Business Dining Etiquette 125 - 138

Station Six

The Line to the Bathroom

Station Six – The Line to the Bathroom

The line to the bathroom is to be used to lead people to the best looking bathroom in the house by the most direct route. A bathroom can be used before one comes to the table. It may be used after ordering a drink at any place serving as a bar.

n The trip can begin with the statement, “I’II be right back,” or with the question, “Where can I wash my hands,” after reading any reusable menu. Expect a visit to station six: the bathroom. You may agree to be walked to the restroom.

 In a private home, upon entering the bathroom

1.     Lock the door.  If you are modest, (or well bred,) you can turn on the water.

2.     While inside, strive to eliminate any odor not considered desirable. You can light a single sulfur match (if anyone still has them). Blow it out. Hold it until the smoke dissipates and then deposit it in an ashtray or in the toilet and flush.

 

You may search for and use an air freshener to spray the water in a short burst. (Yes, it works.) I hide it at the back of the toilet. Spray the water and then under the seat. You could spray it with a breath spray, or add a drop or two of cologne or a few drops of liquid soap. Then flush again. The room will smell better. You might then spray the air. For this there can be toilet water.

Hands are to be washed each time after finishing in the bathroom. Turn on the faucet at least once. Wet the soap, if only to make someone believe that before leaving you really did wash your hands and that you do deserve to eat off of china plates. It is easier too to really do it.  Wash your hands with cold water and soap. (It releases the grease and the soap.)

Turn off the water. You can wipe out the sink using toweling or toilet tissue: watch the shine! Place trash in a receptacle, and leave the bathroom ready to receive the next person. Bless you.

A bathroom can be entered again after eating.

At a banquet, during the intermission, this is where you can take that five to ten-minute break.  It could be used to allow each person to make repairs to body, make up, and/or mind, to check nails, and to mark cards.

You may search for and use an air freshener to spray the water in a short burst. (Yes, it works.) I hide it at the back of the toilet. Spray the water and then under the seat. You could spray it with a breath spray, or add a drop or two of cologne or a few drops of liquid soap. Then flush again. The room will smell better. You might then spray the air. For this there can be toilet water. Hands are to be washed each time after finishing in the bathroom. Turn on the faucet at least once while in the bathroom. Wet the soap, if only to make someone believe that before leaving you really did wash your hands and that you do deserve to eat off of china plates. It is easier just too really do it.

1. Wash your hands with cold water and soap. (It releases the grease and the soap.)

2. Turn off the water. You can wipe out the sink using toweling or toilet tissue: watch the shine! Place trash in a receptacle, and leave the bathroom ready to receive the next person. Bless you.

On the way out of the bathroom, Mark received business cards and there are other things you can do:

1.     Look for a body or hand lotion. Use some: on your face, lips, and hands.

2.     Check the mirror. Look at your nose. Then look at your mouth and teeth. Check for particles of foodstuff.

3.     Look for that wrapped toothpick. Use it. You can carry a travel toothbrush, and plan for a way to brush your teeth after you eat, with or without paste. Look for a dish of wrapped signature candy. Have one.

4.     Look for a single rose or flower taken from the centerpiece. Smell it.

5.     Take time to look at each candle lit and floating in a tub. This can be both safe and look awesome.

6.     O.K., it is time to leave, back to your dinner table.

Note: The bathroom is the only room in which you get to be alone where you get to inspect the environment and make decisions about the host from a sitting position. There are nineteen things you can place in a bathroom for someone else to remember when he or she gets home. This page is a breach of etiquette; “What is done behind the door of a bathroom is private.” And, it is, until another person is listening or enters the room.  In a commercial environment, when an attendant is present, services are to be used and tipped.

The Dessert Flatware

Flatware for the dessert can be preset set at table.  A spoon can be preset above the plate: handle pointed to the right. A fork may be placed under a spoon handle to the left.        

What to do? Bring the flatware items to the sides of the plate: the fork to the left and/ or the spoon to the right.   A spoon could be placed to the left of the first (soup) spoon, and or to the right of the last knife when placed alone. A fork could be placed to the right of the last fork.

Prior to serving dessert, the table is to be "corrected." In banquet service, this is what happens while you take that “Five to ten-minute break.”  Dessert flatware can be brought in when the course is served set in place center each place setting. It can consist of a plate passed with a doily and a finger bowl placed atop it,   and flatware placed on each side of it. Flatware is to be   provided with a finger bowl only for dessert.

What to do? Each person at table is to

1.     Place the doily and the finger bowl just above the space for the fork.

2.     The fork is to be set to the left of the plate.

3.     The spoon is set to the right.

Eating Dessert

Dessert can be the (fifth or) last course. It is to be served at all meals when company is in attendance. Dessert can be served in a saucer champagne glass or in a bowl set atop an underlying (B&B) plate. It may be served on a salad plate. A dessert plate, empty or filled, can be passed to each person at a table and set center the place setting. Sauce for a dessert is to be served in a sauce boat and stand and ladled onto it. A sauce can be pre-ladled onto a dessert. The dessert course can be eaten using a fork and spoon, a fork or spoon alone, or with the fingers alone.

