One of the main goals at Party at Home is to give you the confidence to throw a fabulous party on your own. Heidi Bohay and her friend Deborah Harmon suggest that an informal weekend brunch is the perfect opportunity to visit with friends without a lot of hassle and pressure. Beginning around 11 a.m., brunch allows you a wide range of menu options from both breakfast and lunch dishes. Even if you have your food prepared by someone else, serving just one homemade dish that you normally wouldn't prepare will be worth the extra effort when your guests express their appreciation. Bohay suggests using different heights and candles to display your dishes, and by adding flowers to the arrangement you can create a tableau that will make a lasting impression on your guests. Setting your china, glassware and silverware on the table is a task left to individual taste. Bruce Meyer, the president of Geary's in Beverly Hills, says that your table is an expression of your own personal flair. He likes to think of the tabletop as fashion, a design that you create for your special occasion. He assures us that there is no need to follow strict rules of etiquette when setting your table; rather, the whole idea is to express yourself and have fun. The rest will flow naturally. On the other hand, if you would like to be a bit more traditional with your table setting, Meyer demonstrates the proper way to achieve this. He begins by showing us an incorrect place setting (figure A) and makes the changes as he explains them: - To the left of the plate, he reverses the positions of the dinner fork and the smaller salad fork. We place the utensil that is used first on the outside, then work our way in.
- To the right of the plate, he reverses the positions of the knife and the teaspoon. The knife's blade should face the plate, and if a soup spoon is added, it is placed on the outside.
- The dessert fork and spoon generally lie above the plate with the fork on top. Meyer faces the fork tines to the left and the spoon to the right. Often the dessert fork is simply the salad fork that has been washed and reused.
- The napkin traditionally sits on the left side of the plate, outside of the utensils, but Meyer says that it's acceptable to place it on top of the plate or in a glass.
- Strict etiquette dictates that the bottom of the utensils align with the bottom of the plate.
- The cup and saucer are traditionally brought out with dessert and placed above the forks, with the handle pointing to the right. If you bring them out during the course of the meal, however, they are positioned to the right of the crystal over the knife and spoon (figure B).
- When placing crystal on the table, you generally want the water goblet on the outside, as it is the first beverage served. Meyer reverses the champagne flute and the goblet, explaining that the decorative blue hot wine glass is designated for red wine while the plain glass is for white wine (figure C).
Meyer reminds us that the main objective is to have a good time and to express yourself, so if a formally set table is not your style, then create your own. If Grandmother's china has become redundant, then freshen up your table with a new design. There are many settings available within a wide price range that can accommodate your budget. Meyer presents the Limoges china that is sold at Geary's for more than $1,000 dollars a place setting (figure D) as well as a similar pattern made in Czechoslovakia that sells for $25 per setting (figure E). You don't need to spend a lot of money to dress up your table, and the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination and creativity.
RESOURCES :
Having Tea: Recipes and Table Settings
Model: 0517560070
Author: Trish Foley
(1987)
Clarkson Potter/The Crown Publishing Group/Random House
Website: www.randomhouse.com
Brunch Entertaining
Model: 0737020105
Author: Janeen A. Sarlin
(1999)
Good Morning: Sixty Fabulous Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
Model: 0811811816
Author: Michael McLaughlin
(1996)
Chronicle Publishing Company
Website: www.chroniclebooks.com
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