Day 5~Table Manners and More
Quick, do you know which direction to pass the food at a family-style sit-down dinner? It’s FROM the left TO the right, which is counterclockwise.
Where does your drink go, and what about the bread plate? Here’s a tip I learned when I was a child. Put both your hands in front of you and make the OK sign (thumb and pointer making a circle, and the other three fingers sticking up in the air.) Look at your hands – the right hand will be making a “d” shape. D for drink will remind you that the drink goes on your right. Your left hand will be making a “b” shape. B for bread means the bread plate is on the left.
Do the kids need a little brushing up on table manners before visiting Great Aunt Jane? Here’s a link to a list of basic table manners from the Holiday Cook.
Are YOU a guest this year? While you may be bringing part of the meal, a small gift for the hostess is always a sweet gesture as well. A loaf of quick bread wrapped in a $store tea towel, a box of tea wrapped in plain paper with a spoon tied on top, a jar of jelly or relish presented simply in a brown paper bag tied with twine or raffia . . . It doesn’t take more than two or three dollars to show your appreciation. A basket of apples, a bag of grapes or nuts, or a small crate of clementines make for great snacking later in the evening, and a welcome gift. Bonus points if you bring them in a thrifted bowl or stand ready to display!
