Table setting for everyone existing rules- this is always a sign of attention from the owner of the house to his guests. Unfortunately, you don’t see a properly set table very often today, especially at home. However, table setting is a real art, mastering which, you bring beauty into your life. That’s why it’s so important to know the rules of table setting—to be able to create a festive atmosphere in your home every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and on holidays to surprise your guests with fancy decorations, intricately folded napkins and luxurious tableware.

Sequence of table setting

The table should be set according to next plan: tablecloth; dishes; cutlery; glasses, wine glasses, glasses; napkins; table decoration. To begin with, table setting may seem like a really complicated science to some, but after some time, when setting the table according to the rules becomes a habit, it will seem to you that this task is easier than ever!

Table setting begins with laying out a tablecloth on the table. It would seem, what could be simpler? Throw the tablecloth over the table - and it's done. Actually exist certain rules on this score.

Firstly, the tablecloth must be perfectly ironed and have a presentable appearance. There is nothing good about setting the table with a crumpled tablecloth or oilcloth. The smoothed tablecloth, or rather its corners, should fall opposite the table legs, covering them evenly. There are also requirements for the descent of the tablecloth on all sides - at least 25 cm and, in no case, lower than the seat of the chair.

Such requirements were not introduced by chance, since a tablecloth on the table that is too small looks unsightly, and if it is too large, it causes inconvenience to guests. Once you've covered the table with a tablecloth, it's time to start arranging the plates.

Types of plates

The purpose of most of the plates from the table above can be easily guessed by their name; however, there are also dishes that are not entirely obvious. A pie plate is used to serve croutons, pies or bread. The chill plate is used to serve various snack dishes, such as oysters, salads or stews. The menu plate, as you can easily guess from its shape, is used to serve several types of salads or side dishes at once. It is also used for serving fondue. Scrambled eggs are served in an egg plate, jam, preserves or honey are placed in a rosette, and a bowl is intended for serving fresh berries, jellies and fruit salads.

What kind of plates you place on the table on a holiday or weekday evening depends on the number of dishes served. Serving a two-course dinner requires one plate, and a four-course dinner requires different plates.

Naturally, the plates on your table should be perfectly clean and dry. It is advisable to polish them to a shine before serving.

According to the rules, a snack plate (see table above) is located opposite each chair. You shouldn’t put it on the very edge of the table, it doesn’t look very presentable! The pie plate is placed to the left of the diner, as you can see in the photo above.

If you are setting a table with several dishes, in this case you place small dinner plates, etc., under the appetizer plates.

Types of cutlery

• 1,2,3,4,6,31 - spoons: coffee, tea, dessert, table, for making coffee, for ice cream;
• 5, 7, 8, 9 — tongs: large pastry tongs, for asparagus, for ice, small pastry tongs;
• 10 - device for trimming cigars;
• 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26 - forks: lemon, lemon, cocotte, fish, dessert, dessert, snack, snack, table fork for main courses;
• 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 25 - knives: for second fish courses, dessert, dessert, snack, snack, table knife for main courses;
• 24 - ladle;
• 27, 28, 29, 30 — blades: pastry, for pate, for fish, caviar;

After arranging the plates, you should immediately lay out all the necessary cutlery. Knives are placed to the right of the plates, forks to the left. A tablespoon is placed near the knife. For a multi-course holiday dinner, the utensils should be laid out as follows, starting to the right of the plate: table knife, fish knife and appetizer knife. On pie plate you put down the butter knife. If first courses are intended to be served, a soup spoon is placed between the diner and the fish knives. If fish is not included on the holiday table, a tablespoon is placed instead of a fish spoon. To the left of the plates are forks corresponding to knives in the same order in which the knives are laid out: table, fish, diner.

Also, cutlery should not be piled on top of each other; the distance between forks and spoons should be about 1 cm.

Table setting: glasses, wine glasses, glasses

To the right, behind the plates, we place the glasses from largest to smallest. Depending on what drinks will be served on the table, glasses for water, white/red wine, champagne, a glass for juice, a glass for spirits and glasses are sequentially displayed. When displaying glasses, you should hold them by the stem to avoid leaving fingerprints on the glasses themselves.

Table setting: napkins

Which one festive table no napkins? Napkins are not only a wonderful table decoration, but also a very practical thing. Napkins come in linen and paper. Cloth napkins are not intended for wiping your hands or face; there are disposable paper napkins for this purpose. Fabric napkins good housewives usually beautifully decorated for guests to place on their laps.

Table decor

Regardless of whether you are having a holiday dinner or a daily breakfast, a properly set table involves decorating it with floral arrangements, vases of fruit, the same fabric napkins, dishes with bright vegetables, etc.

Proper serving of cutlery and appropriate design can create a special atmosphere at the table, in which even the simplest homemade dish will be perceived as a culinary masterpiece.

For a real housewife, the ability to set a table is no less important than the presence of culinary talents. Proper serving is a sign of attention and respect for those sitting at the table, as well as an indicator of the taste of the hostess herself.

Where to begin?

Before you start serving, you need to carefully plan and think through everything. You should definitely take into account the number of guests and the menu - the type and number of dishes determines what cutlery will be used.

First of all, a carefully ironed tablecloth is laid on the table. They cover it in such a way that the corners cover the legs of the table, and the edges hang down from the table by 25-30 cm. The edge of the tablecloth should not fall below the seat of the chair, so as not to cause inconvenience to those sitting.

To prevent dishes from knocking on the table, you can place a soft cloth (for example, fleece) under the tablecloth.

Even the most expensive and beautiful tablecloth should not be covered with oilcloth on top as a precaution - etiquette does not allow this. But purchasing and laying a Teflon tablecloth on the table is not forbidden.

The Teflon coating of this tablecloth does not allow spilled drinks and grease to be absorbed into the material, so they can be easily removed with a sponge. After removing the liquid, there will be no unsightly marks or wet spots left on it.

In some cases, plates or runners may be used instead of a tablecloth. The first are stands of various configurations placed under plates and cutlery. Dish plates can be plastic, bamboo, rattan, or simply paper. The second are narrow strips of fabric, spread only in the center of the table.

As for cutlery and utensils, Before installation, you need to check them for integrity(there should be no chips, cracks, rust, bent parts) and cleanliness.

To remove dust and water marks, wipe all dishes with a damp, warm towel and polish with a dry cloth.

Important! Proper table setting requires that all sets of cutlery be placed in the same order. In an informal setting, it is allowed to use different utensils for different guests. But at the same time, each individual participant in the meal must have all the cutlery from the same set.

What is it for?

There is a wide variety of serving items. Most of them are not used at home every day, but they may well be needed for organizing a banquet or festive dinner.

Dishes

About 35 of their species are known. However, the most commonly used are:

• Soup. A deep plate in which not only soups are served, but also muesli, milk with cereal or oatmeal. But broths, according to the rules, are not served in such dishes - special bowls are provided for them.
• Table plates. They are shallow and deep. The shallow ones are used for serving main courses, and the deep ones are used to put pasta and other pasta dishes.

• Pirozhkovaya. Bread, croutons or butter are served on it. Place it on top and slightly to the left of the main set. They put it on top small knife for oil.
• Chill. Externally it resembles a mollusk shell. Designed for salad appetizers or oysters.
• Fish. Slightly extended for easier handling of fish dishes.

In addition, there are caviar plates, egg plates, dessert plates, salad bowls and many others. In addition, there is also such a type of plate as a serving plate. It is placed under a plate for appetizers, soups or main courses.

According to the rules of etiquette, it may differ from the rest of the dishes (be from a different set or a different color).

Glasses

The most commonly used glassware for drinks is glasses and wine glasses. They can be different in shape, volume and have various purposes, which should also be taken into account when preparing to welcome guests:

• Classic elongated glasses with a volume of 120-200 ml are intended for champagne sparkling wines. served for refined champagnes. It must be cooled before filling.
• The glass, slightly different from the classic one with an increased volume and a slightly narrowed neck, is served for sophisticated champagne wines. It must be cooled before filling. And fill it no more than 2/3.
• For white wine, use glasses with an elongated bowl on a narrow stem, with a volume of 180-260 ml.
• Red wine is poured into wider and more open glasses.
• Cognac glasses can have a classic shape (snifters) or a tulip shape.

Cutlery

Over the years of evolution of the art of cooking and serving, no less than plates, cutlery has also appeared. All of them are usually divided into main and auxiliary (they are also called serving utensils).

The first ones are intended for individual use. The second is used by all participants in the meal. They are used to separate and cut dishes into portions and place them on individual plates.

The main devices, in turn, are divided into:

• Dining rooms. They are used to eat soups and main courses. The set includes a knife 20–24 cm long, a fork and a spoon, which are 5-6 cm shorter than the knife.
• Snack bars. Designed for appetizers and cold dishes. Consists of a knife and fork.
• Fish. Set of slightly modified fork and knife. The fish knife is dull, in the form of a spatula. The fish fork has shortened tines.
• Dessert. A trident fork 18-19 cm long, a small spoon and a knife with a narrow blade. Served with pies, mousses, puddings and other desserts. The dessert spoon can also be served with fried eggs and creamed berries.
• Fruit. These include a two-pronged fork and a knife. They are used for fruit salads, melons, watermelons and unpeeled fruit desserts.

In addition, special utensils designed for specific dishes can be served (for example, a fork for oysters, sprat or lobster).

What and how to use?

The greatest difficulty is most often caused by laying out and using cutlery. A rule can help here: devices are always used in the direction from edge to center and from right to left. This means that when there is an expected change of dishes, the cutlery that lies farthest from the main plate will be used first. When in doubt, first take the device located on the right.

Arrangement rules

Serving is a whole science with a centuries-old history, which has its own rules and exceptions. However, if you remember the basics, then setting the table correctly will not be difficult at all:

• The dishes are placed on the table in a strictly defined sequence. First - earthenware and porcelain items, then - cutlery. Finally, they place objects made of glass and crystal.
• It is necessary to lay out everything so that the closest thing is what you need first. When planning several courses, dishes and cutlery are arranged in the order in which the food will be served. At the same time, it is not necessary to pile everything on the table at once. It is enough to put the utensils intended for serving dishes for the first and second courses. Dessert sets can be arranged later - after the main ones have been removed.
• The knife should be placed so that its blade is turned towards the dish.
• According to etiquette, the glass (glass) should be located above the knife. If several types of glasses are used, then they are all placed side by side.
• Forks must be placed on the left side of the plate.
• Spoons are always located to the right of knives.
• If you plan to serve Italian dishes, there should be a bread plate on the table.
• If there is soup on the menu, a soup spoon is placed between the knives for appetizers and fish.

In addition, there are several more generally accepted rules governing the arrangement of individual serving items.

Dishes

According to the rules, the layout of dishes should begin with the plates. In this case, they must be placed so that they are 1.5-2 cm from the edge of the table. The distance between them should be approximately the same. It is believed that dishes should be placed at intervals of 50 cm - so that those sitting at the table feel comfortable.

Plates with cutlery should be placed opposite each chair. Their number depends on the variety of the menu and the type of meal. For example, one plate will be enough for a regular snack, but two plates will be served for lunch and dinner.

Plates of smaller diameter are always placed on top of larger ones, which allows you to quickly replace them while saving space on the table.

Spoons and forks

Cutlery is laid out after the plates. They must be placed on the sides of the main plate, with the concave side facing the table.

Forks are placed on the left side, spoons and knives are on the right. A teaspoon can be placed on top.

It is important to place on the table only those devices that are really needed. Most often, for a regular meal, one knife, one fork and two spoons (for a hot dish and dessert) are enough. If necessary, this set can be supplemented with special devices.

Glasses

You can place glasses behind the plates, a little to the right. When deciding on the variety of glasses, goblets and wine glasses, it is necessary to take into account the number of guests and the options for drinks offered to guests.

According to the rules, containers for drinks should be arranged from largest to smallest. At the same time, you should not place too many glasses or stacks - this will only clutter the table and may cause inconvenience to guests.

Does color matter?

Color in serving has the same importance as when decorating the interior or choosing an outfit.

Most often, the table is covered with a white tablecloth, but any other color can be used to create an unusual atmosphere. Here everything will depend on the nature of the event and the preferences of the hosts.

White tablecloth, for example, perfect option for formal dinners. It goes well with porcelain, crystal and looks elegant in any situation. Wherein White color can be easily combined with any other. A table decorated in a black and white palette will look original.

A combination of white and delicate pastel shades will help give a romantic mood to dinner or lunch. A green color will bring warm spring notes to the meal. A table setting made entirely in green will look original.

