Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table ®

For those of you who really never gave the pecking order of silverware a second or even first thought .   .   . read on. Yes .   .   .  mmm hmmm .   .   . I get that silverware placement has never been high on your agenda. But .   .   . but .   .   . shhh listen .   .   . this is good simple stuff. Of course there is a but, isn’t there always?

It has always been quite surprising to me, to go to the home of what I believe are relatively educated and well traveled people, only to find out that the table setting is either incomplete, incorrect, or worse yet .    .    . set with more silverware then there is time for, or courses being served! O k sooo without further delay .   .   . here comes the good simple stuff.

You’ve got your forks to the left of your plate, dinner on the inside and salad on the outside. When serving desert that requires a fork, but no salad is being served reverse the position (dinner on the outside, then dessert closest to the plate). If serving salad and desert, each needing a smaller fork, here is what I suggest and in fact do. The second small fork be put just above the dinner plate, tongs facing down.*

Knife closest to the right side of your plate, and soup spoon to the outside if serving soup for dinner. When serving soup and desert, place smaller spoon closest to plate, then the knife**,  and the soup spoon to the outside right.
A teaspoon will also be needed when serving coffee or tea. Are you confused? Click on the photo above for show and tell. I find, not to over load the table and guests, I put my teaspoon on the table, right above the dinner plate, along with a desert  fork if used.

When putting silverware directly on the table without a cloth or place mat, place silverware tongs and spoon rims facing down, so that they don’t rock and roll. The second benefit to putting your desert fork/spoon, and tea spoon above the dinner plate, tongs facing down, is so that it acts as a gentle reminder .   .   . helllo .   .   . these two pieces of cutlery are not being used during the first courses.

** The edge of the knife should always face in toward the plate.

O K . . . so some of you say, I already knew all of the above.

Well perhaps you did,   But .   .   .  I’ll  bet that there are many out there, that have taken notes !!!

Well I thought my first children’s book was just days away from launch .   .   . but as it turns out it needed a few more tweaks .   .   . available soon .     .     . I AM SOOO LUCKY !!!   A child’s story of  gentle LOVE.

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the popular Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and…

© 2014 Sharon Insul / Tableofferings. All rights reserved (Text and Photography)

I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS and QUESTIONS  .   .   . sharons3@me.com

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