It is probably no secret that etiquette books are a great resource for the tablemaster. There are a great many available from authors who purport to know something on the subject. Some books have been around for many years. Others have popped up to take advantage of the changes in technology. For our purposes, the older books will do, since cell phones are not even a consideration at Mr. Bowen's table. The great news is that many of these books are available for bargain prices at the online auction arena. In deed, Mr. Bowen has purchased most of the etiquette books he owns this way. The following are Mr. Bowen's top five etiquette books for use by a tablemaster:
1. The Butler Speaks by Charles MacPherson, 2013 Random House
2. Amy Vanderbilt's Complete Book of Etiquette, by Amy Vanderbilt, 1958 Doubleday
3. Debrett's Etiquette & Modern Manners, edited by Elsie Burch Donald, 1990, Webb & Bower
4. A Gentleman at the Table, by John Bridges and Bryan Curtis, 2004 Rutledge Hill Press
5. Service Etiquette by Captain Brooks J. Harrall, U.S.N., 1963 US Naval Institute, Annapolis
To be sure, Mr. Bowen owns many more books. However, if you could only own five, these would be it. These authors take their craft seriously and have been writing and researching about it for many years if not decades.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Thursday, December 15, 2016
The Big Three-Holloware for Every Meal
There are three holloware pieces that are arguably the most versatile ones that one can own and have on the table for virtually every meal. If Mr. Bowen mentions the three holloware pieces- the bread tray, the gravy boat and the water pitcher, it might conjure up a vision of a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. You would be correct in thinking in terms of using these pieces in connection with a major dinner occasion. However, you may want to expand your vision a little in terms of what these pieces can offer.
Sterling silver doesn't seem to get much thought in terms of usage for breakfast. In yesteryear though, sterling was used fairly regularly for breakfast and not just flatware. One of Mr. Bowen's favorite pieces in this regard is the toast rack. These were ubiquitous in Victorian times. They are seldom seen today.
There are several typical holloware pieces that are perfect at dinner time, but would have no place at the breakfast table. Classic example here is the candlestick or candelabra. Candlesticks and candelabra don't make their appearance on the table until after 5 PM.
The first of the "big three" for your consideration is the gravy boat. This is the most versatile of the three. One may use it for gravy of course, but you may want to use it for syrup for breakfast pancakes or French Toast. Another use could be for salad dressing. A gravy boat's potential uses are many. It is easily your most useful holloware piece overall.
Bread has been called the staff of life in many western diets and around the world. Although it has fallen out of favor in some quarters, bread remains a staple. A bread tray may be used for bread, but at breakfast time, it would make an ideal holder for muffins or sweet rolls. Some holloware manufacturers did make specialized muffin trays. But from a utilitarian standpoint, the muffin tray isn't really discernible from other trays of similar size in appearance. The classic shape of the bread tray somewhat resembling an open flat bottomed two ended boat with bow & stern rising up in elevation from the middle is unmistakable.
The water pitcher like the gravy boat can hold many different types of liquid, suitable for any meal. Mr. Bowen wouldn't go crazy on this one-water or orange juice-that kind of thing.
Sterling silver doesn't seem to get much thought in terms of usage for breakfast. In yesteryear though, sterling was used fairly regularly for breakfast and not just flatware. One of Mr. Bowen's favorite pieces in this regard is the toast rack. These were ubiquitous in Victorian times. They are seldom seen today.
There are several typical holloware pieces that are perfect at dinner time, but would have no place at the breakfast table. Classic example here is the candlestick or candelabra. Candlesticks and candelabra don't make their appearance on the table until after 5 PM.
The first of the "big three" for your consideration is the gravy boat. This is the most versatile of the three. One may use it for gravy of course, but you may want to use it for syrup for breakfast pancakes or French Toast. Another use could be for salad dressing. A gravy boat's potential uses are many. It is easily your most useful holloware piece overall.