A combination of white and blue will also be beautiful, but red must be used with caution, since different conditions it can have different effects on others and influence the environment at the table.

Decor

Decor will help complete the serving and give it completeness. The main decorative element is napkins, which can be placed in a glass of water, placed next to the plates or placed on top.

For a quiet family lunch, you can use large napkins; for breakfast, smaller ones.

For large celebrations and holidays, napkins can be folded in the shape of flowers or tied in an original way. The color and pattern of napkins can be absolutely any, the main thing is that it is in harmony with the overall design picture.

Table setting

Background

Table setting. This is a very difficult task. Once upon a time it served as a sign of coming from a difficult family. A symbol of a beautiful life, which gradually spread to ordinary houses. In some places it is still one of the important qualities of a hospitable and decent home. And who would refuse a beautifully decorated banquet? Thus, table setting is quite a necessary thing if you want to impress your guests.

What was it like in the Middle Ages? Especially in the early Middle Ages? In fact, they didn’t know about table setting back then. Yes, they ate in a certain order, drank wine, lit candles and fireplaces. But how far the medieval feast was from the modern holiday is impossible to describe. We ate with our hands. They drank from rough goblets. If there were dishes, as a rule? it was made of clay or wood and rather rough. And then they ate from the recesses in the table. In addition, a major feast usually ended in a major drinking session. We slept side by side. The sewage could have just been poured nearby. Although this would be too much for the Middle Ages. In short, at the beginning of the Middle Ages little was known about customary manners. It was the wrong time and the wrong morals. And life is not so simple, but much more saturated with dangers. And in drunken fights at the table, they tried to avoid killings, otherwise all the feasters could be brought to justice. But, if there were more than seven guests, then it was possible to avoid responsibility, as this would border on the loss of noble persons, who often die in battles and tournaments, in duels and in confrontation with robbers. Not out of nobility, but in the Middle Ages there were enough people who preferred illegal and very bloody fishing.

Medieval decoration was ascetic. Dresses are much simpler. Even the ladies were far from the image of Madame Pompadour, for a completely objective reason - etiquette was just being formed at that time, and old traditions were partly being revived. Charles, nicknamed the Great, turned the feast into a ritual. He decided to revive the ancient traditions of the Romans and Greeks. During meals, he preferred to either listen to music or invite readers to read aloud. At the table there were servants, a manager and a steward. The hall was decorated. Carpets, candles, animal skins, simple furniture such as tables, benches - everything was ready for the holiday on demand. Spoons were not particularly popular, so they ate meat from knives and gold utensils. We drank wine. Dancers, singers, jesters entertained the guests. The owner himself usually did not skimp on gifts.

Since the 11th century, the presence of women as guests at a feast became acceptable, which contributed to a more civilized behavior of the guests. They began to use one dish and cup for two. The rule of not rushing in eating and drinking was added to etiquette. Do not wipe oily hands and cutlery on party clothes. It was possible, however, to absolutely freely use the edge of the tablecloth as a napkin. A salt shaker was added to the festive table. However, it was more often a rather guarded object. It was believed that poison could be added to salt, so the salt shaker was rarely used. In the 16th century, Europeans began to use knives and spoons. Later a fork was added, which was borrowed from the Venetians. The Venetians used a fork for eating, since the fruits were juicy, they should not stain their clothes - so they invented the fork for this purpose. But the conversation about the fork was not over. In France it was considered a normal five-fingered fork, quite short for that time. The clergy advocated for the restoration of the feasts of the past. Tablecloths and napkins firmly entered into everyday life, becoming commonplace for large feasts of the nobility. Gradually moving to small feudal lords. Yes, and to the people. Tureens and dishes made of silver and tin appeared. Porcelain was still expensive. It was supplied from China. Noble people could afford a lot. But porcelain was very expensive even for them. Therefore, the assumption arose that it would be nice to produce porcelain directly in Europe. Duke Ehrenfried Walter succeeded in this with his assistant Joachim Friedrich in 1707. Red clay and kaolin were used. Thus, the long-awaited invention of porcelain reached Europe.
1710 A porcelain manufactory arose in Meissen. But it was not possible to maintain the monopoly for long. The method of making porcelain is no longer a secret.
In 1781, England began to mass produce porcelain products. Coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate - all this gave rise to special utensils for consumption.
In the 19th century. In Germany and Austria, a special Biedermeier style emerges. More precisely, it dates from 1818-1848. The round table is like the center of the salon. It is customary to decorate the table with a vase of flowers. Green decorations from ferns to palms take their place as part of the table setting.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the culture of feasts improved, lunch became shorter, and table speeches became fashionable. A variety of cutlery has been introduced. Myself table etiquette become more diverse. Many cutlery is based on materials such as nickel, bronze, silver and gold - however, nickel silver and cupronickel remain. The napkins are folded in a certain way for greater aesthetics.
1855 Gas lighting appeared in America. Already in 1860, kerosene lamps occupied their niche. A little later they are replaced by incandescent lamps.
The current century combines the rationalization of work and time. After World War II, food and food culture are not Europeanized, but Americanized to a greater extent. Many rituals are abolished and simplified. Instead of a round table there is a buffet table. All kinds of fast foods have firmly occupied their niche. For better or worse, simplifying food has not always been a qualitative success. The quantity was increasing. However, to this day there are connoisseurs and representatives of high society who prefer the old traditions in table setting. It's your choice what to use.

A few tips on setting the table and serving dishes correctly

1. The festive table must be covered with a cloth tablecloth, but if this is an ordinary family meal, then you can use oilcloth and small napkins (including paper ones).

2. Plates should be placed at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table.

3. Place the cutlery on the right side of the plates in such an order that the one that will be used first is the one on the far right. For those placed on the left, the leftmost one should be first.

4. The knife should be placed with the blade towards the plate, and the fork and spoon with the concave side up.

5. Place a glass for drinks in front of the knife edge, and a salad bowl to the left of the plate.

6. Place the folded napkin to the left of the plate or on the plate.

7. Salt shakers should be located close to each appliance, so it is recommended to place them on big table several small salt shakers.

8. The table can be decorated with low bouquets in small vases (the flowers should be alive and not crumbling).

9. When food is served, the dish is brought from the left side, holding it with the left hand, and the used dishes are collected from the right side (you cannot place the plates one on top of the other directly with the cutlery placed on them - then everything on the tray can crumble).

10. Drinks are poured from the right side, holding the bottle or jug ​​with the right hand, into a glass standing on the table.

11. The soup is served in a soup bowl with a spoon, which is used to pour it, and the broth is served in special cups and eaten with a dessert spoon (average in size between a soup spoon and a tea spoon)

12. The hot appetizer is served on the dish in which it was prepared.

13. The meat is served cut into beautiful slices with a simply decorated side dish, salad or vegetables.

14. Fish, if it is not portioned, is served on a platter with a fork and spoon or spatula.

15. The butter is served on a dessert plate and a small knife to go with it, and the sliced ​​cheese is served with a knife and a spatula.

16. Bread is served on the table in slices in a basket with a napkin placed under it.
A set table should evoke appetite, not only at the beginning, but throughout the entire meal. Therefore, you need to make sure that the table is in order at all times, that empty dishes, dirty plates and cutlery are removed on time. You should also remove anything that is not needed for the next dish, such as the salt shaker before dessert.

WITH table setting for tea or coffee

When setting such a table, they use a coffee or tea set. For each guest, plates are placed under the pastry or cake a few centimeters from the edge of the table. On the right side, at a slight angle from the plate, a cup (handle on the right, parallel to the edge of the table) with a saucer is placed. The teaspoon is placed on the saucer behind the cup with the handle facing to the right. The cake fork or spoon should be to the right of the plate. If sandwiches, snack cakes, and savory pies are served during a coffee feast, then a dessert plate is placed for each guest, a fork for snacks is placed to the left of it, a fork for the cake is placed to the right, and a knife for snacks is placed behind it. Very often “evening tea” replaces light dinner. Then you can not just serve tea in cups, but place a samovar or kettle next to the hostess, and she will pour the tea herself. Vases with jam and sweets are placed in the center of the table, next to them are rusks with cookies, plates with thinly sliced ​​lemon, carafes of juice, liqueurs, cream, and milk. You can serve dessert wine, cold meat, ham, etc.

WITH
Setting for an informal dinner with friends

First, set out a dinner plate on which you can put a napkin. On the left are a dinner fork and a salad fork, on the right are a dinner knife, a teaspoon and a soup spoon, in front of them are a wine glass and a water glass.

Serving for a formal dinner, for a large number of guests

ABOUT
Focusing on the center of the table, we place the central, first plate, on the right and left sides of which we will place the remaining items. Stepping back from the edge of the table 2-3 cm, place the dinner plates, then the snack plates on them. The distance between the plates of people sitting next to them should be 70-80 cm. To the left of the plate, place 2 forks - a large dinner fork and a smaller salad fork, with the horns facing up. There is a napkin behind the forks. The napkin can be on the right side, if there is no space on the left, the napkins can be placed in a fan, cap, or triangle on the salad plate. To the right of the plates are located: a dinner knife with the tip inward, the next one is a teaspoon, and the next one is a soup spoon. Next to the right is a cup and saucer (usually they are not placed on the table until dessert is announced). Glasses are placed higher on the right - at the very top for water, then for red wine, the last one for white. We place a cake fork and a dessert spoon in front of the plate, and a plate and a bread knife to the left in front of the forks and napkin. And before the whole set there is a card with the name of the guest.

Napkins

Napkins for table setting

A napkin (French “serviette”) is a handkerchief or soft piece of paper intended for wiping lips and hands during and after meals. The ancient Romans used it at the table. Nowadays, both paper and linen napkins are widely used.

D
To set a festive table, as a rule, linen napkins of the same color as the tablecloth are used. They should be well ironed and slightly starched. In order for napkins to look beautiful on the table, you need to learn how to fold them correctly and beautifully.

The simplest ways to fold napkins: in a triangle (Fig. 1, A), envelope (Fig. 1, b), rocket (Fig. 1, V), cone (Fig. 1, d), pipe (Fig. 1, e), pocket (Fig. 1, e).

Rice. 1. Methods for folding napkins

P
Let's get acquainted with a more complex method of folding napkins for the holiday table. Fold the napkin in half; the resulting half is folded again to form a square, which is then folded diagonally to form a triangle. Then fold its left and right corners and secure it as shown in Figure 2, A.

Rice. 2. Folding napkins for the holiday table

To diversify this method somewhat, bend the half obtained by folding the triangle forward, the left and right corners inward (Fig. 2, b).

A linen napkin can be shaped into a candle. First, it is folded into a square, which is then bent obliquely, then bent from the edge about 5 cm, rolled into a tube and its edges are secured (Fig. 2, c).

To liven up the table, you can put a fresh flower or a sprig of spruce or pine on each napkin.

For the everyday table, instead of fabric napkins, paper napkins are used, which are more economical. They can also be folded into a variety of fancy shapes.

Here, for example, is how to make a “peacock tail”. Two napkins of different sizes should be placed one on top of the other, folded in the form of an accordion, bent in half and placed in a glass (Fig. 2, d).

You can make a “double candle” using two different sizes and colors of paper napkins. The napkins are placed one on top of the other, folded so that the small one is on the outside, and rolled (Fig. 2, d).

There are other more complex ways to fold napkins. Paper napkins can be shaped into different shapes and patterns. To do this, fold it 4-5 times and cut out the edges with scissors, then make punctures in the form of patterns with an awl. The napkin will look much more beautiful.

Students should also be taught how to correctly and beautifully place napkins on the table. A folded napkin is placed near the device, you can put it on a pie plate. Napkins look beautiful when inserted in a cone into tall glasses, glasses, or placed in wicker, knitted, wooden, or metal rings.

Paper napkins are also used for serving baked goods. Pans with various portioned dishes (omelet, scrambled eggs) are also placed on them.

The sight of a beautifully and neatly set table arouses appetite, promotes better secretion of gastric juice and digestibility of food.

LANGUAGE OF CUTLERY

A well-mannered lady will never pick her teeth with a fork or put food into her mouth with a knife. Because he knows: with the help of cutlery, you can either eat culturally... or communicate with the waiter in the language of cutlery that he understands.

1. If you want to take a break from eating, place the knife and fork on the plate crosswise: the tines of the fork are facing down, the knife lies under the fork. This way the waiter will understand that it is too early to clear your plate. The position when the knife and fork lie on the edges of the plate has the same meaning; fork - tines down.

