Do You Know How To Set A Table?
Unless you live like a hermit and eat take-out every day, you are going to want to have people over to your house and entertain once in a while. One of the most important aspects of having people over is food, and having a good meal means not only having a nice dinner set, but the proper dinner setting in which to dine. In this article we will be exploring the world of the “table setting”, and how to set a table for almost every occasion.Setting a Basic TableThese are the basics that will get you started to setting a fine dinner table. Depending on the type of gathering you are planning to have, you can either go with just the basic setting, or add to it.a) The first thing you need to determine is how many people you are planning on having over. You will need to have one place setting for each person, so make sure that there are enough chairs around the table to accommodate them.b) The dinner plate needs to go in the center of the place setting. This dinner plate will be the center of attention, as all the other items will be placed around it.c) The fork, knife, and spoon (i.e.: the flatware) will be positioned around the dinner plate in the order in which each item will be used. The fork goes to the left of the dinner plate. The knife and spoon go to the right. The knife is placed close to the dinner plate with the cutting edge pointed towards it. Next to the knife goes the spoon.d) You now need to find a place for the water glass. Place it directly above the knife.e) Place napkins (if you have them) under the forks.Setting for an Informal DinnerAn informal dinner party means that you just need to go with the basics, and add a few things to them. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind:a) If you are going to be serving a salad, you will need a place for the salad fork. It should go to the left of the dinner fork (which you laid down during the basics).b) Soup makes a great addition to a meal. If you are planning on having soup, the soup bowl goes directly on top of the dinner plate. The soup spoon goes to the right of the spoon that you positioned during the basics.c) Salad or bread and butter knifes go down next. They go directly to the left of the forks. If you have butter plates, they go directly above the dinner plate. Put the butter knife directly on top of the butter plate.d) The cup and saucer go directly above the spoons. The cup handle is pointed towards the right. If you have wine or water glasses they go to the left of the coffee cup.Formal DinnerYou have now graduated to the formal dinner setting. This dinner setting is the most elaborate of all, but don’t worry, we have you covered. All you need to do is follow the steps for an informal dinner setting, and add a few more steps. Here’s what you need to know:a) Are you planning on serving both white and red wines? If so, you will need two wine glasses per place setting. They go next to the water glass.b) Additional spoons (i.e.: for soup, beverage, or dessert) should be placed immediately to the right of the knife. Alternately, they can be brought to the table when either the soup or dessert is being served.c) Centerpieces look very nice and add a bit of class. Look around to see if you can find an appropriate one. If you are artistic, you could always make your own.Ahhh…you are finished. Well done! Pat yourself on your back and sit back and examine all your fine work. Your dinner set looks nice don’t you think? All you need to do now is cook up some great food, and serve your guests. Let the partying begin!