Bread has been called the staff of life in many western diets and around the world. Although it has fallen out of favor in some quarters, bread remains a staple. A bread tray may be used for bread, but at breakfast time, it would make an ideal holder for muffins or sweet rolls. Some holloware manufacturers did make specialized muffin trays. But from a utilitarian standpoint, the muffin tray isn't really discernible from other trays of similar size in appearance. The classic shape of the bread tray somewhat resembling an open flat bottomed two ended boat with bow & stern rising up in elevation from the middle is unmistakable.
The water pitcher like the gravy boat can hold many different types of liquid, suitable for any meal. Mr. Bowen wouldn't go crazy on this one-water or orange juice-that kind of thing.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Mr. Bowen's Top 5 Table Etiquette Laws (or at least they should be)
If it were in his purview, Mr. Bowen would enforce certain traditional etiquette customs. This would be for the benefit of all seated at the table and for those serving them. Mr. Bowen's Top 5 Table Etiquette Laws are as follows:
1. When finished eating the main or respective course, place the fork and the knife parallel to each other on the plate with the handle ends at the 7 o'clock position and the business end of the cutlery at the 11 o'clock position. This tells the people serving you to remove your plate from the table. Expect that this will happen from your right side as food is served from the left side. Many times service personal are unable to tell whether you are finished or not and ready for the next course if the cutlery is not placed in this traditional manner.
2. When passing the bread tray do so in a counter clock wise manner. When the tray arrives at your left, take a piece, and place it on your bread plate which should be above the forks on the left side. Offer the bread tray to the person on your right. After handing off the bread tray, you may break the piece of bread in half with your hands. Notice here that food is served from the left and taken away from the right. The exception is the pouring of drinks on the right side of the place setting as that is where the water goblet, wine glasses and coffee cup are located.
3. Do not rest the knife handle on the table and the blade on the plate. The entire knife should rest on the plate with the blade facing inward. This keeps the tablecloth cleaner.
4. The napkin should not make its appearance on a person's lap until the hostess picks up hers. If there is no hostess, place it in your lap as soon as you are seated. It should be picked up by the corner and laid neatly across your lap. It should not be shaken out. Never tuck a napkin under your chin. If eating conditions warrant such action, the eating establishment will provide you with a special bib such as for lobster. Furthermore, when leaving the table place the napkin on the seat of the chair. Some places like to hang it over the back of the chair for your return. Somehow, that doesn't seem appealing to Mr. Bowen.
Only when the meal is finished, the coffee served and the bon bon dishes have made their appearence may one place their napkin back onto the table on the left side.
5. Dress appropriately for the occasion. What used to be business casual-khaki pants, white shirt, tie, & leather shoes is now considered business attire in many quarters. Business casual now seems to be slacks and a Hawaiian shirt. A business suit for man and an appropriately modest dress for a woman will never be out of style for most fine dining situations. Hats may be worn by women inside, but not by men. Obviously, there are other considerations as well, but these are Mr. Bowen's top five.
1. When finished eating the main or respective course, place the fork and the knife parallel to each other on the plate with the handle ends at the 7 o'clock position and the business end of the cutlery at the 11 o'clock position. This tells the people serving you to remove your plate from the table. Expect that this will happen from your right side as food is served from the left side. Many times service personal are unable to tell whether you are finished or not and ready for the next course if the cutlery is not placed in this traditional manner.
2. When passing the bread tray do so in a counter clock wise manner. When the tray arrives at your left, take a piece, and place it on your bread plate which should be above the forks on the left side. Offer the bread tray to the person on your right. After handing off the bread tray, you may break the piece of bread in half with your hands. Notice here that food is served from the left and taken away from the right. The exception is the pouring of drinks on the right side of the place setting as that is where the water goblet, wine glasses and coffee cup are located.
3. Do not rest the knife handle on the table and the blade on the plate. The entire knife should rest on the plate with the blade facing inward. This keeps the tablecloth cleaner.
4. The napkin should not make its appearance on a person's lap until the hostess picks up hers. If there is no hostess, place it in your lap as soon as you are seated. It should be picked up by the corner and laid neatly across your lap. It should not be shaken out. Never tuck a napkin under your chin. If eating conditions warrant such action, the eating establishment will provide you with a special bib such as for lobster. Furthermore, when leaving the table place the napkin on the seat of the chair. Some places like to hang it over the back of the chair for your return. Somehow, that doesn't seem appealing to Mr. Bowen.