2. In the orderly rows of “piece of iron” canteens, as it turned out, there are individual owners: seafood cutlery, soup spoons, tea spoons and coffee spoons are invariably salted. As you can see in the picture, there are pairs of utensils for the second main hot course, snack bars and fish forks and knives, as well as a fork and spoon for spaghetti. Snail tweezers and a snail fork can also work together, but instead of a special thin one, a regular small snack fork can be used.

H. If you don’t like the dish and you want your plate to be removed, place the device crosswise. In this case, the fork should lie with its teeth up, and the knife should be on it.

4. You really liked the dish and would like to try another portion - then place the knife and fork crosswise: the tines of the fork are facing up, and the knife lies under the fork.

5. You can signal the end of the meal to the staff by placing the fork and knife parallel to each other so that their handles, like the hands of a round clock, point to “half past six.”

What housewife doesn't dream of surprising her guests with her culinary skills at the festive table? But to produce maximum effect, you need to know how to properly set the table at home. The correct arrangement of dishes and cutlery creates a special atmosphere. What do you need to know about serving? How to properly decorate a table for a birthday, New Year, family breakfast, lunch, dinner?

Important etiquette rules

Table setting is not only the correct arrangement of cutlery, but also its design. The choice of decoration elements and set of dishes primarily depends on the format of the meal (birthday, family dinner, business lunch, wedding, etc.).

But some rules remain unchanged.

• The banquet room should be bright, well ventilated and, of course, large enough to accommodate all invited guests.
• Dishes and cutlery must be cleanly washed and polished. Be sure to check that there are no water stains left on them.
• The table can be of any shape, but its size should be selected taking into account the number of guests. It is optimal if there is 80 cm of table length per person.
• The tablecloth should be well ironed, clean and match the size of the table. It is correct if its edges hang down by 30 cm, and the corners cover the legs.
• Near each plate in in the right order knives, spoons, forks, and glasses should be placed.
• In addition to devices for individual use, auxiliary ones should be present on the table. They are necessary for serving food from common dishes.
• The type of devices and location must be the same.
• Mismatched sets, chipped corners, bent utensils, and dull knives are not acceptable.

To properly cover a table with a tablecloth at home, first place the folded item on the surface, and then, lifting it by the edges, sharply lower your hands down. Then she will lie perfectly.

Serving order

Whether it's a birthday party or a meal at home with family, according to the rules of etiquette, you need to set the table in a certain order.

• The table is covered with a tablecloth.
• Plates are placed opposite the chairs.
• Then the cutlery is laid out.
• Now it’s time for glasses, glasses, glasses.
• At the next stage, dishes are placed on the table.
• Napkin holders are brought out.
• Sets of spices and salt are laid out.
• The table is beautifully decorated with flowers, candles or original compositions.

Placement of cutlery

At first glance, it seems that remembering the rules for placing cutlery on the table is very difficult. But in reality they are quite simple and designed for convenience. All cutlery is arranged in order of use, the outer ones are intended for first courses.

So, the basic rules.

• The plates are located in the center seat 2 cm from the edge of the table. If several dishes will be served for a birthday or other holiday, then deep dishes can be placed on shallow ones. Bread (pie) plates are placed on left hand, at a distance of approximately 10 cm.
• As for spoons, knives and forks, they are laid out around the plate with the tip up (the blade of the knife faces the plate). There are forks on the left side and knives on the right. If dessert is expected, then the soup spoon is placed above the plate; otherwise, on the right hand, next to the knife. For a major holiday, such as a birthday, the set of cutlery should include a small appetizer fork, knife, utensils for fish or other specific dishes (depending on the menu). There should be a distance of 1 cm between the plate and the cutlery.
• Drinkware should be on the right hand. If you plan to serve wine and water at the same time, then the drink that is more in harmony with the dish served first is placed closer. The nearest glass, wine glass or glass should be on the line of intersection of the first knife and plate. If there is a handle on the dish, it turns to the right. More than three items per guest is considered unacceptable.

Many people are confused about the rules for placing cutlery on the table, so we suggest you study them visually.

Important details: napkins and sets for spices and seasonings

Napkins are an indispensable part of table setting. There are linen and paper products. The first ones are placed under deep dishes (if there is no snack plate) or on the feet. Paper napkins are placed in a napkin holder at arm's length from guests. Additionally, you can roll them into fancy shapes, such as roses, envelopes, various geometric shapes or boats, animals (for a children's birthday). If the napkins are intended not only for table decoration, then it is important that they unfold easily.

When setting the table, it is important not to forget about the set of spices and seasonings. There must be salt and pepper on it. There is no need to fill the containers to the very brim; it will be enough to pour the seasonings halfway. If there are meat dishes on the menu, then it is advisable to put mustard and horseradish on the table.

Setting the table at home

On weekends, the family usually gathers at home in full, and the housewife prepares her favorite delicious dishes, and during the meal there are intimate conversations. This is the best time to add special charm and comfort to breakfast, lunch and dinner with the right table setting. Even at home you can create a festive atmosphere. And if there are children in the family, then this will serve as an excellent lesson on how to behave in society, why different cutlery is needed and how to use them.

• Breakfast.

An aesthetic meal in the morning sets the mood for the rest of the day. To serve dishes beautifully, you need to take into account some nuances. The first step is to arrange the snack plates, and then the cups, saucers and spoon. The latter are placed in the middle of the table so that everyone can easily reach them. If eggs are planned for breakfast, they are served in a special stand on a high leg. It should stand on a small saucer, and an egg spoon should be placed on it. The porridge is poured into a deep bowl, which is placed on top of a snack plate. The baked goods are served on a wide platter; butter, honey, jam or jam should also be present. For butter, each participant in the meal is given a small knife. A napkin holder with napkins must be present on the table. It will be beautiful if they are made in the same style as the insulation for the kettle. Don't forget about salt and sugar.

• Dinner.

During the day, it is usually customary to serve first and second courses, as well as dessert. Therefore, to properly set the table at home, you will need several more utensils for lunch than for breakfast. For shared dishes you will need auxiliary spoons, spatulas and forks. Broth cups or deep plates are placed at snack bars, and dessert cups are brought at the end, when the first and second courses have already been eaten and the used dishes have been tidied up. Don't forget about knives for meat and fish. But for omelettes, meatballs, zrazas and cutlets, it will be enough to serve forks.

• Dinner.

Evening serving for dinner is practically no different from morning. Usually pancakes, pancakes or pie are beautifully served on a common platter. Dessert plates are placed immediately, and dessert forks or spoons are placed on them on the right side. If you want to give dinner a romantic atmosphere, then place candles in candlesticks on the table and next to it.

Festive table setting

For a festive lunch or dinner, you need to take care of decorative elements. It is not only important here traditional rules table setting, but also the combination of colors and the sense of style of the housewife.

So, what should you consider when preparing for the holiday?

• Tablecloth and napkins. The color scheme can be any, but it is important that the tablecloth is in harmony with the napkins. You can use universal white, delicate shades of lilac, blue, green. Rich pink, red and burgundy colors will come in handy for a romantic dinner. It is advisable to give the napkins unusual shape or simply roll them into tubes and tie them beautifully with a contrasting satin ribbon.
• Crockery, cutlery. The banquet table will be decorated with dishes in the form of non-standard geometric shapes, devices with curved, designer handles. A snow-white porcelain set will look most advantageous. However, if the tablecloth and napkins are also white, you can choose a dinnerware set with a border.
• Candles. This decorative element is more appropriate for a wedding or a romantic dinner, but for a birthday it is better to limit yourself to candles on the cake. It should be remembered that the main role is played by the candlestick. It can be tall and thin, or the candles can float in flat bowls filled with water and flower petals.
• Flowers. When decorating a table with flowers, it is important to choose the right vases. It is better to leave the tall ones for bouquets given to the birthday person. For serving, low vases that will not block the view for guests are more suitable. You should also take care of the moderate aroma of flowers; it should not mix with the smell of dishes or interrupt it.
• Original compositions. Various fruit towers will look beautiful on the holiday table. Depending on the time of year, you can create decorations from spruce branches, cones, rowan berries, sea stones, sand, etc. Such compositions can then be placed at home. Handmade decorative items are at the peak of fashion.
• Setting the children's table. For a birthday party for young guests, it is better to choose plastic dishes and limit yourself to safe utensils without sharp ends. A multi-colored tablecloth with cartoon and fairy tale characters is more suitable. You can add small gifts to the napkins folded into a fancy shape. If it’s a little princess’s birthday, then the table can be decorated with flowers. However, there should not be too many of them; it is better to limit them altogether balloons and paper garlands. Don’t forget to prepare signs with the names of little guests at each seating area; this will help avoid confusion at the party.

A properly and beautifully served festive table will make an unforgettable impression on your guests. And it’s not even a matter of etiquette - it’s always nice when order reigns at home, and a special atmosphere of comfort is in the air. Therefore, it is very important that a woman knows how to set the table correctly, knows all the rules of decoration and strictly follows them.

Page content:




• Before serving
• Serving is the final stage of preparing the table for receiving guests.
• Use of utensils when serving and serving various dishes
• Serving a formal dinner
• Serving banquet table
• Types of table linen
• Casual serving
• Serving food at banquets - drinks, appetizers, soups, hot dishes, desserts
• Examples of banquet table setting
• Types of receptions - barbecue, lunch (lunch), brunch, cocktail
• Table setting and decoration in traditional national styles
• Arrangement of tables at a banquet - "herringbone" 1-3, "presidium" 1-7, "euro" 1-2
• Rules of behavior in the restaurant

Before serving

Before setting the table, you should inspect the dishes and cutlery, paying attention to the quality of washing, defects, etc. If the inspection reveals, for example, a crack in the plate, a chip in the glass, a broken tine of a fork, or insufficiently washed cutlery, unsharpened knives, they should be replaced immediately or undergo additional processing.

Before setting tables, it is necessary to warm up with a handbrake and polish dishes and cutlery, glass or crystal.

You should know the cleaning techniques:
So, when wiping glasses, take the stem of the glass with your left hand, wrap it with part of the towel, and use the rest of the towel to wipe the glass inside and out with your right hand.
When using this technique, great care must be taken not to break the glass.
A sparkling wine glass requires special attention as it is difficult to penetrate its pointed bottom. Therefore, first carefully insert one end of the towel into the glass, and then the rest of it. Do not blow on glassware or use used napkins for cleaning.
When wiping plates, grasp them with your left hand with the end of the towel, hold the rest of the towel with your right hand and wipe the plate, turning it.
Wiping forks, spoons and knives is carried out alternately. Take several forks with one end of the towel in your left hand, and with the rest of the towel in right hand Wipe each device separately.

Preparing spices and seasonings
Serious attention should be paid to the preparation of tableware items, which include a salt shaker, pepper shaker, mustard pot, bottles for vinegar, sunflower or olive oil, and an ashtray.

Salt shaker should be made of crystal or ordinary glass, but with edges made of stainless metal. It needs to be cleaned daily. Don't put too much salt in the salt shaker.
Since fine table salt is easily moistened, it is mixed with table salt, the so-called dry salt. For this purpose, you can also put a few grains of rice in the salt shaker.
In cases where open salt shakers are used, they must be filled every day, but before that they must be washed and dried as thoroughly as possible. The surface of the salt is leveled, and the edges of the salt shaker are wiped with a towel.

Pepper shakerfill only half with dry pepper. The holes in its lid should be as small as possible. Open containers for black pepper are not used because it quickly evaporates.

Requires special caremustard. To prevent it from getting dirty on the outside, do not overfill it. To prevent the mustard from drying out, add a few drops of milk.

Better positionspare cutlery set,to replace all those that have become unusable.

Often get dirty and require replacementashtrays.They should be cleaned with a special cloth after each use. You should not clean the ashtray in the presence of guests - it must be replaced with a clean one in a timely manner.

Seasoning Bottles(sunflower oil, vinegar, etc.) can be had in limited quantities and served as needed. Bottles are not filled to the top.
To distinguish vinegar from other liquids, add a few drops of red wine.
Cloudiness of sunflower oil can be eliminated by adding a little salt to it on the tip of a knife.

When setting tables, they always placesalt And pepper.

Horseradishserved with fish dishes - boiled, jellied, meat aspic, cold boiled meat and other dishes.

Mustard, if there are no meat dishes on the table, they are not placed on the table and are served upon request on a plate or small tray (when serving a meat dish, mustard mustard is required). It is better not to buy ready-made mustard, but to prepare it yourself. There are several ways to prepare it according to a specific recipe and technology (for cooking recipes, see the end of this page).

