How to set the table by following a few simple rules
The set table is the prelude to a moment of celebration, an opportunity to get together with friends and relatives and share good food all together. If you have never paused before now on how to set the table to make it perfect according to your personal taste, today we will explain everything and you will see that with a few small tricks, you will be more than satisfied with the result.
Before continuing we want to suggest 3 avocado-based recipes to entice guests. Find the process in the video below.
How to set the table: preliminary tips
One of the first things to do, even if it might seem trivial, is not to neglect any detail, everything must make sense and be harmonious as a whole. You can think of establishing a theme around which all the decorations and colors chosen for the tablecloth, plates, glasses and cutlery will revolve.
Try to identify the target audience of people who will sit at the table: is it a business lunch? Then it will be a "rather formal occasion than a dinner with friends or family."
Dedicate yourself to setting the table before the guests arrive, this will allow you to be more focused and study the best combinations, plus you will have more time to dedicate to the guests when they arrive.
Furthermore, having the table already set is considered an extremely cordial gesture, in this way everyone can enjoy the beauty of your work, starting to choose the best place to sit, or they can start teasing something left at the center of the table as an aperitif.
A few basic rules, many useful tips and a lot of room for imagination in order to personalize the atmosphere.
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The choice of the tablecloth
The tablecloth is the basis of everything, its choice is important, just as it is important to have more than one available and to be able to adapt it to various occasions.
If dinner or lunch is with friends and family, it will be a decidedly informal occasion, so the ideal is to use a one-color tablecloth and play with different color combinations for the dishes (or rely on the classic white porcelain).
Linen tablecloths, for example, are very suitable for formal occasions; finally, for birthdays, buffet aperitifs and so on, it is better to opt for disposable paper tablecloths.
The white tablecloth is a must, the important thing is that it is well ironed and free of stains, tears or halos; white could be a good choice especially if you want to highlight even more the decorations you will use on the table.
If the chosen tablecloth already has a very showy pattern, everything else will have to follow the style of simplicity and elegance in order not to risk causing a general confusion.
The extra advice: do not try to mask any streaks on a white tablecloth, relying on American placemats, they often only worsen the situation by highlighting defects that you wanted to cover.
How to set the table: the role of the napkin
Even the napkins have their fundamental role in the organization of the table. Rule number one: match the napkin to the colors of the tablecloth, or rather, choose the predominant color of the entire tablecloth as the color for the napkin.
The napkin that already has a pattern is usually not used much, unless the table is purely white and through the napkins you can give a sparkling touch to the whole.
The ideal is to use napkins of the same fabric as the tablecloth: we know that they are not easy to manage and wash, but the good impression will be ensured. The paper napkins can still be brought to the table and left in the center just in case. There are disposable napkins that have a texture very similar to the fabric of tablecloths: they could be a valid alternative if you want to avoid the hassle of having to wash and remove stains from cloth ones.
The big question is: where is the napkin placed? We want to reassure you immediately by saying that there are no precise rules. If you don't have much space between one place and another, you can choose to place the napkin in the center of the plate. In this case you can indulge yourself and create a series of effects by simply folding the napkin: swan, fan, fish ... among the creations most famous.
Plates and chargers: should they always be combined?
Even if you may never have thought about it, the placemat is useful above all to protect the table and the tablecloth from heat sources and possible stains; moreover, the placemats are a valid tool for marking the places where each guest will sit, as well as in general dressing and setting up the table.
In the past it was the silver underplate that dominated, today it is undermined by mats of all shapes, sizes and materials. Wicker placemats are very popular, perfect for a summer dinner in the garden; or those in glass or ceramic to match the theme of the table or to play with color contrasts.
Plate and placemat can also be of different materials, indeed you can play with these combinations. The only precaution: try to have a reference (color, fantasy or other) between plate and placemat that makes everything more harmonious.
The underplate should never be removed, it remains on the table for the duration of the meals and should be placed under the largest plate which is usually the one dedicated to the second. At the end of lunch or dinner, when you take away all the dishes, remember to leave the placemat with the guest so you can place the dessert plate on top.
The dishes, the real protagonists
When you think about how to set the table, you immediately think of the dishes: which shape to choose, which colors to prefer, the material, etc ... Let's face it, the dish is the one who welcomes the food and has the arduous task of bringing out the smells. and flavors.
The etiquette would like to use plates of the same service to try to create a harmony of together even with napkins, glasses and tablecloth. This however does not prevent you from being able to play with different shapes to create unusual combinations.
Make sure that all dishes are intact and free of cuts or cracks, if not, try to have the "faulty" dish in your place and not in one of the places where the guest will sit.
We will reveal a secret: most dishes should be served in flat plates, use the soup plates only for very liquid foods or soups and soups.
All the rules you did not know about glasses at the table!
Before bringing any glass to the table, you must make sure that it is completely odorless, without limescale halos, shiny, free of cracks and splits. Each meal requires the use of at least two glasses: one for water and one for wine (or other drink); it is also possible to add a third glass in case you plan to serve an aperitif. If you have also provided a wine to accompany the dessert, the glasses become four.
How do they position themselves? The first in front must always be the glass for the water, then proceeding to the right we will find the two wine glasses, and finally the one for the sparkling wine or the end of the meal. If the table does not allow it, you can decide not to put the glass of "dessert time", but add it later when you have cleared most of the other dishes.
As for the types, the glasses are divided into:
- With the stem: also called "chalices", they are more formal and elegant, perfect for holding wine. It is important that it is transparent to make the contents clearly visible; moreover, depending on the dish to accompany, there can be different shapes: the more full-bodied the wine, the larger the glass must be.
- Without the stem: informal, practical, colorful and certainly cheaper. Sometimes, they are used to contain water and placed next to glasses with wine stems, in this case we recommend a simple, transparent glass that recalls the style of the other glasses present.
Where to place the cutlery on a set table
The cutlery is placed on the sides of the plate following this scheme:
- on the right the knife (with the blade facing the plate) and then the spoon
- on the left the fork (this is because it is usually held with the left hand holding the knife with the right to cut the dish)
- the cutlery you use first must be placed outside (for example: those dedicated to the appetizer)
- instead, in front of the plate, the cutlery for dessert (fork with the prongs right side and teaspoon to the left)
- fruit cutlery is usually brought to the table when the fruit is served.
One last touch: the centerpiece
The centerpiece should only be used if there is adequate space to enhance it: it will be the fulcrum of the whole table. Of course, it's best to avoid it being too high because it would prevent guests from looking each other in the eye.
Furthermore, the centerpiece must necessarily be themed with the style of the whole table: fresh flowers are an excellent idea, but be careful that they do not disturb the meal too much, in this case it is better to opt for fake flowers.
Candles are also a witty choice especially to recreate a romantic atmosphere. Those too fragrant, however, could ruin the time of dinner or lunch. Opt for odorless, but floating candles: guaranteed "wow" effect!
