Now that we have purchased our new home, arranged the garden or embellished the terrace, the time has come to inaugurate it. And how to do it? Maybe organizing a nice dinner for special guests. It will be up to us to decide who to invite, but remember that the more special guests are, the more care we need to have in our table’s mise en place.
What does etiquette tell us in this situation? Here are some useful tips to avoid making mistakes.
Once we have chosen the main elements such as table, chairs and tableware, we are faced with the usual doubt about how to position them on the table.
Starting from the tablecloth, let us remember that this must be well cleaned and above all well ironed so as not to create defects. We can put under a flannel that protects our table from possible stains and scratches but it would be right to put one that is in tune with the tablecloth if this is slightly transparent to show it.
At this point we can switch to the plates putting, if we like but it is not obligatory, a placemat, followed by the flat plate and the bottom plate. If we then have a consommé, let’s not forget to put the appropriate cups. If we want we can also put the saucer for the bread that will be intoned with the eventual and positioned in the upper left.
Then the cutlery will follow a very specific order: the knives will be placed to the right of the plate with the blade facing inwards and arranged in such a way that the first to be used will be those on the outside. In the same order there will be the spoons, also on the right, while the forks will find place, with the same logic to the left of the plate. Above the plates, the dessert and fruit cutlery should be placed, with the handle turned to the left for the spoon and the knife and to the right for the fork.
While the napkin, rigorously of cloth and perhaps intoned with the tablecloth, can be put in different positions according to taste, a precise place must have the glasses that will go over the plate slightly on the right and arranged slightly diagonally, starting from the one for the water, the largest, and then the others dedicated to the wines that will be served, whether red or white and the flute for sparkling wine. In any case, not less than two glasses will be placed but no more than five.
Finally, to set the table correctly, the Galateo includes a centerpiece that should not be too tall or otherwise cumbersome for guests, and not too big if our table is not large enough.