Serving is the final stage
table preparation

It is important to provide for everyone present at the tableat least 80 cm table length.

Before serving, tables are covered with tablecloths. To do this, certain techniques are used. First, a folded tablecloth is placed on each table. Having unfolded it on the table and taking the edges of one of the sides with both hands, they lift the tablecloth and then sharply lower their hands down, as if shaking it. The air cushion formed between the table and the unfolded tablecloth makes it possible to move it in any direction and carefully place it in the desired position so that its central fold coincides with the center of the table. The perpendicular fold should also run down the middle of the table.

When setting a table with a tablecloth, do not wrinkle it, pull it by the corners or pinch it with your fingers. The corners of the tablecloth should fall against the table legs, covering them. The descent of the tablecloth on all sides of the table must be the same - no less than 25 cm and not lower than the seat of the chair; A smaller descent of the tablecloth gives the table an unsightly appearance, and a larger one is inconvenient for those sitting.

If a rectangular table needs to be covered with two tablecloths, then the first of them is laid on the side opposite from the main entrance to the hall or the main passage in it. On the second, upper tablecloth, the edge is turned inward so that a straight, even line is formed. Utility tables and sideboards are also carefully covered with tablecloths or napkins.

If you need to change the tablecloth during a meal, this should be done as quickly and almost unnoticeably as possible. Having brought a clean tablecloth, you need to move the dishes to the utility table. Then, taking the edges of a clean tablecloth and at the same time lifting the edges of the soiled one, quickly replace it. In this case, the table cover should not be exposed.

When setting the table, a certain order is followed:
- first put earthenware or porcelain dishes,
- then place the devices
- and after that they put crystal or glass.
Glasses, wine glasses, shot glasses, when placed on the table, are held by the stem.

Table settings vary depending on the nature of the meal:
- breakfast,
- dinner
- or evening guest service.
Example full serving for evening service:

Setting the table correctly is not as difficult as it seems.

In the center of each device there is a serving plate or a regular plate replacing it. The serving plate can be made of a different material than the entire service - for example, gilded and silver-plated, glass or dark porcelain, but it must be combined with it.

Place a plate of appetizer or soup on a serving plate. For puree soup, serve a soup plate, and for clear soups and broths, a cup.

For an appetizer or soup, place a small plate at the top left for bread, croutons and butter, and next to it a cup for rinsing your fingers. It will be needed if oysters, crayfish, lobster, asparagus or fruit are served. This cup is filled with warm water, adding a slice of lemon or a mint leaf.

Next to the serving plate and a little higher, lay out all the forks, knives, and spoons that may be needed during meals.
Forks are placed on the left and knives on the right of the plate.
The last item on the plate is the one you need first.
The soup spoon, if there is no dessert on the menu, lies on top of the serving plate; if dessert is planned on the menu, it lies next to the first knife.

The glasses are located to the right and above the serving plate. The order here is the same as with cutlery: the glass farthest from the plate is used first.

After each dish, used dishes, glasses and cutlery are removed from the table.
Only the water glass is not removed during the entire feast.

Serving for different types of meals:

For breakfast nand the table is set with a vase with paper napkins (or linen ones), a pie plate, and a knife and fork and a teaspoon are served. The pie plate is placed to the left of the place where the dinner or snack plate should be. The fork is placed on the left, horns up, the knife is placed on the right, with the blade to the left of the place intended for a dinner or snack plate. A teaspoon is placed behind it. Snack plates are not placed on the table, because breakfast dishes are served already placed on appropriate plates (they need to be served if the appetizer or breakfast dish is served in a salad bowl or ram, etc., since it is not customary to eat from such dishes).

For quick service during the day at lunch a placeholder plate is placed on the table and a snack bar on it, to the left of it is a pie plate, between them is a dinner fork, and to the right of the plate is a table knife and a spoon (table or dessert); The wine glass is placed in front, behind the table knife. There should also be a vase with paper napkins or linen napkins on the table, which are placed on snack plates and spices. The distance from the edge of the table to the handles of the cutlery and the snack plate is 2 cm, and to the pie plate - 5 cm.
Snack or dinner plates are placed only when dishes are served in dishes from which it is not customary to eat.
During such a meal, it is allowed to use oilcloth on the table instead of a tablecloth or cover the tablecloth with film.

When setting the table for a leisurely lunch or dinner Place a snack plate exactly opposite the chair at a distance of 2 cm from the edge of the table, and to the left, 5-10 cm, a pie plate.
Between them, place a snack fork and a dinner fork, tines up, and to the right of the snack plate - two knives: a table knife and a dinner fork with the blade facing the plate. A wine glass is placed behind the appetizer plate to the right; Place a folded napkin on the plate.
Placed in the middle of the tablesalt And pepper.
There is also a place in the center of the tablevase with Flowers. If the table is set for four people, place it on the corner or on the side facing the aisle.ashtray.

When serving dishes, the serving is supplemented depending on the nature of the dishes.

Glasses

When purchasing glasses, consider: each drink has its own vessel.
So,red wine will give greater pleasure if served in a slightly convex glass, since the larger area of ​​contact between the drink and the air contributes to a more subtle and full development of the wine’s bouquet.
For white wine use glasses with a small bowl - thanks to frequent topping, the wine in such a glass will always be cool and fresh.
For champagne Tall glasses are preferable: in them the drink foams well, “plays” longer and does not run out of steam so quickly. In champagne bowls, on the contrary, its carbonation quickly evaporates.
To the glassesfor cognac or fortified wine The same applies to glasses for red wine: the large convexity of the vessel helps to reveal the bouquet and aroma of the drink.
The range of glasses can be extensive. But it’s better to get two sets: for everyday and for special occasions; or buy one (main) set, which will be replenished later.
When purchasing, you should pay attention to the fact that the glasses match the style of the dishes and other attributes of the table setting, and that they can be used for as long as possible.
You can diversify your stock with a variety of specialty glasses, such as rum glasses, goblets, rose wine glasses, beer mugs and glasses, etc.
All glasses can be washed in a washing machine, with the exception of crystal and gold-painted glasses.: They should be hand washed briefly in lukewarm water with a very small amount of detergent added. Then they must be immediately wiped and polished with a soft, lint-free towel.
NOTE. Crystal glass contains about 50% lead oxide, which easily dissolves (leaches) in hot water, and the surface of the cookware becomes dull.
Because lead oxide is poisonous, crystal dishes can only be used at infrequent holiday feasts and in no case should you leave food and drinks in them for a long time.

An indispensable detail when setting the table is linen napkins.
Depending on the nature of the meal, they are folded different ways, keeping in mind that the napkin can be easily unfolded to wipe your lips or place it on your lap.
Hygiene rules are also taken into account: the less your fingers touch the napkin, the better.

If a snack plate is not placed on the table when serving, then in its place place a starched linen napkin (no paper ones are placed) folded in four.

For lunch, as well as a festive dinner, a banquet, napkins are often folded in the shape of conical caps: first, fold the napkin in half, and then tuck its lower end, giving it the shape of a cap.

Sometimes for a festive table, a napkin is folded in the form of an envelope: first it is folded in half, then the corners are turned in, turned over - and you get an envelope. They also use the “space” method. From the line of the napkin folded in half, its corners on the right and left are folded, forming an isosceles triangle. Then the napkin is folded in half, matching the corners of the base of the triangle. There are other methods of folding napkins: “boat” - for banquets, “fan”, “tulip” - when setting a wedding table.

Using tableware for serving

For serving bread, toast, baked goods:

- with individual service - pie plates(diameter 175 mm);
- in group - bread bins, small dinner plates(diameter 240 mm).
In the absence of special bread vases, bread can be placed on a snack plate for home meals or during buffets and receptions.

To serve cold appetizers:

snack plates (diameter 200 mm)- they are also used as stands for salad bowls, etc.;
square salad bowls (sizes 240, 360, 480 and 720 ml)- for salads, pickles, marinades, mushrooms, etc. - from 1 to 6 servings;
trays, herring boxes 250 and 300 mm long, narrow - 100, 150 mm- for serving fish gastronomy, salmon, stellate sturgeon or sturgeon, natural or with a side dish, herring, sprat, sardines, saury, etc.;
oval dishes (length 350 - 400 mm)- for appetizers from fish and meat gastronomy, banquet dishes (jellied sturgeon, pike perch, etc.);
round dishes (diameter 300 and 350 mm)- for meat and vegetable appetizers, canapés and banquet dishes; turkeys, lamb saddles, etc.;
vases (diameter 240 mm) on a low leg- for a signature salad (for at least 2-3 servings), as well as for fresh tomatoes, cucumbers or radish salads, romaine lettuce, etc.;
Gravy boats (capacity 100, 200 and 400 ml)- for cold sauces or sour cream from 1 to 6 servings.
When serving, appetizer plates are first placed on the dining table; other types of utensils are used to bring appetizers to the table.

To serve first courses:

bouillon cups (300 ml capacity) with saucers- for broths, puree soups, as well as for soups with finely chopped meat or chicken and other products;
deep dinner plates (capacity 500 ml, diameter 240 mm)- for serving soups in full portions; small table plates are necessarily used as substitutes for them;
deep plates for serving soups in half portions (300 ml capacity)- for soups; snack plates are used as substitutes;
soup bowls with lids for 4, 6, 8, 10 servings- used during maintenance family dinners(V Lately A clay pot for special dishes, which is served along with a deep dish, has also become widespread. wooden spoon and placed on a substitution plate).

To serve second courses:

small dinner plates (diameter 240 mm)- for fish, meat, poultry, game, etc.;
round dishes (diameter 500 mm)- for poultry dishes, game, vegetable dishes, cauliflower, chicken cutlets, etc.; In these dishes, the food is brought and laid out on plates, which are used to set the table before serving the main courses.

To serve dessert (sweet dishes):

- for pudding, Guryev porridge, soufflé, etc.;
deep dessert plates (diameter 200 mm)- for strawberries and cream and other sweet dishes.

To serve hot drinks:

tea cups (capacity 200, 250 ml) with saucers- for tea, coffee with milk, cocoa;
tea saucers (diameter 185 mm)under glasses;
teapots for tea leaves (capacity 250, 400 and 600 ml)- for serving;
kettles for top-up boiling water (capacity 1200 -1600 ml)- for serving;
bowls (capacity 250 and 350 ml)- for green tea;
coffee pots (800 ml capacity) and black coffee pots for 1, 4 and 6 servings(100 ml containers per serving);
cups (100 ml capacity) with saucers- for black coffee, oriental coffee or chocolate (liquid) and express coffee;
milk jugs (200 ml capacity)- for milk for coffee or tea;
creamers (25, 50 and 100 ml capacity)for 1, 2 and 4 servings;
vases - for jam, sugar;
sockets (diameter 90 mm)- for jam, honey, marmalade, lemon and sugar.

To serve facts and confections:

small dessert plates (diameter 200 mm)- for apples, pears, grapes, watermelon, etc. (they differ from snack bars in their design depicting fruits; if they are not available, snack plates are served);
vases with flat surface on a low leg (diameter 300 mm)- for pastries and round cakes;
pie plates - for serving confectionery products.

Depending on the need, an appropriate number of pie, deep, small table, dessert, and snack plates is provided.

Serving an informal lunch

Usually the first course is placed on the table before the guests take their seats. Otherwise, the dinner napkin is on the shallow plate and not to the left of the forks as shown in the picture. The fish fork can be placed in three ways, one of which is shown in the picture. Ashtrays are also required.

The casual dining menu is not very strict. It may include only two dishes, but usually their number is limited to five.
Soup may not be served, especially if lunch begins with an appetizer.
At an informal dinner, soup is never served in traditional deep soup bowls (lamps, pots, etc. are used).

Salad is usually served along with an intermediate dish - it’s easier.
A special knife is used depending on the type of salad and whether cheese is served with it.

The salad can be served separately as a fourth course; it can also replace dessert, especially if served with it various varieties cheese.

At an informal dinner, dessert utensils can be placed on the table ahead of time by placing them in front of a shallow plate. Otherwise, they are brought on a dessert plate, or the hostess herself puts them on a dessert plate and gives them to the guests along with dessert.
When dessert is served in advance and the dessert utensils are on a filled plate, they are not rearranged. If the cutlery is on an empty dessert plate, on which there can be a bowl for rinsing fingers, the guest should place the dessert fork to the left and the dessert spoon to the right of the plate.

Left: How to serve dessert utensils to a guest: on a dessert plate there is a dessert fork and a dessert spoon, between them on a napkin and/or a small plate there is a bowl for rinsing fingers (a mandatory accessory for formal dinners and lunches).

