How to Use Silver Flatware
There are four basic dining styles practiced throughout the world: American (zigzag), Continental (European), Asian and Communal. These are not jockeying for first place, as no one style is better than they other, they are just different. American and European place settings are usually similar; the primary difference being is that the orientation of the fork and spoon lay differently. Following are an American formal dinner silver flatware placement guide. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Take inventory and set the table according to the time of day and type of event. Meaning, not all silverware is put out in the same manner for each meal. There are more pieces as the day progresses and the number of courses increase, but never more than 13 pieces laid out at one time.
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Set silver starting on the left side of the plate. For a multicourse dinner, place a napkin, then lay a fish fork, salad fork and a dinner fork.
A fish fork is rather small and the points---tines---help to pick bones out of seafood. The salad fork is similar to the dinner fork only it is shorter, thicker in weight and has one less tine. The dinner fork is nestled next to the plate.
Occasionally, if a shrimp cocktail is served, the fish fork will arrive on the plate with that course. And if using a bread plate, a butter spreader knife will lay across the plate, horizontally, with the blade side facing the forks. -
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Set right-side silver with the dinner knife, the fish knife, a soup spoon and an oyster spoon, if needed. Put the knife blade side in---facing the plate.
Dessert silverware, generally a spoon and fork, are laid horizontally on the tablecloth above the dinner plate. The dessert spoon will be on top with the handle facing right, the fork handle, opposite, is on the left. -
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Place extras like this: if using a bread plate and butter knife, this goes upper left to the dinner plate; knife laying diagonally across the top of the plate. If coffee is served, a small spoon may accompany the cup and saucer.
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Place settings should allow for between 24 to 28 inches of width space for each person. The utensils should be lined up to be 1 inch away from the edge of the table.
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Tips & Warnings
A typical breakfast setting is: dinner fork, dinner knife, teaspoon, a bread and butter plate, a cereal bowl, cup, saucer, water glass and juice glass. Very formal settings have up to three forks and three knives. Experiment with different types of napkin folding techniques as they add a lot of style to a place setting. Fish knives are meant to remove bones, but can also be used to manipulate a biteful of seafood onto the fish fork. Glasses go right to left: white wine, red wine and water or iced drink. Store good quality silverware in a felt-lined box.
Special spoons are reserved for caviar and are usually made of marble, mother of pearl, porcelain or plastic. Silver reacts with this food in a bad way, hence, this custom. Used silverware is always put down resting on the plate, never the tablecloth. Silver cutlery and foods with acid do not react well. The silver should be washed, rinsed and dried with a linen towel or paper towel right away. Excessive water and dishwasher use causes spotting on silver. Clean with a metal polish, rinse and dry thoroughly.
Resources
- Photo Credit Clipart.com