Only when the meal is finished, the coffee served and the bon bon dishes have made their appearence may one place their napkin back onto the table on the left side.
5. Dress appropriately for the occasion. What used to be business casual-khaki pants, white shirt, tie, & leather shoes is now considered business attire in many quarters. Business casual now seems to be slacks and a Hawaiian shirt. A business suit for man and an appropriately modest dress for a woman will never be out of style for most fine dining situations. Hats may be worn by women inside, but not by men. Obviously, there are other considerations as well, but these are Mr. Bowen's top five.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Half Wits Holiday
In his youth, Mr. Bowen watched many short films featuring The Three Stooges. His favorite one is titled, Half Wits Holiday. In case you aren't familiar with this one, the story line has been recycled several times by Hollywood. Two gentlemen bet they can turn a person or in this case Three Stooges of questionable character into a gentleman.
In watching the film short, Mr. Bowen paid careful attention to the lessons being given to The Three Stooges. The butler served them from the right side. There were other mistakes as well. My point in bringing this up is that Mr. Bowen is not convinced that knowledge relating to table etiquette was ever ubiquitous or well known throughout society. If this knowledge was ever widespread, you would have thought that would be the case during the "silver age" of fine home dining from the 1940s to the 1960s. Half Wits Holiday was filmed in 1947.
At least a handful of times during the year, Mr. Bowen attends luncheons at the finest private clubs in the very large city an hours drive or so from the seaside hamlet in which he resides. The service and the food are always excellent at these establishments. What is surprising to Mr. Bowen is the lack of continuity in the place setting.area. The coffee cup does not belong placed above the dessert fork and spoon. In addition, the napkin does not belong on the bread plate.
At the county fair near where Mr. Bowen resides, there is a Tablesetting contest. 'Tablesetting" contest is a misnomer. It really is a table decorating contest. Mr. Bowen enters this contest to display his holloware collection. The judges always place a commentary on the table after judging. Mr. Bowen was very amused by the most recent installment by the judges. The judges took off points because there was a bread plate, but bread was not mentioned on the menu. Sitting right next to the menu was a bread tray. They also took off points for having "four glasses on the table but only mentioning coffee on the menu". One of the "glasses" was clearly a sterling water goblet. As respects the three glasses that actually existed, Mr. Bowen listed the wine for each of the courses on the menu under each course. Mr. Bowen gives the judges the same award as he received-Honorable Mention.
In watching the film short, Mr. Bowen paid careful attention to the lessons being given to The Three Stooges. The butler served them from the right side. There were other mistakes as well. My point in bringing this up is that Mr. Bowen is not convinced that knowledge relating to table etiquette was ever ubiquitous or well known throughout society. If this knowledge was ever widespread, you would have thought that would be the case during the "silver age" of fine home dining from the 1940s to the 1960s. Half Wits Holiday was filmed in 1947.
At least a handful of times during the year, Mr. Bowen attends luncheons at the finest private clubs in the very large city an hours drive or so from the seaside hamlet in which he resides. The service and the food are always excellent at these establishments. What is surprising to Mr. Bowen is the lack of continuity in the place setting.area. The coffee cup does not belong placed above the dessert fork and spoon. In addition, the napkin does not belong on the bread plate.
At the county fair near where Mr. Bowen resides, there is a Tablesetting contest. 'Tablesetting" contest is a misnomer. It really is a table decorating contest. Mr. Bowen enters this contest to display his holloware collection. The judges always place a commentary on the table after judging. Mr. Bowen was very amused by the most recent installment by the judges. The judges took off points because there was a bread plate, but bread was not mentioned on the menu. Sitting right next to the menu was a bread tray. They also took off points for having "four glasses on the table but only mentioning coffee on the menu". One of the "glasses" was clearly a sterling water goblet. As respects the three glasses that actually existed, Mr. Bowen listed the wine for each of the courses on the menu under each course. Mr. Bowen gives the judges the same award as he received-Honorable Mention.
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