Right: the guest lays out the dessert utensils as follows: a napkin and a bowl for rinsing the fingers are placed in front of the plate on the left, a fork is placed on the left, and a spoon is placed on the right of the dessert plate and wait for dessert to be served. At an informal dinner, you can serve black coffee in small cups along with dessert.

It is better if cutlery and other serving items are arranged radially on a round table.
The table should not be overloaded.
If the main table is not too large, then everything you need can be placed on additional tables.

In any case, it is more convenient to dine while sitting. The dinner table is set as usual, only small and serving plates are not placed.
All the necessary cutlery, ashtrays, salt shakers, pepper shakers, napkins, glasses for water and wine are placed on the table, a candelabra and flowers are placed, and in some cases, personalized cards are placed.
Guests fill their plates at the buffet counter and then take their assigned seats at the table.

Example of serving one place at the table

The dinner napkin is placed on a shallow plate before the guest takes his seat.
The usual number of glasses for a formal dinner is shown: for water, sherry (for the first course), red wine for meat, dessert wine.
Sometimes white wine is served with fish instead of sherry, or both. Sometimes only champagne is served throughout the meal.
Please note: the oyster fork is placed among the other forks, but there cannot be more than three forks on the table at the same time. IN in this case Salad utensils will be served along with the food.
A real formal dining table does not have ashtrays. The butter plate is excluded.

Banquet table setting

1. Pie plate (used for serving bread, pies, croutons and other flour products)
2. Fish fork (used if fish dishes are expected to be served at the banquet)
3. Table fork (used when serving to serve main courses)
4. Place plate (remains on the table until the end of the banquet, all other plates are placed on it)
5. Plate 27cm (used for serving main courses)
6. Deep plate (used if the menu contains first courses)
7. A table knife (in the same way as a table fork is used when serving main courses)
8. Table spoon (needed when serving first courses)
9. Fish knife (used if serving fish dishes)
10. Snifter (cognac glass)
11. Red wine glass
12. White wine glass
13. Flute glass (champagne glass)

1. Serving items. Bar glass.

When setting the table, glass and crystal utensils are used to serve alcoholic beverages and other various drinks.
The technology for making glass is much simpler than crystal; glassware cheaper and therefore recommended for everyday use home practice, as well as at large-scale events, because this will significantly reduce all costs and risks.
Crystal tableware is usually used for special occasions - receptions, high-level banquets.
The capacity of glasses used for serving depends on the strength of the drink: the stronger the drink, the smaller the capacity of the glass should be.
A highball glass should be used to serve water, soft drinks and some types of cocktails.
There are 2 types of glasses for serving wine, the choice of which is determined by the color of the wine.
For red wine, you should use large glasses, this helps saturate the wine with oxygen and open up the bouquet. An example of such a glass is a 260 ml red wine glass.
White wine is poured into 2/3 glasses, smaller than for red, and chilled. An example of such a glass is a 210 ml white wine glass.
Champagne should be served in a flute champagne flute. It is narrowed towards the top, which allows the drink to remain carbonated.
There are also glasses for beer. They are expanded towards the center and on the stem. These glasses can also be used to serve various cocktails.
Vodka should be served in small 50 ml vodka glasses or in a shot glass.
Whiskey is served in a rocks glass, or as it is also called an old fashion glass. One thing to keep in mind is that the ice must be served separately using special ice tongs.
In order for your guests to truly enjoy skates and brandy, they must be served in a special glass for brandy and cognac - a snifter.
Don't forget about a glass bowl for serving desserts, a jug and a fruit bowl.

Red wine glass 260 ml.
White wine glass 210 ml.
Flute champagne glass 190 ml.
Beer glass 300 ml.
Vodka glass 50 ml.
Glass of Rocks Old Fashioned 250 ml.
Highball glass 300 ml.
Snifter glass 390 ml.
Jug 1 l.

2. Serving items. Table porcelain.

All personal plates used today for table setting are divided into deep and shallow. Deep plates Ø 22.5 cm are used for serving hot and cold seasoning soups (cabbage soup, borscht, okroshka, etc.).
Small plates for table setting are distinguished by great variety.
There are small table plates for main courses O 25 cm, appetizer or dessert plates O 21 cm (for cold and hot appetizers), pie plates O 16 cm (for serving bread, rolls, toast).
Snack plates can also be used as dessert plates (for desserts: fresh and canned fruit, puddings).
What plates will be served for table service depends on the menu. For breakfast, when the number of dishes is small, usually only one snack plate is placed.
For lunch and dinner, serving is more complicated: two or three small plates, placed one on top of the other in order of decreasing diameter, starting with a substitution plate O 30.5 cm plus a deep plate for first courses, which is served after the appetizers are eaten.
There is also a special group of dishes for serving the table with common dishes, such as cold appetizers, salads, cold cuts, etc.
For serving cheese, meat and fish. To serve soup correctly sometimes you have to rack your brains, because... There are quite a lot of guests, and the soup must be served hot.
A porcelain tureen with a capacity of 3 liters will help to cope with this situation; this is about 8-10 servings.
Place the tureen with soup on the table, and serve from it into personal plates - the soup will remain hot, and the guests will be satisfied with the level of service.
When serving hot drinks - tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., utensils should be used in accordance with their intended purpose.
To serve tea, you should use a teapot, tea pairs - a tea cup and saucer. To serve coffee, a creamer, a coffee steamer.

Deep plate O 22.5 cm.
Stand plate Ø 30.5 cm.
Pie plate O 16 cm.
Oval dish.
Tureen 3 l.
Tea pair 0.22 l.
Milk jug 0.3 l.
Egg stand.

3. Serving items. Cutlery.

Basic cutlery is divided into tableware, dessert, tea and coffee cutlery.
Distinctive feature items in each group is their size.







Table knife.
Table fork.
Dinner spoon.
Fish knife.
Meat knife.
Lemon fork.

Dessert cutlery
Among tableware, dessert and tea/coffee cutlery, cutlery is the largest. All devices are considered personal items.
A table fork designed for table setting in almost every occasion.
A table knife can also be considered a must.
To use seasoning soups from deep plates, use a tablespoon.
Etiquette rules require the use of a separate knife for meat, with a pointed end and sharp teeth, and a separate, curved triangular table knife for fish.
A similar rule applies to forks: there are many various types special utensils - a lemon fork, a three-pronged fish fork, snail forks, etc.
Time takes its toll, and the scope of application of these devices goes far beyond the rules of etiquette, which prescribe the use of cutlery for eating hot meat dishes with side dishes, which are eaten from small table dishes for hot dishes. They are often used for serving common dishes, as serving utensils, and even for serving original appetizers at buffets and other types of receptions.

Dessert fork.
Dessert knife.
Dessert spoon.

Serving utensils
Very important for serving common dishes and setting tables. For example, a ladle is used to serve soups from a common dish onto personal plates. The ladle is also useful for serving punches and other drinks.
When there are a large number of different snacks on the table, guests have the problem of serving dishes from a common dish to a personal plate.
To serve cold appetizers, a serving fork, a serving knife and a serving spoon will help.
For fresh vegetable salads, use a salad serving spoon.
For personal serving, or serving on a personal plate from a common dish of fish dishes, you should use a fish serving fork and a fish serving knife.
Very often, various sauces are served with dishes. In this case, a sauce spoon will help.
When serving desserts, you may need a cake spatula and cake tongs, which can also be used at buffets and coffee breaks to serve baked goods.
To serve bread, special bread tongs are provided, which can be used for other needs if necessary.
There are special ice tongs that should be used when serving spirits.

Serving spoon for salad.
Serving fork.
Spoon for sauce.
Cake tongs.
Cake spatula.

Tea and coffee utensils
Tea and coffee utensils (these are the smallest in size) are used to set tables when serving hot drinks.
Before you start drinking from a cup, a teaspoon should be placed on a saucer; the same rule applies to a coffee spoon.
To put sugar from a porcelain sugar bowl into a cup, you need to use sugar tongs.

Teaspoon.
Coffee spoon.

Table linen
Table linen includes rectangular tablecloths, buffet skirts, textile napkins, table covers, chair covers, and tablecloths for round tables.
A tablecloth is one of the main elements of table setting, but not only its decoration, as many believe. Each table setting item has its own meaning and function. The tablecloth combines three. Firstly, it is aesthetic - a tablecloth gives the table a presentable appearance and fashionability. Secondly, the tablecloth reduces the sound of plates and cutlery hitting the tabletop. Thirdly, it improves the grip of the plates and the table.
The sizes of tablecloths depend on what table they will be used for and for what purpose. For example, if you need a tablecloth for a rectangular buffet table measuring 1.8x0.8x0.75 m, where 0.75 is the height of the table, you need a tablecloth that will cover the tabletop, and it is not necessary that it completely cover the legs, i.e. To. they will be covered with a buffet skirt.
Let's do the math: the length should be > 1.8 m, width > 0.8 m. It is advisable that the tablecloth hangs a little (about 30 cm), so we will use a rectangular tablecloth 2.4 x 1.8 m.
If you decide to place your guests at a rectangular table of the same size, then you should choose a tablecloth that completely covers the table. Let's add up the lengths of all sides and heights.
We get 0.75 + 0.8 + 0.75 - width, 0.75 + 1.8 + 0.75 - length.
Thus, we get a rectangular tablecloth 3.2x2.3 m.
If the tablecloth is strictly rectangular, then the corners will puff up, but manufacturers should take care of this first. The professional cut allows the tablecloth to lie perfectly on the table, covering it to the floor on all sides.
Tablecloths for round tables should also have round shape to optimally fit the table and look like the main detail of the table decoration.
The tablecloth must be made of professional restaurant fabric that will hold its shape and also retain its original color and other original characteristics.
One of the biggest difficulties for manufacturers of round tablecloths, especially large diameters, such as a round tablecloth O 3.3 m for a round table O 1.8 m. The difficulty is to make such a large tablecloth without a seam in the middle, which is exactly what a tablecloth should be if it claims to be a quality product. A tablecloth of this size will completely cover the table to the floor.
Recently, there has been a trend of using buffet skirts to decorate round tables. This is not entirely correct. By using a large tablecloth, you will avoid extra expenses associated with the use of a buffet skirt and win in aesthetic perception the final result.
When choosing the color of a tablecloth, you need to rely on the occasion for which the table is being set, the location and format of the event. Conservative white color is at the same time the most universal. Suitable for almost any occasion. Recently, warmer tones have been increasingly used - beige, cream, Ivory etc. But olive and pistachio colors will also look advantageous. Suitable for certain cases bright colors.
One of the main criteria when choosing a color should be the combination of dishes and textiles; if there is no harmony, guests may think about the taste of the host.
Often, when setting the table, a table top is used. This is very convenient, because... it will prevent the tablecloth from getting dirty and increase its service life. Also, the use of a naperon allows you to combine colors to create a special atmosphere.
A buffet skirt is used to create buffet areas. Often one table is not enough to serve all menu items. In these cases, the tables are composed and in order to visually present them as a single whole, a buffet skirt is attached along the edges of the table. This way you can combine any number of tables.
At the beginning of the 21st century, a new participant appears in table setting - a chair cover (we are talking about table setting at a banquet).
The covers must fit perfectly on the chair. The chair legs should be covered and the fabric should not be visible. Depending on the cut, the cover fits. It can completely follow the contours of the chair, or it can have a free shape with elegant folds.
Table napkins have appeared in most European countries in the Middle Ages. Before that, instead of them, they used either their own sleeves or the ends of the tablecloth, hanging down to the floor. Woven napkins, as a rule, come complete with the tablecloth, harmonizing with it in color and material. Napkins in the same color as the tablecloth will look better if their fabric is thinner than the tablecloth's fabric. If the napkins are slightly different from the tablecloth, the material may be the same.
The size of table napkins can be different: napkins 32x32 cm and smaller sizes are used for breakfast, and napkins from 40x40 to 60x60 cm are more suitable for lunch and dinner.
Napkins should be starched immediately before use: do not store them in this form in the closet to avoid the formation of creases.
Table etiquette at the beginning of the century required placing a napkin in the collar of one's clothes, while modern rules of table etiquette require placing it on one's lap (a napkin is placed in the collar only for small children).
During breakfast, the napkin is placed on the lap in a straightened form.
During lunch - folded in half, folded towards you.
To wipe your fingers, you need to fold the napkin in half and take it with the fingertips of both hands.
To avoid tearing the paper napkin, you need to make movements only with your fingers.
Wrinkle up the used paper napkin and place it under the plate.
When you finish eating, place all dirty napkins on a plate along with the used utensils.

