The holidays are around the corner and time for entertaining is par for the course. The menu, of course, is the most important part of a dinner party. The flavour and presentation of each dish aim to impress your guests. But let us not forget how important first impressions are. A beautifully set table: fancy china, sparkling crystal stemware, polished silverware, crisp linen all create the perfect ambiance for a special dinner and will set the mood for the rest of the evening.
First, place the dinner plate about two inches away from the edge of the table. Place the knife on the right of the plate with the cutting side towards the plate. Place the dinner fork on the left side, same distance away from the plate as the knife.
If you are serving soup, place the soup spoon half an inch to the right of the knife. If serving salad, place the salad fork to the left of the dinner fork at a same distance as the spoon to the knife.
Place a napkin to the left of the salad fork and the teaspoon to the right of the soup spoon.
The dessert spoon is placed at twelve O'clock at the top of the plate and the dessert fork just above it. Be sure to have them face opposite directions with the spoon facing left.
The bread plate is then placed at the top left corner at eleven O'clock to the dinner plate. If you have bread knives, place these horizontally on the top third of the bread plate with spreading side facing left.
Water goblets need to be placed to the top right of the dinner plate, about two inches directly above the knife. The wine glass is then placed two inches above and angled to the right of the water goblet.
Tea cup and saucer are placed to the right of the water goblet to create a triangle with the goblet and wine glass. The tea cup and saucer are placed just above and to the right of the tea spoon.
If you are serving salad, place the salad plate centered on top of the dinner plate.
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Soup on the menu? Place the soup bowl on top of the salad plate.
Et voilà! A beautifully set table for your next dinner party! Now all you need is a few mouth-watering recipes...
~ Monique
