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The joy of receiving - A table for important events
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| A pleasant and welcoming atmosphere, an attention to every detail, making guests feel at their ease, food prepared with loving care: from a gala dinner, to the brunch with friends, these are the ingredients to make an unforgettable experience out of an invitation. The most refined table will be the one that reflects the hosts' taste and style: without exaggerations, but with a pinch of originality, this is how to prepare the formal table according to Italian tradition. |
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This is the basic outline for the preparation of the classic Italian table, to enrich and personalize depending on circumstances.
For important lunches and dinners, the set of dishes requires a plate that is never taken away, on which the dinner plate and the soup plate will be placed; the bread dish must be positioned above the left cutlery, while, in the case of a dinner with consommé, the special two-handle bowl will replace the soup dish on the plate.
Cutlery is usually placed according to the order in which it is used, so that pieces farther away from the dish will be used first.
Table knives will be arranged to the right, with their edge toward the dish; the spoons, with the concave part facing upwards, and, if needed, the fish knife; the forks to the left (consider, for their number, that each course will need its own fork), with their tines upward; fish forks are placed the furthest out. Finally, dessert cutlery is laid out on the plate: teaspoons and small knives with their handle towards the right, little forks with the handle to the left.
Glasses are to be placed above the cutlery to the right: starting from the left, the first glass (large) is the water one; those for red wine (medium), and white wine (small), follow; above you might place the glass for the dessert wine or the flute for the champagne, even though the severest rules would require the latter to be brought to the table only after all other glasses shave been removed, with the exception of the water glasses.
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The tablecloth, preferably white or ivory, will drop a maximum of 30-40 cm from the table sides; it is moreover advisable to iron it when it is lain on the table, to completely get rid of even the slightest wrinkles. Napkins can be placed, without distinction, either on the left or on the right of the plate, elegantly folded, either in a triangular or a rectangular shape: "fantasy" folds should be avoided; nevertheless, for a touch of originality, napkins can be tied with a ribbon or flowers. Any place cards should be placed behind the dessert cutlery.
A table laid out for important occasions may, finally, be enriched with small saltcellars (one every two guests) and, if the menu anticipates food to be eaten with fingers, with "lavadita" bowls containing water with a slice of lemon.
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