The tablecloth is rectangular.
Cream table napkin.
Buffet skirt.
The tablecloth is round.
Chair cover.
The tape for the cover is blue.
Round tablecloth to the floor.
Universal black case.
The tablecloth is golden.
Golden buffet skirt.
Universal red case.
Blue buffet skirt.
Rectangular tablecloth to the floor.

Casual serving

One of the options for everyday serving.
The table is covered with a tablecloth.
The plates are placed at the same distance, the cutlery is placed in the same way as on the festive table. A bread box with thinly sliced ​​bread is placed in the middle of the table, next to it is a bowl of seasonings.
Cloth napkins are placed to the right of the plate, next to the spoon and knife. Napkins can also be placed in rings.
There are certain rules for setting the table.
First of all, the dishes on the table must be located in a straight line.
All devices are located at hand; those items that will be needed earlier are located further from the plate, where it is more convenient to take them.
Knives are placed to the right of the main plate with the blade facing it, forks are placed to the left, with the tip up, so as not to spoil the tablecloth.
The fish knife should be to the right of the roast knife.
If appetizers are served before the fish or roast, then they also need a fork and knife, slightly smaller than for the roast.
In accordance with the order in which the dishes are served, they are the most extreme, i.e. are farthest from the plate.
There are never more than three pairs of knives and forks on the table.
Knives and forks are placed at a distance of 1 cm from each other.
Spoons are placed on the table with the convex side down.
The soup and dessert spoons behind the plate should lie parallel to the edge of the table, with their handles pointing to the right.
The soup spoon can be placed to the right of the plate next to the knife (to the right of the latter).
All dishes that are not served in portions are served with a spoon, fork, scoop, tweezers, etc.
Butter is served with a special knife in the same way as salt and mustard - with appropriate spoons.
Dishes with side dishes and roasts are served with a spoon and fork. If the household does not have the appropriate appliances, ordinary ones are used instead.
The place of the glass is on the right, behind the device.
The beer glass is placed on a metal, glass or plastic stand, which is designed to protect the tablecloth from beer foam.
For fruit drink, juice or lemonade, either special narrow, so-called lemonade glasses, or tulip-shaped glasses are served.
The glasses are also placed on the right in a row or in a semicircle. It is only important that they are arranged in accordance with the order in which the drinks are consumed, i.e. the glass that will be needed first should be on the far right, etc.

Wine glasses are chosen according to the type of wine.
For sweet and dessert wines - tulip-shaped on a stem, for red ones - also tulip-shaped, but larger in size and with a wider top part.
A white wine glass should be even larger and have a higher stem. The tallest glass is for champagne. In general, the stronger the drink, the smaller the glass. Therefore, vodka and liqueurs are offered in small glasses. Cognac is usually poured into large glasses that taper towards the top. Pour cognac to the very bottom. Vodka glasses can be either thick-walled without a stem or thin-walled with stems. If they are without legs, then there should be small napkins under them.

Festive table setting

General principles of serving a festive table.
When setting a festive table, first cover it soft cloth(polished, with oilcloth on top of the fabric), then with a starched and well-ironed tablecloth.
Best decoration table - fresh flowers, but which do not fall on the dishes located on the table.
For fruits, vases with small legs are best suited.
Small large plates (according to the number of guests) are placed at an equal distance from each other and closer to the edges of the table, with snack bars on them.
To the right of the plate, place a knife (sharp side towards the plate) and a spoon if the first course is to be served.
On the left side - a fork (the spoon and fork are placed with the convex side down).
Snack bars and fish utensils are placed on special occasions.
A glass for mineral water is placed in front of the plate.
The dessert device, if the size of the table allows, is placed behind a wine glass or served at the end.
Cloth napkins are folded and placed on top of the appetizer plate.
Bread bins are placed on opposite sides.
In the center of the table there are vases with flowers and fruits.
Dishes, plates, salad bowls, gravy boats, and vessels with seasonings - mustard, pepper, vinegar - are placed throughout the free space. All appetizer dishes are served with common utensils - spoons, forks, spatulas.
Bottles of fruit and mineral water are placed in different places on the table and opened immediately before sitting at the table. It is recommended to finish serving half an hour before guests arrive.
The table for evening tea on a holiday is also decorated with fresh flowers and vases of fruit.
The table can be covered with a colored tablecloth that matches the color of the tea set. Place dessert or snack plates, place napkins on top of the plates; to the left of each plate is a dessert fork, to the right is a knife.
In the middle of the table place a dish with a pie, cake or pastries, vases with jam, lemon, a candy bowl, a creamer, a sugar bowl. If tea is poured at the table, then next to the place occupied by the hostess, teapots with boiling water and brewed tea, glasses with coasters or cups with saucers are placed.

Serving food at banquets

Serving food and drinks

When serving a banquet, all dishes, drinks, fruits, etc. must be brought from the distribution room on a tray. Dishes are placed on a tray in one row; It is not allowed to place one dish on top of another. It is not recommended to place different types of food on the tray (for example, fish and dairy dishes)
The waiter must first place a brought tray of food or drinks on a utility table, and then serve it to visitors from this table.
Plating is done on a utility table, which in restaurants is moved to the dining table.
If a portioned dish consists of two pieces of meat or two cutlets, then you can put one piece or one cutlet and part of the side dish on the plate, and leave the rest of the portion on the dish and place it on the table in front of the guest.
If a portioned dish is ordered for several people and there are women among them, then the eldest of them is served first.
You can also place food directly on plates placed in front of visitors.
At the request of the visitor, a dish or tureen is placed on the dining table so that the visitor can pour or transfer the food to the plate placed in front of him. In this case, it is necessary to serve, depending on the nature of the dish, an additional ladle, serving or tablespoon, fork, or both
For hot dishes, plates are served warm.

Serving snacks

When serving banquets, first of all, bread is served, which is placed on a pie plate and placed on the left side of the visitor, and butter, at the request of the guest, and then snacks should be served.
Snacks are served on snack plates (25-27 cm), or in portioned salad bowls, which are placed on small plates.
When serving several types of snacks, they are served in a specific order. Of the cold appetizers, the first to be served are caviar, fish, lightly salted or boiled, aspic, with mayonnaise, in marinade; This is followed by salads - fish, meat, vegetables; followed by cold meat snacks - ham, tongue, fried meat, poultry or game, etc.
After cold appetizers, hot appetizers are sometimes served: fried ham, mushrooms in sour cream, etc.
Caviar is served in caviar bowls, in the metal part of which (under the glass rosette) there is finely crushed ice. Green onions with caviar are served separately on a rosette.
In the absence of a metal caviar maker, granular caviar can be served in a vase (cremanka) placed on a pie plate. Caviar spatulas are used to spread the caviar.
Fish, meat, and vegetable salads are served in crystal or porcelain salad bowls; They are placed on a small table or dessert plate. Place a tablespoon or dessert spoon on the plate, depending on the size of the salad bowl. If a salad, for example a green one, serves as an addition to any dish, then it is placed on the left side of the table substitution plate on which the plate with the food stands.

Serving soups

When serving banquets, soups, both hot and cold, with the exception of broths, are served in deep plates placed on shallow ones.
The waiter places the tureen with soup on a utility table and then pours the soup into heated deep plates.
If the guest wishes, the tureen can be placed on the table on a small plate, placing a ladle near the tureen on a pie plate. It is recommended to pour part of the soup into a plate (about 300 g), after which the tureen with the remaining soup is placed on the table in front of the visitor, giving him the opportunity to pour the rest of the soup himself.
Transparent broths are served in heated broth bowls, with a dessert spoon placed on the saucer, or in deep plates.
Pies or croutons are served with the broth on a pie plate, with soups (cabbage soup, borscht) - pies or cheesecakes, etc.
Cold soups are also served in bowls or deep plates

Serving hot dishes

When serving banquets, second hot courses can be divided into the following sections in accordance with the order of serving:
1) Fish dishes- Various utensils are used to serve these dishes.
Boiled fish is served on dishes, poached in oval dishes with a lid; fried fish on plates; baked in pans or in shells that are placed on small plates.
The sauce for boiled fish is served in a separate sauce boat.
When serving fish as a whole, for example sterlet, after showing the dish to the guest, the waiter on a stand table divides the fish into portions and places it along with the side dish on small plates.
When dividing fish into portions, you need to make sure that the pieces are as uniform as possible.
Fish dishes are served with special fish forks and fish knives, and if these are not available, only one table fork should be served, placing it on the right side.
2) Meat dishesusually served on small plates.
Natural meat products (steak, fillet and breaded chops, schnitzels) are served in small plates of different sizes, stewed in sauce (stew, braised beef) - in individual pots with a lid.
3) Poultry and gameserved on dishes or in pots, and salads for them - separately in salad bowls.
When portioning chopped chicken or turkey, place two pieces of poultry on each plate - one (white) from the breast and the other (dark) from the leg.
4) Vegetable dishesServe on heated small plates or frying pans.
Sauces for vegetable dishes are served separately in gravy boats.
Baked vegetables are served in the pans in which they were cooked.
If vegetables are independent dishes Only forks are served, and also a tablespoon for transferring to a plate.

Serving dessert

When serving banquets, before serving dessert, all excess dishes, as well as leftover bread, are removed from the table.
Cold sweet dishes such as: mousses, ice cream are served in bowls, fruit salads are also served in bowls, frozen punches are served in conical glasses or tea cups
Hot sweet dishes are served in different ways: for example, Guryev porridge is served in frying pans; puddings in portions - on dessert plates, and as a whole in porcelain dishes, the sauce is served separately in a gravy boat

Example of banquet table setting

Example of dessert table setting

Example of festive New Year's table setting

An example of serving a New Year's dessert table

Types of techniques

B-B-Q

Barbecue is an option for an informal reception, which is held on outdoors.
Usually close friends or relatives are invited to it, which is quite acceptable to do over the phone.
To carry out such a reception, you need to have two things: enough space and special equipment for preparing dishes.
Barbecue is cooked on a special grill.
If this reception is being held in the evening, you will want your garden or reception area to be brightly lit with lanterns or string lights.
If it gets cool in the evening, you can invite guests to go to the veranda or into the house.
A formal set is not required for table setting; on the contrary, ordinary dishes and cutlery will look good.
Don't forget about flowers - they can be placed in jugs or unusual vessels - they emphasize the charm of a summer evening.
The main dish at a barbecue reception is meat, fish or game cooked on a brazier.
You can prepare light snacks, but there should be few of them, since the main course is very filling. Nuts and crispy potatoes are quite suitable.
Don't forget to add more herbs and sauces.
The host usually handles the hot dishes, and after he puts the guest’s favorite piece of meat or fish, the guest himself will choose the seasoning or herbs that he likes best.
Any drinks can be served - beer, wine, and juices - the main thing is that they are combined with the prepared barbecue.

Lunch (lunch)

Lunch has recently become very popular and sometimes replaces a light lunch, since lunch time (13 o'clock) coincides with the lunch break in many institutions.
Invitations to lunch are usually made by telephone, but if it is a business lunch to which a serious partner or famous person is expected to be invited, then it is better to send an invitation.
Cocktails or a glass of wine are sometimes served before lunch; of course, it is reasonable to offer mineral water.
If the lunch is formal, then the service is the same as at a formal dinner, i.e. The plates are filled in the kitchen, and only dishes with fruits, sweets and nuts are placed on the table.
The lunch menu is usually modest and does not include more than four courses. Often these are fruit salads, seafood, one hot dish.
Characteristic feature Any lunch includes hot pastries. The oil for it is prepared in advance, and it is preferable that it be in the form of balls or curls rather than simple cubes.
Saucers for bread and butter, pepper shakers and salt shakers are removed from the table before dessert is served.
Lunch is usually served with one type of wine, usually a light one, such as Rhine wine or claret.
Typical lunch drinks are tea or iced coffee.
It is always appropriate to place either a pitcher of water or glasses of water in front of each appliance.

Brunch

This type of reception is a late breakfast leading to an early lunch, which is held closer to lunch.
Brunch is informal, even casual, and you don’t need to look for a special occasion for it - it is held when you just want to meet with friends or neighbors.
Treats are placed on the table, like a buffet at a reception; they are usually more modest than at dinner or lunch - beautiful sandwiches, waffles, pieces of chicken in sour cream.
They also prepare one signature dish.
Juices and coffee are placed on a separate table.

