Table Etiquettes

hi folks after learning so many delicious recipes frm chitvish mam we should know some table etiquettes also . although we all r familiar of this but still just see may be it can help us a bit more . THE PERFECT HOSTESS
Whatever the occasion be, from a children’s picnic to a wedding or a dinner party, the secret of making guests happy lies in the personality of the hostess, in her opportunity to make each one feel that his or her presence contributes something special and delightful, and in her ability to “set the keynote” for the occasion. She can do this only if she really likes people and enjoys entertaining them. There are few factors common to all types of entertaining, which a hostess should bear in mind.
1-	For any entertaining, warm well-ventilated rooms, good food and drink are the first requisites in making people enjoy themselves. Soft lighting, attractive decoration of flowers and if possible, quiet background music are a tremendous help in creating the right atmosphere.
2-	The hostess should make it her business to see that proper introductions are made, and if possible get two strangers not only introduced but also well started on a conversation before leaving them.
3-	The offer of a drink on arrival can sometimes be a great help in promoting a friendly and a relaxed atmosphere. While hospitality should be generous, it is no part of the host or hostess’s duties to press alcohol on the guest who declines. Such a refusal should be accepted gracefully and the reason for it respected.
4-	Since food and food service will be the chief preoccupation of the hostess,the hostess should not try to cram everything in the last few hours.The menu should be drawn up with the possibility of advance preparation so that when the guests arrive she can forget organizational problems and concentrate on the human aspects of the party, the guests themselves.
5-	When food and drink is spilt, and damage is done to clothing or furniture, the hostess’s first consideration will be the comfort and happiness of her guests and any damage to her property must only be dealt with after the guests have been reassured.
To be a successful hostess it is not necessary to be rich or to make elaborate arrangement. Thought individuality and the personality one can impart to an occasion count for more than cash expenditure. Many a costly function has turned out a deadly ore, many a given party on the proverbial function has been a brilliant success, any woman who enjoys her own home, and enjoys sharing it with her guest, can aspire to be a perfect hostess.

TABLE SETTING
A table setting is the harbinger of the menu that is to follow, right from the soup and starter upto the dessert. The type of service depends not only the number of people at the table but also on the formality of the occasion. The criterion for serving food in the proper manner should be the comfort of the diners – they should feel comfortable eating, the food served should be at the proper temperature. Hot foods should be served piping hot, like the soups whereas, the cold foods should be served well chilled like sorbets.
Table setting for a formal dinner
1-	The first step is to place the linen carefully on the table. A silence cloth should be placed under damask, but can be omitted if place mats are to be used.
2-	The bottom of the plate is placed two inches (5 cm) from the edge of the table when a tablecloth is used. But if place mats are being used, the dinner plate should be placed in the middle of each place mat. If a starter or soup is to be served before the main course then the dinner plate will not be kept on the table, it will be placed just when the main course is to be served. Ideally it should be kept warm. Soup cup/plate, half plate for starters etc. are normally pre-plated, so there is no need to place them in advance.
3-	The napkin goes lengthwise on the left side of the plate. It can be folded decoratively and kept either on the plate or on the table to make the setting more attractive and appealing.
4-	Cutlery (knife/spoon/fork) should be kept about half-inch (1.25 cm) away from the plate and from each other. The fork goes on the left, the knife goes on the right, cutting-edge towards the plate and the spoon is placed next to the knife, parallel and to the right.
5-	The drinking glass goes above the knife, about two inches away from its tip. It should always be wiped dry and sparkling clear. The glass should be filled little less than the brim as it’s easier to handle and also the chances of the water spilling are less. Wine glasses, if to come, should be placed next to the water glass. All the glasses should be arranged at the start itself and removed one by one as the guests finish drinking from a particular glass. Water glass should be refilled the moment it gets empty. When the water jug is filled with ice cubes and water or absolutely chilled water, the condensation on its exteriors can spill on the table and while serving, on to the guest too. To avoid this, the jug should be wrapped with a cloth napkin neatly before pouring. The mouth of the jug should be such that no ice cube falls into the glass. If desired, the ice cubes can be served from an ice bucket with an ice-tong.
6-	The centerpiece for a formal dinner could be a lighted candle along with a small flower vase and an attractive menu stand displaying the menu to be served. Don’t miss out on a cruet set.
7-	Arrangements can be made for kids to sit at the dining table along with the adults by placing high chairs or by putting extra cushions on the chair to elevate the seat.