Lunch, held in a festive atmosphere or a friendly company, should be special, mood-enhancing and invigorating. Good mood, success in business and private life, impeccable culinary delights can be overshadowed by the poor table setting.
She obeys strict rules, which it is desirable to abide by at the most ordinary meal. Then the right actions will become familiar, you will not have to suffer a fiasco or think hard every time, whether everything is done as it should be.
What to put on the table?
Preparing for dinner has its own list of items, without which it is impossible to do. Table must be covered with a tablecloth, napkins are put on it in certain places. Also used:
- tureens;
- soup plates;
- plates for snacks;
- capacity for butter;
- cutlery;
- bread plate;
- glasses or glasses for drinks, even non-alcohol.
Dining table setting implies that tablecloths and napkins coincide visually, not differing from the rest of the room interior. If you are not preparing for a thematic holiday or are unfamiliar with the tastes of guests, it is better to do with the simplest matter of monotonous color. Bright colors will distract the attention of those gathered in the kitchen, they do not contribute to a positive attitude. On a typical day, pastel-colored tablecloths are preferable; on the most important days for you, there should be a white canvas on the table.
Make sure that it turns out to be completely clean and well-ironed, evenly distributed over the surface, does not leave free areas, does not hang down to the floor.
Norms of etiquette do not set strict requirements for decor. Here everything is left to the discretion of the owners of the house. With an acute shortage of time, you can refuse it. Remember: candles, freshly cut flowers and elegantly laid out napkins will make the atmosphere more pleasant. In this decorative items should not interfere with those who are sitting at the table.
Basic standards
The rules of etiquette relate not only to tablecloths and napkins: they determine the correct approach to the use of dishes and dishes. There are several positions that must be observed in each case, even when some other rules have to be abandoned.
Never put a pot of soup on the table, for this there must be a tureen. Place it in such a way that everyone can pour a portion without creating inconvenience for the rest. Prepare cloth napkins. They are placed on their knees or a shirt covering their knees. A plate of bread or a home-made loaf is placed on the edge of the table: it does not belong in the middle.
Paper napkins on the tablecloth can not be put, it will be correct to prepare them for the stand. These coasters cannot be replaced with plates. To the left of each plate, intended for those present, place the fork with the teeth up, to the right - the spoon and the blunt knife.
When serving snacks simultaneously with soup and bread, the devices intended for them are placed closer to the middle of the table.
The center of the table is usually occupied by bottles, jugs, decanters, saltcellars, sauceboats. Around the butter or bread should be reserved for them knife. Wine glasses, glasses and glasses put in the right side of the table. They are placed diagonally.
Sooner or later, any lunch and even the most pleasant conversation ends. It is time to serve dessert. You can set the table under it only after removing all dirty dishes, used napkins and more unnecessary appliances. Everyday meal in the family circle is arranged more simply: the dessert is served with cups for tea, vases for jam, or plates with sweets. For serving cakes, cakes, you need to pass dessert plates to everyone. Creamers put in the most solemn moments.
Standard design rules are not absolute dogma. Sometimes the menu is different from the usual, and the tastes of the audience, their priorities are very different. In this case, you can violate all principles, including the most important norms. If a stranger comes to the house or a person who is not completely mastered, the general provisions are strictly followed.
Preparation tips
Lay the table properly, if you do not know a number of subtleties. For example, knives are rubbed separately from spoons, the latter are not mixed with forks. One part of the towel take several homogeneous objects, and the other wipe them dry. Wine glasses, cups with a thin handle and deep wine glasses are wiped very carefully, winding one end of the towel on the base, removing moisture from the other edge.
The tablecloth after laying on the table gently unfold and, taking up the corners, shake, immediately dropping to the surface. Then an air layer will appear, making it easier to check the result.
Make sure that a perpendicular fold appears, and that it goes strictly along the center of the table top. This will make the picture, if it is, symmetrical, preserve its elegance.
Ordinary lunch does not impose special requirements for the type of napkins. On a holiday, it is advisable to take a set of linen napkins that match the color of the tablecloth or contrast with it. Correct display - on a special plate, in the form of a cone. Flowers should be taken only those that do not disturb the harmony of the tablecloth and cutlery.
Considering the inevitable differences in tastes and food preferences even among close people, always put the salt shaker (filled to 1/3), pepper (12) and a container for mustard. If vinegar and sunflower oil are put on the table, you need to take branded bottles with genuine labels.
Starting eating, begin religiously with the first course. The containers in which it is served are determined by the owners themselves. It can be not only deep plates, but also bowls with lids, clay pots, cups for broth. Focused solely on usability. When it's dessert time, the patties are put on separate plates or in low flat vases.
Whatever the set of dishes, for each person sitting, you need to reserve 0.7 - 0.9 m table length. The smaller distance is too close, the larger creates alienation between people, they move away, this is also inconvenient. Preparing for Sunday dinner takes an intermediate place: it is simpler than a festive, but stricter than daily serving. If you have to serve the fish, it is advisable to use herring.
Remember that when serving glasses for each guest there should be two - wine and champagne by default. Others are selected for a specific menu.
Ordinary schematic arrangement of cutlery (even using napkins) can be boring and bland in a solemn moment. Diversify the design of the table, make a fresh feeling help decorative objects. They are very different: it is satin or silk ribbons, porcelain figurines, balloons. The composition of the jewelry and their location are thought out in advance, ideally, they are coordinated with all the participants of the holiday (except those who are preparing a surprise).
Making dessert for children can include stylized toys, characters of books and cartoons. Create an elevated atmosphere for adults will help desserts for unique recipes, rare fruits and unconventional dishes, bright and catchy dishes. In a purely male company, the table setting can be concise and as functional as possible, without any frills. The decoration should be aesthetically pleasing.
These and other serving tricks, see below.