Cocktail

One of the most common forms of reception, since they are quite democratic, require less time to prepare, and they allow you to receive a large number of guests in a relatively small room.
Cocktails can be business cocktails, which are held between meetings at congresses and symposiums and last 40-50 minutes, and cocktail banquets lasting up to 2 hours, they are often held in the fresh air.
You can invite someone to a cocktail party (not a business one) by telephone if there are many guests, or by sending out invitations if you are planning to host a large group of people.
At a cocktail party, you can offer guests any snacks, the main condition is that they can be eaten without cutlery (only with skewers).
On the table where the appetizers are placed, you can also place a stack of small plates so that guests can put their chosen appetizers on them, although, of course, it is not very convenient to hold a glass in one hand and a plate in the other, while trying to communicate and exchange with someone handshakes.
Since snacks are often greasy, it is necessary to put paper or cloth napkins, which can temporarily act as plates and prevent guests from accidentally getting dirty. By the way, if you don’t want unsightly circles left on your tables from plates and glasses, lay out more decorative round paper or straw coasters.
The cocktail menu can be very diverse, for example, olives, sandwiches - canapés with caviar, salmon, sturgeon, ham, plates with pate, salad, for main course - pieces of fish in dough, chicken wings, and much more. For dessert they usually offer ice cream, jelly, fresh fruit, cake, and nuts.
The very name of the reception - cocktail - suggests a fairly wide selection of drinks. It is important to buy enough drinks so that there is enough for everyone.
It is usually assumed that each guest will drink an average of three drinks.
Of course, not everyone invited will drink alcohol, so you definitely need to stock up in excess without alcoholic drinks- juices, mineral and sparkling waters, prepare fruit drinks or kvass.
You need to think in advance which cocktails should be served in this case.

Tips for setting a home holiday table

As described above, depending on the occasion and type of feast, as well as the intended menu, different table settings are used.
A home holiday table can befamily(family members only)orguest – followed by invited guests.
The aesthetics of the table largely depends on the tablecloth, napkins, cutlery, dishes, flower arrangements present on the table, as well as on the overall harmony with the interior of the room, its color range and style.
1. The tablecloth must be correctly selected for the size of the table, clean and ironed. The ends of the tablecloth should hang down evenly by 25-30 cm, and its corners should cover the top of the table legs.
2. Napkins are selected to match the tablecloth. If you fold them into a triangle, a cap or another original way, you will get an excellent table decoration. Place a shaped napkin on each set of plates.
3. All plates and cutlery must be placed in the order in which the dishes will be served.
For example, a plate for appetizers is placed on a hot plate.
All plates should be placed a short distance from the edge of the table, forming a straight line parallel to the edge.
4. Forks and knives are placed at a distance of 1 cm from each other and are located further from the plate the sooner they are needed.
The salad fork will be the outermost, and the hot fork will be the last one near the plate.
Dessert cutlery is placed on top of the plate.
There are never more than three pairs of knives and forks on the table.
5. Knives should be placed on the right with the blade towards the plate, spoons should be placed with the bulge down, and forks should be placed to the left of the plate with the teeth facing up, so as not to spoil the tablecloth.
Soup spoons can be placed on the right, to the right of the outermost knife.
6. Glasses (shot glasses) are placed to the right of the plates in the same sequence in which drinks will be served.
If on the table various drinks, then the glasses should be different.
When arranging glasses, make sure that they do not interfere with taking a spoon.
If it is intended to serve only water, then a wine glass or glass is placed behind each plate, in the center or slightly to the right.
If kvass or fruit drink is served instead of water, then instead of a wine glass, place a mug with the handle to the right.
7. The basic principle when serving alcohol is that the stronger the drink, the smaller the glass.
The best wines and other alcoholic drinks should be served at the beginning of the feast, then, as the amount drunk increases, the quality of the drinks is felt by tipsy guests to be much weaker and simpler drinks can be served.
If you want to get your guests more drunk, start and end the festive meal with champagne, and in the middle of the meal, serve any drinks to taste and availability.
Wine glasses are chosen according to the type of wine.
For sweet and dessert wines - tulip-shaped on a stem, for red ones - also tulip-shaped, but larger in size and with a wider top part.
A white wine glass should be even larger and have a higher stem.
The tallest glass is for champagne.
Vodka and liqueurs are served in small glasses. Vodka glasses can be either thick-walled without a stem or thin-walled with stems. If they are without legs, then there should be small napkins under them.
About the compatibility of dishes and drinks.
It is better to serve stronger alcoholic drinks with dense and heavy dishes with thick sauce.
A light wine is best paired with light snacks and salads.
Expensive wine with a complex taste is best served with simple dishes, while simpler wines are better served with complex dishes with many components and subtle flavors.
If wine is used in the preparation of any dish, then it must be served with this dish.
Sweet and liqueur wines are served with dessert, and the wine should be sweeter than the served dish.
As a rule, white wines are more suitable for fish and seafood dishes, and red wines are more suitable for meat and vegetable dishes.
Coffee or ice cream goes perfectly with coffee or ice cream. cream liqueur.
Champagne is served with fruits or nuts, such as almonds.
Fill glasses with drinks to no more than three-quarters of their capacity.
8. Utensils with salt and pepper are placed in the middle part of the table on special stands.
If there is a need for it, the device with mustard is placed nearby.
You can also place bottles of vinegar, vegetable oil or hot sauces next to the spices.
9. The butter is served with a special knife, and the salt and mustard are served with appropriate spoons.
10. The bread is placed on the table on several plates so that it is convenient for all guests to get it.
11. Cold appetizers are arranged alternating fish, meat and vegetable dishes.
12. Soup should be served in a tureen, and hot dishes should be served in special dishes or rams (a dish with a lid).
13. Wine and mineral water should be placed on the table uncorked.
14. Bottles of fruit and mineral water are placed in different places on the table and opened immediately before sitting at the table.
15. Juices and fruit drinks are served in jugs.
Vodka and various strong liqueurs are best served in decanters.
Wine and cognac are served in bottles.
16. All dishes and salads should have separate spoons.
17. Flowers are ideal for decorating a holiday table. These can be compositions from both living plants and dry ones.
By placing two or three small bouquets in different parts of the table you will create a festive atmosphere. An alternative is to place a large bouquet in the middle of the table, or a very small bouquet next to each plate.
The main rule for fresh flowers is that the plants must be spotlessly clean; petals, leaves and pollen must not be allowed to fall on the table.
Flowers can be placed on the table in any flat dish or low vases so that the bouquets do not obscure the people sitting at the table or the dishes for which the setting was carefully selected.
18. The main rule for successful serving is that the festive table should not be “cracked” with an overabundance of dishes and utensils. A properly set table requires freely arranged appetizers and salad bowls and a sufficient amount of personal space for each guest.
19. It is recommended to finish serving half an hour before guests arrive.
Near the hostess’s place it is advisable to provide a small serving table, on which clean plates, spare cutlery, napkins, extra bread and other necessary things will be at hand.
20. It is strongly recommended not to turn on the TV, or even better, move it to an adjacent room, as well as all mobile phones.
21. Advice for purifying vodka.
To save money, you can avoid buying expensive vodka and purify cheap ones.
To purify vodka, add 5 tablets of Karbolene (activated carbon) purchased at a pharmacy, slightly crushed into small pieces with a knife handle (but not crushed into powder), to a half-liter bottle.
Then the bottle is closed and vigorously shaken for 2-3 minutes, while the vodka turns black. After 10 minutes, the shaking is repeated. After half an hour, you can shake the bottle again.
After this, the bottle is left completely alone in the dark for 2-3 days.
At the end of the settling, a dense black layer of activated carbon is deposited at the bottom of the bottle, and above it is the purest vodka, which is very carefully siphoned off from the sediment.
Do not try to filter the vodka to speed up the process - the filter will instantly become clogged with carbon and filtration will stop.
You must wait patiently until the coal itself completely precipitates.
The loss of vodka is about 5%, which remains at the bottom in black coal sediment. The more Karbolene you add, the greater the loss of vodka.
Vodka purified in this way is superior in purity and taste to any most expensive one.

Dining table etiquette:
what, what and how they eat

In general, the rule should be that at official receptions, everything, with the exception of bread, is eaten only with the help of appropriate cutlery.

For a formal meal, if you cannot handle this dish using the cutlery intended for it, it is better to abandon it and opt for something more familiar.

In an informal setting in different places, especially in different countries, in different environments and in different situations there may be slightly different rules. For example, during a friendly hunt, game cooked over a fire can be taken with your hands. But even during a friendly fishing trip on the river bank near a fire, if you reach into a common pot of fish soup with your hands for a piece of fish you like, those around you are unlikely to approve.

So the main thing in any meal and in any circumstances is to always maintain common sense and not spoil the mood and appetite of the people around you with your behavior.

If you have any doubts about the way to eat a given dish, do not rush into it - first watch how others in the same group eat this dish.

X They take the leb from a common tray with their hands and, placing it on a pie plate (or on the edge of a snack bar), break off small pieces from it, which are put into the mouth.

B Uterbrods served with aperitifs are taken with hands, but at the table they are eaten with a knife and fork. The exception is canapés on skewers, which do not require utensils.

H To make a sandwich, first place butter or pate with a special knife on the right side of the snack plate (but not on the edges of the plate), and next to it - a piece of bread. Then spread it, holding it with your left hand and without lifting it from the plate.
Eat the sandwich using a knife and fork.

X Leb for eating with jam or honey is first cut into oblong pieces, and only then spread and put into the mouth with a fork.

WITH UP, served in a cup with one handle, is drunk directly from the cup. If the soup is served in a cup with two handles, use a dessert spoon. Whether to scoop liquid towards or away from you with a spoon is a matter of taste.
How to bring a spoon to your mouth? In Germany this is done with the narrow end of a spoon, and in England and other countries - sideways (this is more correct).
You can drink the remaining soup in the cup by holding the cup by the handles. But the plate should not be tilted; it is better to leave small remnants of soup at the bottom.

F stuffed vegetables, filled pancakes, omelets and dishes in dough baskets are cut with a knife and eaten with a fork.

B Large sausages are eaten using utensils, small ones are taken by hand and dipped in mustard laid out on the edge of the plate.

D Long pasta can be “shortened” with a fork.
The spaghetti is not cut, but rolled onto a fork on the edge of the plate, holding it with a tablespoon.

WITH The cheese is served either sliced ​​or a whole piece (the knife is placed next to it) and eaten with a cheese or appetizer fork.

C Eat lettuce leaves by tearing off small pieces with your hands. If it is served sliced, you need to use a fork.

ABOUT The olives are taken with a special spoon with holes to drain the marinade. Place the bones on a fork and then on a plate.

R Hot smoked and boiled fish with thin skin is eaten using a fork.
In this case, the smoked meat is first freed from skin and bones on one side, and after eating, it is turned over and proceed to the other.
If the skin is thick (like, for example, trout), it is cut with a knife on both sides near the ridge and removed with a fork.
Pickled herring, salmon, sturgeon or cold-smoked eel are so hard that you can only handle them with a snack knife.
For boiled, stewed fried fish You need a special knife and fork. Instead of a knife, you can use a second fork or a slice of bread.
The bones should be quietly removed from the mouth and placed on a fork, and then on the edge of the plate.
If the fish is served with lemon, then, holding it with a fork, remove the flesh with a knife and leave the peel on the edge of the plate.

G Hot and cold meat dishes (chops, entrecotes) are eaten using a knife and fork, and it is not customary to immediately cut them into small pieces.
Dishes made from minced meat (cutlets, steak, dumplings) are separated with a fork, holding with a knife.

IN Contrary to popular belief, neither game nor poultry should be eaten with your hands at the table - they are eaten with a knife and fork.
But in different countries and in different places there are different orders. If everyone around you eats this dish with their hands, you can do the same, but then after eating, you should rinse your fingers in a bowl of flavored water or wipe them with a damp cloth.

The rules of etiquette, like all laws, are amended from time to time. For example, until recently, potatoes could not be mashed with a fork or cut with a knife. Now this is completely acceptable. Just don’t puree the entire portion at once.

For a long time, etiquette has allowed cutting asparagus, although, according to the old rules, it had to be brought to the mouth with your hand, holding it with a fork.

U For eggs served in special stands, it was previously not recommended to cut off the tops with a knife. Today this is accepted. Just don’t cut it off too sharply - neighbors on the table are unlikely to be formed by pieces flying towards them.
You can also do this: tap the egg with a spoon, remove part of the shell, and then cut off the top.
Eat using a special spoon with a wide end.

