The Line to the Food
Station Five – The Line to the Food Eating in Courses
The line to the food can lead to no more than five (four) courses; the order of service is to be (appetizer), soup melon or fruit juice, fish, (or during the day an egg dish) (intermezzo) (a Roasted) meat, fowl, or vegetable, salad, and dessert. When alone practice eating challenging food with a knife and fork. When seated at a dining table a large napkin is to be placed on your lap fold towards you, at the lead of the hostess or the senior person, and or prior to eating, or drinking anything or than a cocktail. Avoid keeping a dinner napkin as a part of your cover. When you are in a chair at a table, it is to be atop of your lap. Even at a bar. You can still give in to an urge to do this.
An Appetizer
An appetizer is essentially an hors d’oeouvre served at the table usually in lieu of or prior to a first course.
An amuse bouche is a bite-size appetizer that might be provided by a chef at no cost to a patron. It has been seen paired with a wine. It cannot be ordered from a menu.
For some, shrimp, oysters, clams, or escargot can be served as an appetizer. The vessel for each can be set atop a show plate. The oyster cocktail fork is placed to the extreme right of the last knife or spoon. It can be placed in the bowl of the soup spoon tines-up, with the handle pointed to five o'clock. An oyster cocktail fork may be placed to the extreme left of the last fork(s.) It could be placed with up to three other forks in a place setting. It is the lone exception to the rule, "only three items of any one kind in any one place setting at a time. It can be placed to the right side of an underlying plate when a dish is served to a table. This is also the finished position for the fork.
Some guest will not and cannot have any of the above as an appetizer. Make sure there are other appetizer options. The only appetizers for a guest are those that can be eaten by each person being entertained.
For those who enjoy them, clams are to be eaten whole. Escargot (snail) is to be eaten by holding the shell in the left-hand and digging out the body with the use of an oyster cocktail fork held in the right-hand and placing it in the mouth whole. Avoid lifting any shell and drinking the juice or butter within when you are at any table set with a real tablecloth.
Note: in a private home, a hinged snail shell holder is to be omitted. The shell can be held with a napkin.
Each oyster is to be served in a half shell. Lemon, if provided, may be squeezed onto it. The oyster is to be detached and lifted from the shell with a cocktail fork before being eaten. It can be chewed. Informally an oyster can be dipped into a cocktail sauce and then eaten. Oyster crackers may be provided and eaten by being dropped in the cocktail sauce and taken to the mouth with the cocktail fork. Avoid squeezing lemon into the cocktail sauce.
Shrimp is to be impaled onto this fork, dipped into the cocktail sauce and then placed into the mouth. Shrimp that is very large may be bitten off in a manageable bite and then re-dipped into the cocktail sauce.
Note: In an everyday world the appetizer could be Chips and Salsa and or Queso; avoid double dipping the chip, even for hummus, guacamole, or yogurt. The appetizer course can be omitted. Enjoy that pre-dinner drink.
Soup as a First Course
Soup is to be served as a first course. Soup in a bowl or cup is to be served on an underlying plate. Soup can be served in a soup plate with or without being placed on an underlying plate. An underlying plate may be set atop a show, charger plate, or service plate. Avoid using a soup plate as a “deep dish” dinner plate.
1. Soup is to be eaten as follows, “As the ship goes out to sea I spoon my soup away from me.” The spoon is to be balanced, loaded (at twelve o’clock,) locked (at six o’clock,) and then lifted to the mouth and the soup is to be poured into the mouth from the side of the spoon. Avoid blowing soup (same as for coffee). Soup that is too hot can be stirred to be cooled. It may be allowed to stand until it is palatable. The bowl or plate may be tipped away from you and a spoon used to get the last of any item in it. You could avoid doing this. Soup served in a cup can be eaten by using a spoon or by picking up the cup by the handle(s) and drinking the item in it in small silent sips (pours).
2. