Whose Plate Is It Anyway?

October 10, 2012

When sitting down to eat at a fancy restaurant, a wedding reception, or a formal business dinner, have you ever been utterly confused by the vast array of dishes and utensils? How do you know which plates and glasses are yours? Which fork do you use and when?

Allow me to provide you with a quickie lesson. The bread plate is the one on your left, even though the one on your right may look closer to you. Your wine and water glasses are on your right. How will you remember this? Make an "okay" sign with both hands by touching the tip of each thumb to the tip of each index finger. Your left hand will form a lowercase "b" (for bread), and your right hand will form a "d" (for drinks). Or, remember the acronym BMW: bread, meal, water/wine.

As for the forks, an old rule of thumb is to start from the outside and work your way in. The outermost fork is a salad fork. The next, probably larger fork is used for your entrée, and the smaller one closest to the plate will be your dessert fork.

Hopefully, these tips will let you breeze through your upcoming holiday season gatherings like a pro. MCPL has a plethora of resources to further your etiquette prowess, such as:

• The Etiquette Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Manners by Jodi R. R. Smith
• Socially Smart in 60 Seconds by Deborah Smith Pegues
• Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior by Judith Martin
• Emily Post's Etiquette by Emily Post
• Best 10 1/4 Tips for Table Manners (videorecording)

Vicki H.
Blue Springs South Branch