The Humble Gourmand

Presentation is half the battle.

So goes the mantra that can be applied to many aspects of life. The way we present ourselves, in cleanliness, apparel, and neatness, will have lasting impressions. So why not put that same focus on the way we dress our dinner tables?

To put together a memorable dinner party, it’s essential to ensure presentation is well-planned. It’s not about pretension — the most expensive serving platter, a high-priced wine, or even whether you serve filet mignon or skirt steaks. It’s more about the way you offer the meal that can ease guests, giving them everything they need in an aesthetically pleasing way.

It’s obvious what roles taste and smell play in your average dining experience, but sight is often overlooked. It’s in our nature to be drawn to more attractive people and things, and we’re more likely to feel comfortable with order than disarray.

So, when planning to set the dinner table, adhere to mise en place (“MEEZ ahn plahs”), the French term for “everything in its place.” It’s a method by which the chef measures out all necessary ingredients before cooking a thing, placing measured ingredients in small bowls, ready to go. (This is especially helpful in making sure you actually have all the ingredients for the recipe before you put your coat on mid-way through to run to the store.) Your salt is measured. Three eggs are cracked and whisked. A ¼ cup of olive oil awaits the skillet. You get the idea.

The mise en place approach can be applied to setting the dinner table for a positively memorable evening. If you have everything in its place as guests arrive and are seated, it makes for a more enjoyable meal — not only for them, but also for the host!

Place settings
A simple place setting, which includes dinner plate, salad plate, bread plate, knife, fork, spoon, napkin, wine glass, is best. Tablecloth optional.

You can add certain items, such as a steak knife or soup bowl, if it applies to your meal, but the bread and butter (we’ll get to that shortly) of your place setting should include those essentials.

Center each plate on the placemats, if you’re using them. Place the fork to the left of the plate. Knife goes to the right, sharp side facing the plate, and the spoon sits to the right of the knife.

The salad plate goes above the fork on the left side, with the bread plate in center.

The wine glass is placed above the knife.

Napkins can be placed under the knife and spoon, but preferably, use linen napkins folded or in a napkin ring atop the plate.

Serving utensils and trivets
Sounds intuitive, but have the correct serving utensils on the table. Serving a salad? Be sure to have a large serving fork and spoon.

For a platter of meat, a large serving fork. Soup equals ladle, and so on.

While these are relatively simple principles, making sure the correct utensil is on hand for each dish saves time and assures that a guest will not have to use his or her own fork for serving.

Don’t forget to have the correct number of trivets (for hot dishes or plates) ready on the table and part of your setup.

Bread and cheese
Nicely toasted bread is a lovely complement to essentially any meal. I prefer to buy baguettes and slice them into 2-to-3-inch sections, then place directly on the oven rack for a few minutes. Serve warm with dinner.

A cheese plate or board is another welcome addition. It plays two roles on the table: more food for your guests to eat, and looking pretty. Place 3-4 types of cheese on the board with bunched grapes, sliced apples, nuts (such as walnuts or almonds) and a small bowl of honey. It looks classy and tastes fabulous.

Be sure to include a few small knives for cutting and spreading the cheese, and some crackers or slices of toasted baguette in a small basket or dish, too.

Other necessities
* Salt and pepper — extra points for shakers that match
* Butter, on a dish, with its own small knife

Final touches
If you are serving wine for a dinner party of six, have a second bottle open and on the table for second glasses at the start of the meal. If your crowd is the drinking type, have more bottles close by. It’s much nicer for the host to pick up an already-open bottle, so you don’t miss any conversation at the table.

For ambience, small votive candles make for simple elegance on the dinner table, and save room for what’s most important – the food. Some hosts prefer to have flowers, but I suggest removing them during the meal, again to put the focus on the meal you just slaved away preparing.

Photos by Lynne Funk.

1. lisawehunt

   April 4 11:19 a.m. 1

   Very helpful. I look forward to reading more helpful hints in the future.

   Nice job, Ms. Funk

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