Travel
after the entrée instead of before
the entrée. For an informal dinner in
France and Italy, bread goes on the
table and a bread plate is not used.
Five-Course Place Setting
U.S.
A five course meal in the U.S. usually
consists of soup, salad, fish course,
main course and dessert.
Starting from left to right, you would
have the salad fork, fish fork, dinner
fork, plate with napkin (and possibly
a name card), dinner knife, fish knife,
salad knife and soupspoon. The
butter plate would be above the
forks, like the three courses, and the
same is true of the dessert fork and
dessert spoon being above the plate.
Glasses are more challenging. The
water goblet is closest to the
dessertspoon and fork, the white
wine glass above the fish knife, the
red wine glass behind that and the
champagne flute further back. The
sherry glass is closer to the front.
Europe
A five course meal in Europe usually
consists of soup, fish course, main
course, salad, and dessert.
people would chant (I’ll use my name),
“Maralyn, Maralyn, aren’t you able to
keep your elbows off the table.” Since
I was not allowed to do it at home, I
did not have to worry, but the
embarrassment worked with others.
Glasses are set up the same, thank
goodness.
Now, it is not just knowing what is
what and what to use when. It is
important to know how to place your
utensils while you are eating. Why,
you may wonder? It lets servers know
in a polite way when you are finished.
Again, there are differences between
Americans and the Europeans. I try
hard to adopt European manners
when in Europe, as it makes things go
more smoothly, and makes me look
like I know what I’m doing. But
sometimes I slip and revert to
American ways.
the fork with tines down is crossing
the top of the knife facing 2.
If you want to pick up a glass or finish
a course before your are finished,
place the knife tip at 11 with the
handle at 2 and fork in the lower
right at 4.
Starting from left to right, you would
have the fish fork, dinner fork, salad
fork, plate with napkin (and possibly
name card), salad knife, dinner knife,
fish knife and soup spoon.
Miracle of miracles, dessert finishes
the same for both the U.S. and
Europeans with fork and spoon at 4
pointing towards 10.
When you are finished, p