1. A fork and spoon can be used together for a dessert course. The spoon takes the place of and is to be used as a knife. The fork is used tines down to hold the item in place while it is being cut. The fork can be used as a pusher to push-pull an item onto a spoon. The spoon is to be used to eat the item. In the Continental style, the left-hand is kept above the table

2. When a fork or spoon is used alone each is to be held in the right-hand tines or bowl up. A fork alone is to be used to cut and eat cake that is frosted.

3. Fingers can be used to eat unfrosted cake; the thumb, index, and the middle fingers may be used to break off a piece of cake and to take it to your mouth

4. In the United States of America eating style, when eating dessert, the rest position for the fork is tines up to the left side of the plate; handle pointed to the edge of the table. The rest position for the spoon is to the right side of the plate; handle pointed in the same direction.

5. The finished position for the fork is tines up to the right side of the plate, handle pointed to four o'clock. It can be placed handle pointed toward the edge of the table. The finished position for the spoon is the right side of the fork parallel to it.

6. In the Continental eating style when eating dessert, the rest position for the spoon is center the plate bowl up handle pointed to four o'clock. The rest position for the fork is tines down over the bowl of the spoon; handle to the left pointed to eight o'clock.

7. When the spoon and fork are used together, the finished position for the fork is tines down handle pointed to four o'clock. It can be placed handle toward the edge of the table. The spoon is placed bowl up to the right side of the fork and parallel to it.

When used alone, the finished position for the fork is tines up or spoon bowl up to the right side of the plate, handle pointed to four o'clock.

Eating Crème brûlée

Crème brûlée is to be eaten by using a ramekin, an underlying plate set in a place setting, and a spoon.

1. The cup can be steadied with the left hand. The side of the spoon is used to tap or to crack the sugar crust shell.

2. The top shell is pushed into the crème.

3. The dish to be eaten by being spooned from the shell and placed into the mouth.

When garnished with berries (and kiwi) each is to be eaten with a spoon.

4. The finished position for the spoon is to the right side of the cup atop the underlying plate.

Flatware Rest and Finished Positions Eating Dessert

In the Continental eating style when eating dessert, the rest position for the spoon is center the plate bowl up handle pointed to four o'clock. The rest position for the fork is tines down over the bowl of the spoon; handle to the left pointed to eight o'clock.

                                                              

Drinks with Dessert

Champagne can be served as a dessert wine.  Sparkling water, or cider, may be served in lieu of it.

Coffee may be served with dessert or after it.  It can be omitted.

When the spoon and fork are used together, the finished position for the fork is tines down handle pointed to four o'clock. It can be placed handle toward the edge of the table. The spoon is placed bowl up to the right side of the fork and parallel to it.

Using a Finger Bowl

A finger bowl can be used after the dessert course is completed. The water is to be topped with lemon. When it is time to use your finger bowl

1.     Move it atop the doily, center the place setting.

2.     Dip the tips of your fingers in it.

3.     Then blot them on your napkin.

4.     You may re-dip the fingers of one hand and brush the tips of your wet fingers over your lips. Avoid letting the water drip down your chin.

5.     Then pat your mouth with a corner of your napkin.  

Avoid drinking from a finger bowl or from using a glass as one. Both I have seen this done -- once.

The use of a finger bowl could be omitted.

At Table Finishes

All finished? The plate for a one-course meal or for the last course is to be left center the place setting until after you get up from the table. Flatware is to be placed in the finished position for the style, in which you are eating, Continental, fork tines down, American style, tines up. Both styles, handle to four o’clock, knife to the right of the fork blade facing it. Flatware that is not used is to be left on the table. It means that the item the flatware piece was intended to be used with was omitted, the guest did an “Oops”, or the knife was not needed to cut the salad. Someone will check. Life will go on. Real trash can be placed under the left section of the plate. Each beverage glass left is to be in the place setting position for it. You can ask people at table to sign your menu card, and keep it as a memento: what the event was, what was served, and who sat at your table. For this have a pen. Review your menu card. Look for one dish that you can serve at your event.

 

Keep your napkin on your lap and, remain in your chair until the hostess or the senior woman at the table places her napkin on the table and rises to leave. Following this lead, place your napkin in a mock fold to the left of your place setting.

  

A napkin is not to end on a plate. Avoid making a garbage plate. That finished view is what someone can think of you.

When practicing, you can take a picture of your cover. It is to be ready to receive seconds or do the finish over.

Then, unless staying for after-dinner entertainment, get up with alacrity and grace. Pull out the chair for any woman to your right. Allow her to exit the space. Then push her chair in to a point six inches from the table edge. Now do the same to your chair. Leave the table in honor order.