to the right of the knife.
- At more informal dinners a dessert spoon will be placed above the plate. At more formal affairs, it will be brought with the dessert.
Plates and Napkins
The napkins are placed on the left or on the plate itself, perhaps folded in a triangle.
At a formal French dinner, there will be an abundance of courses and therefore plates. Each course will make its appearance on its own plate.
A pretty touch you will see at elegant dinners is a large underliner plate that never leaves the table. It might be in silver or brass.
The Glasses
In French table setting the largest "wine" glass on the table is reserved for water, and it is usually placed on the left. The other glasses are placed to the right of it, in descending order of size. The second largest glass will be for red wine, the third largest for white. You may find a small glass for liqueur or a champagne flute as well.
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The distance between places at the table set must never be so short that guests have no elbow room.
About two feet from plate center to plate center is ideal.
The service plates are first put around the table at equal distances.
The salad fork is placed next to the left of the plate, just to the right of the plate is the salad knife the cutting edge of each toward the plate.
Outside the knives are the soup spoon.
Dessert spoons and forks are brought in on the dessert plate just before dessert is served.
The butter plate is located above the forks at the left of the place setting.
The butter knife is laid across it, slightly diagonally from upper left to lower right, with the sharper edge of the blade toward the edge of the table.
The wineglasses table setting arrangement is according to size, so that little ones are not hidden behind large ones then place them directly above the knives in a straight row slanting downward from the upper left.
Generally only one - at the most, two - wines are served, so a water goblet and one (or two) wineglasses are all that are necessary. Frequently wine is not served at all, and iced-tea glasses or simply tumblers for water or mugs for beer are used.
If you plan to serve coffee with the meal, the cup and saucer go to the right of the setting, with the coffee spoon on the right side of the saucer.
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In Sparta
-The first napkin was a lump of dough the Spartans called 'apomagdalie', a mixture cut into small pieces and rolled and kneeded at the table, a custom that led to using sliced bread to wipe the hands.
In Roman
-Napkins known as sudaria and mappae were made in both small and large lengths. The sudarium, Latin for "handkerchief," was a pocket-size fabric earned to blot the brow during meals taken in the warm Mediterranean climate.
-The mappa was a larger cloth spread over the edge of the couch as protection from food taken in a reclining position. The fabric was also used to blot the lips.
In the Early Middle Ages
-The napkin disappeared from the table and hands and mouths were wiped on whatever was available, the back of the hand, clothing, or a piece of bread.
-A napkin folded decoratively to carry the bread and knife used by the lord of the manor,
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The host and hostess should sit at either end of the table. The exception to this is if you happen to have the President as a guest, in which case you can seat him at the end of the table!
To the right and left of the hostess, go the most honored male guests and to the right and left of the host, the most honored female guests. It's up to you to decide who's the most honorable.
Husband and wives are not seated together, unless they have been recently married.
On the other hand, fiancés are always seated together. Finally, spouses shouldn't be seated facing one another.
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A nice vase of fresh-cut flowers. Always a beautiful choice . . . but also a bit expected. With the rush and details of other party preparations, it’s easy to overlook this simple opportunity to make a big impression.
The centerpiece
The focal point of your entire meal presentation
In the 18th century
The centerpiece was the highlight of a formal dinner. Today, all you need is a little imagination to create a winning display. One of the easiest ways to delight your guests is to use something ordinary in an unexpected way.
Supplies Needed to Make a Flower Centerpiece
You will need:
- 2 candles
- floral foam
- waterproof floral tape
- flowers of your choice
- greens
Procedure:
- Soak and Cut Floral Foam
- Gently soak floral foam in fresh, clean water. Never plunge your foam into the water. Gently place it in, and let it hydrate on its own.
- Cut into flat sheets, fitting it snugly into the dish. Trim any corners to create a rounded shape. Tape carefully to secure the foam to the dish.
Create the Flower Centerpiece
Take well-hydrated greens and flowers and create a flat pave-style arrangement in the foam, taking care to cover all exposed areas of the foam and reflective parts of the tape.
Strive for visual color, weight balance, and an even appearance throughout. These cymbidium orchids and ruscus greens work particularly well here.
Once your arrangement is finished and moved to its desired location, replace the candles in their designated areas and enjoy.
Make Candle Bases From Toothpicks
If you do not have the candle bases, which should be available from a local craft store, tape toothpicks one by one around the base of the candles with cellophane tape. Place them carefully into the foam, and the toothpicks will give it a bite and a hold
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The table is set, the meal is about to be served. Everything has its place...the strongest ritual in France...Dining.
1) Never spread-tartiner foie gras. Instead cut it and place it on a piece of grilled bread.
2) The last drop served from a bottle of wine should be poured into the glass of a célibataire- because whoever has the last drop of wine will be married at the end of the year.
3) Your serving of bread is placed on the table, at the left-hand side of your plate, above your fork.
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Table setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware—such as eating utensils and dishware—for serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting.
A table setting may have many elements, especially on formal occasions.
Informal dinner
- The table should have a centerpiece that performs a solely decorative function.
- The centerpiece too large so that there will be sufficient room to place serving dishes.
Formal dinner
- The centerpiece may be huge and, including candles, may extend the full length of the table.
- Centerpieces should be of low height, so as not to obstruct visibility of diners’ faces.
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