TO How do they eat artichokes?
The table is set with dessert spoons, forks, knives, and be sure to place some kind of container into which you can throw away waste during meals without clogging the plate with it. Don't forget about napkins, as many people eat most of their artichokes with their hands.
The stump remaining from the stem is not only edible, but also surprisingly juicy and tasty. Only the harsh outer layer is cut off from it.
While eating, the artichokes are slowly “undressed”, one by one removing all the scales. They have a very tasty thickened bottom tip and a thin layer of pulp on the inner (concave) side. The scales are dipped into the sauce each time before they are put into the mouth to suck out the tender flesh. It is convenient (but not “French”) to use a spoon, scraping off the pulp with it.
After the scales are finished, they move on to the most delicious part. With an elegant movement, roll it up into a bag and remove the bud-shaped cover and use a napkin to remove the “eyelashes” underneath it. This waste that is not eaten is placed on a separate plate.
Finally, the smooth surface of the bottom of the fleshy receptacle is exposed. This is the main highlight of the delicacy, the most delicious part of the artichoke, vaguely reminiscent of the pulp of an avocado. It is cut with a knife and eaten with special relish. It is this bottom that is most often found on sale, packaged in cans.
Dry rose wine goes very well with artichokes, although many people (but not the French) have the opinion that it is better to drink them with cool water.

D For fondue, meat (cheese, poultry) is cut into small pieces on a special dish, and then placed one at a time on special forks and fried in a container with boiling oil. Place the fondue on plates with compartments for sauces and eat with a fork and knife.

L Frog legs, which taste like chicken, are taken by the bone with your fingers, onto which, before serving, it is advisable to put a paper curler to protect your fingers from contamination, and eaten without any utensils.

TO Slaves, lobsters, shrimp, lobsters and crayfish are eaten with special utensils, and in a less formal setting they can be eaten with their hands. If you were served crab in its shell, you need to cut it using a special hatchet or tongs. After this, wipe your fingers with a wet napkin or rinse in a bowl and only then pick up a fork.

X A large lobster can be eaten like a chop, using a knife and fork.

Sh The necks of crayfish can be torn off with your hands, but it is better to use a special knife, cutting the shell from below. Don't be surprised if a restaurant offers you a "bib." It will protect your outfit from juice splashes.

IN Do you want to treat your guests to oysters? Then have a short, dull knife to open the shells and a fork to separate the meat. But most often oysters are served already shucked. True connoisseurs of this delicacy season it with lemon juice, salt, pepper and eat it with sea ​​water from the sink.

M The ideas are served hot in shells. Use tongs or your hand to hold the mussel on the plate, and remove the clam with a special fork. The waste is left on the edge of the plate.

AND The cru is scooped up with a spatula and placed on your plate. Then spread on bread or toast. Sandwiches are eaten without cutlery, but pancakes with caviar are eaten with a knife and fork. Whether to eat caviar with chopped onion, egg or lemon juice - decide for yourself. But gourmets believe that such “seasonings” interrupt the true taste of the delicacy.

ABOUT days, dessert dishes (ice cream, soft cakes, mousses) are eaten with a teaspoon, others (hard cakes) - with a dessert fork.

A The nana is divided into four parts, then cut into slices along with the peel and served. Eat with a knife and fork.

T They do the same with melons. If this fruit is served with filling, it is scooped out with a spoon. Avocados are eaten in the same way, the cavity of which is filled, for example, with salad, crab meat or sauce.

N Unpeeled strawberries are held by the sepals and eaten after dipping them in cream or powdered sugar. Berries, freed from greens, are taken with a teaspoon.

IN Cherries and currants are served with petioles. They pinch off a twig from a bunch of grapes, put it on their plate and eat one berry at a time, taking them with a spoon.

TO It is customary to cut iwi in half and scoop out the pulp with a spoon. In restaurants they are served peeled and cut into wedges.

TO Arambol is not cleaned, but only cut.

A Bricots, peaches, large plums are cut in half and the pits are removed using a knife.

M Scarlet plums are put into the mouth with a spoon or by hand, and the seeds are placed on a spoon.

TO The banana peel is trimmed on both sides (large fruits are also cut crosswise), and then removed, but not completely. Eat by holding the unpeeled end.

WITH Oranges are peeled with a knife, and tangerines are peeled by hand, then these fruits are divided into slices.

I Blocks and pears do not need to be cleaned.

G Rapfruit is served cut into two halves and eaten with a teaspoon.

D Lemon slices are placed on a plate with a special two-pronged lemon fork and eaten with a knife and fork.

Examples of table setting and decoration for different occasions

You can add other serving styles based on your rich imagination.

Arrangement of tables at a banquet

How to arrange tables and seat guests at them directly depends on the number of guests and the size of the area.
The importance of these points cannot be underestimated, because... even if all other parts of the event are thought out and executed to perfection, an inconvenient, and even more so, incorrect arrangement of guests can lead to unpleasant consequences.
Check out several diagrams of options for the classic arrangement of tables and seating guests at them.

Christmas tree 1

This arrangement of tables is possible in limited space.
It allows staff to move freely, seat a large number of guests and gives a festive look to the hall. In this case, it is necessary to carefully consider the arrangement so that it is convenient for both all guests and staff. The main thing is that the chosen arrangement is convenient both for the guests and for their service.

Generally accepted rules
behavior in a restaurant

There are many different places to eat - restaurants, cafes, bars, for every taste and income, so if you decide to go to a restaurant with someone, it is better to make your choice in advance.
The choice of restaurant should be coordinated with the people you invite - you need to take into account the tastes of your companions and their eating habits.
You can find yourself in a very uncomfortable situation by inviting a person who does not like seafood to a fish restaurant. It is better to ask in advance what kind of cuisine your companions prefer.
It’s good if you yourself have already been to the place where you invite your friends. In this case, you have your own idea about the cuisine and assortment of a given place (as well as prices) and can recommend a dish without relying only on the opinion of the waiter.

When planning a visit to a restaurant, it is important to take into account not only the cuisine, but also the general atmosphere, for example, if your companion is no longer young, he may not like loud music and noise, it is better to go with him to a restaurant with a calmer atmosphere.
You should always keep in mind the impression you want to make on your guests as a result of visiting a restaurant, so it is best to first consider whether the restaurant you invite them to will contribute to this.

It is also important where the restaurant is located. There are some very good country restaurants, but before you settle on one, think about how you and your travel companions will get there and how you will get back.
The inviter can, of course, offer to use his personal transport, but in this case he should under no circumstances order alcohol, because you cannot take guests home yourself while drunk.
It is better to use a taxi.

Many restaurants require a reservation in advance, especially if it is a well-known establishment and you plan to visit it on the weekend.
You can find yourself in an unpleasant situation if you invite a guest to a restaurant, and upon arrival you find out that there are no empty seats.
You also need to agree on parking if you and your guests are going to come by car. Many restaurants have their own parking lots.

The one who invites should come a little earlier and wait for the invitee at the table, if the table has been booked in advance, or find a free table.
If you arrive at the appointed time and the person who invited you is not there yet, you can go to the table and order, for example, mineral water or juice.
The person who invited you and arrived late must apologize and explain the reason for his delay. You shouldn't ruin the evening because of this.
If a table in a restaurant is reserved for several people, those who arrived on time wait for the others for about 15 minutes, after which they go to the table.
Those who arrived late can, after apologizing, without attracting much attention to themselves, join the others.

Some girls and women prefer to arrange a meeting on the street in front of a restaurant, not wanting to enter the hall alone. In this case, it is even more impossible for the inviter to be late.
You can also meet on the street if the restaurant is difficult to find or if it is a closed club establishment into which your guest may not be allowed alone.

A woman enters the restaurant first, but on the way to the table a man beats her to the table and helps her sit down.
Before entering the restaurant hall, you should leave your outerwear in the wardrobe. It is customary to help a woman take off her coat or raincoat, and if the meeting is official, only her companion should do this, and in a more relaxed environment, the cloakroom attendant can also help.
After the man has helped the woman undress, he himself takes off his outer clothing.
When leaving the restaurant, the man first helps the woman get dressed, and then takes his things from the cloakroom attendant.

When entering the lobby, a man must take off his headdress, and when leaving, he puts it on at the door.
Shopping bags, umbrellas, and packages are usually left in the wardrobe; ladies take their purses with them.
Before entering the hall, you can fix your hair in the mirror in the wardrobe, but you can’t comb your hair here, put on makeup, or straighten your clothes, everyone does this in toilet room.
A cafe or bar may not have a wardrobe, then outerwear is left on hangers located at the entrance to the hall.

Approaching the table, the man helps the woman sit down, pushing the chair away and pushing it forward, and only then sits down himself.
It is important to know that the most comfortable place at a table located near the wall is considered to be facing the hall, but if the table is in the center of the hall, then the most honorable place is facing the entrance.
A man usually sits to the left of a woman, and if the table is not large, then opposite her.

In restaurants, it is not customary to sit at a table where someone is already sitting (unless the person sitting is familiar to you or he himself invited you to do this).
If there are no empty seats in the hall, you need to seek help from the administrator, who will help you get settled without disturbing other visitors.
To avoid this situation, it is better, as already mentioned, to book a table in advance.
In a cafe and, especially, a bistro, sit down on free places This is entirely acceptable, but it is still necessary to first obtain the consent of those sitting at the table.
If they are waiting for someone or for some reason do not want strangers at their table, there is no need to insist on permission.

In restaurants and cafes, it is not customary to talk loudly, laugh, or put your elbows on the table, but nevertheless, you should behave at ease. The meal begins only when all guests have received the ordered dishes.
But if there are long intervals between the serving of various dishes and the brought dishes cool down, then those who have not yet received their order can invite others to start eating.
At the table, you cannot comb your hair, wipe your face with a napkin, check whether the plates and cutlery are clean, much less wipe them with napkins, blow on food or smell it, cool the soup, or vigorously stir it in the plate.
Lipstick can only be used after dinner (not at the table).

The person inviting you to a restaurant (cafe) or the one who plays the role of host must make sure that everyone sitting at the table knows each other or has previously met each other.
If people who do not know each other have been invited, it is best to introduce them before everyone sits down at the table.
For introductions, traditional rules of etiquette are used: younger ones are introduced to older ones, men to ladies. If there is a guest of honor at the table, then all the guests are first introduced to him.

At large receptions, at the entrance to the hall, it is necessary to place a seating chart with the location of the tables and indicating the names of the guests, and on the tables in front of each person sitting, place a card indicating the name.
If you are late and need to join those already sitting at the table, you must first approach the person who invited you and apologize for being late.
If you are unfamiliar with your neighbors at the table and the person who invited you cannot introduce you, then, having taken your seat, you should independently introduce yourself to the neighbors you do not know (first, to the lady sitting on the right).
In a more casual group, sitting at a small table, you can introduce yourself to everyone at the same time. At the same time, it is important to ensure that you do not interrupt someone’s speech or toast.
However, if you are simply sharing a table with someone, or have been seated by the head waiter, you should not introduce yourself to your neighbors. Just nod and wish them bon appetit.
When leaving a table where other people remain, wish them bon appetit and say goodbye. This, of course, does not apply to large receptions from which for some reason you need to leave early - in this case, it is enough to apologize and say goodbye only to your neighbors at the table.

Typically, a waiter in a restaurant offers a menu to everyone present, but if there is only one menu card per table, it is offered to the woman first.
If a business lunch for men is being held at a restaurant, the invitee orders first. The initiator of the invitation can order the same dish for everyone, warning in advance that he is inviting, for example, “lamb on a rib.”
If you do not know what is hidden behind a particular name on the menu, it is quite appropriate to ask the waiter a question. You can also ask him to recommend a particular dish or wine.

When invited to a restaurant, avoid two extremes: order a large number of the most expensive dishes and show excessive modesty, limiting your choice to the bare minimum.
In the first case, you can seriously “frame” the inviter, since you do not know in advance how much he can afford, and in the second, you can offend him, since the inviter may decide that you consider him too poor.
In fact, it should be known in advance who pays for the reception and how - everyone for himself, the head of the family for his family, or the inviter pays for everyone.
IN modern society a woman can pay for herself if she was not invited to a restaurant, but met an acquaintance already on the spot.
Discussions about who pays should not take place in front of the waiter.
If a woman pays herself, she simply reminds the waiter what dishes she ordered and receives a separate bill; the man in this situation receives his own bill.
The man can bear the cost of the wine.
When paying, you need to look at the bill (you can check it if you wish) and put the required amount on the plate on which it was served.
Tips can be 10-15% of the bill.

The person who invited you is the first to suggest leaving the restaurant.

Return