Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 As the resident troll (correctly identified by Bluemoon) I feel it's my duty and responsibility to from time to time offer a small piece of advice to the more civilized members of the forum. Today's topic is proper placement of eating utensils. The one rule for a formal table is for everything to be geometrically spaced: the centerpiece at the exact center; the place settings at equal distances; and the utensils balanced. Beyond these placements, you can vary flower arrangements and decorations as you like. Formal Place Setting The placement of utensils is guided by the menu, the idea being that you use utensils in an “outside in” order. For the illustrated place setting here, the order of the menu is: Appetizer: Shellfish First Course: Soup or fruit Fish Course Entrée Salad 1. Service Plate: This large plate, also called a charger, serves as an underplate for the plate holding the first course, which will be brought to the table. When the first course is cleared, the service plate remains until the plate holding the entrée is served, at which point the two plates are exchanged. The charger may serve as the underplate for several courses which precede the entrée. 2. Butter plate: The small butter plate is placed above the forks at the left of the place setting. 3. Dinner fork: The largest of the forks, also called the place fork, it is placed on the left of the plate. Other smaller forks for other courses are arranged to the left or right of the dinner fork, according to when they will be used. 4. Fish fork: If there is a fish course, this small fork is placed farthest to the left of the dinner fork because it is the first fork used. 5. Salad fork: If salad is served after the entrée, the small salad fork is placed to the right of the dinner fork, next to the plate. If the salad is to be served first, and fish second, then the forks would be arranged (left to right): salad fork, fish fork, dinner fork. 6. Dinner knife: The large dinner knife is placed to the right of the dinner plate. 7. Fish knife: The specially shaped fish knife goes to the right of the dinner knife. 8. Salad knife: (Note: there is no salad knife in the illustration.) If used, according to the above menu, it would be placed to the left of the dinner knife, next to the dinner plate. If the salad is to be served first, and fish second, then the knives would be arranged (left to right):dinner knife, fish knife, salad knife. 9. Soup spoon or fruit spoon: If soup or fruit is served as a first course, then the accompanying spoon goes to the right of the knives. 10. Oyster fork: If shellfish are to be served, the oyster fork is set to the right of the spoons. Note: It is the only fork ever placed on the right of the plate. 11. Butter knife: This small spreader is paced diagonally on top of the butter plate, handle on the right and blade down. 12. Glasses: These can number up to five and are placed so that the smaller ones are in front. The water goblet (la) is placed directly above the knives. Just to the right goes a champagne flute (lb); In front of these are placed a red (lc) and/or white (ld) wine glass and a sherry glass (le) 13. Napkin: The napkin is placed on top of the charger (if one is used) or in the space for the plate. In general: Knife blades are always placed with the cutting edge toward the plate. No more than three of any implement is ever placed on the table, except when an oyster fork is used in addition to three other forks. If more than three courses are served before dessert, then the utensil for the fourth course is brought in with the food; likewise the salad fork and knife may be brought in when the salad course is served. Dessert spoons and forks are brought in on the dessert plate just before dessert is served. Next weeks Advice from the Troll box will bring you an exclusive interview with Martha Stewart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSG_Standard Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Where does the Spork go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Where does the Spork go? Right next to the KFC box at the end of the pick nick table, but not the end you cleaned fish on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Evil on a Budget... or, How to threaten the free world on fifty dollars a day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Evil on a Budget... or' date=' How to threaten the free world on fifty dollars a day[/u'] Are you advising me to stop the upscale etiquette advice and start an evil subgroup bent on world domination? hmmm, I like it, but it will have to wait for the kids to go to bed this evening. I don't want to set a bad example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Are you advising me to stop the upscale etiquette advice and start an evil subgroup bent on world domination? hmmm' date=' I like it, but it will have to wait for the kids to go to bed this evening. I don't want to set a bad example. [/quote'] Hilarious. This actually resolves an issue for my wife and I. Nice "trolling"... /chuckle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Very funny Homz! Flight959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Hilarious. This actually resolves an issue for my wife and I. Nice "trolling"... /chuckle! I thought my 'I like Peanuts' posts were funny too. Guess I was the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djroge1 Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Homz, That diagram is messed up. Since we all play guitar here - there should be a note about where does the guitar go? on your left or right while dining. You know incase one gets an idea in their head and has to play? Which side does the pick go? Slide or no slide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Homz' date=' That diagram is messed up. Since we all play guitar here - there should be a note about where does the guitar go? on your left or right while dining. You know incase one gets an idea in their head and has to play? Which side does the pick go? Slide or no slide?[/quote'] Well this troll's advice is to have it in your lap. I thought that was quite obvious because it wasn't listed on the table placement illustration. In the future I will attempt to be more detailed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfpup Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Crap. With the mixture of letters and numbers on that diagram, I can't tell what's what. I can't work it out at all! It's like algebra! I think I have even less etiquette now. Thanks, Homz! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Crap. With the mixture of letters and numbers on that diagram' date=' I can't tell what's what. I can't work it out at all! It's like algebra! I think I have even less etiquette now. Thanks, Homz![/quote'] Just look at the picture and make your table look like that. Well actually if you have that many utensils you probably also have a servant to set the table so have a brandy on the rocks and don't worry about the etiquette thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 Some of you guys are way too creative. :) You should find a way to get paid for all this talent instead of posting it for free here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Share Posted January 24, 2009 Some of you guys are way too creative. :) You should find a way to get paid for all this talent instead of posting it for free here. What's the going rate for obnoxious *** hole? Is that a Union position? I'm always up for an upgrade. Wow, how cool would it be to get paid for being a ****? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 (lb) is missing............. beer bottle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 where do i put the box of pizza? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basshole Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 better yet can i put my top romin in the wine glass? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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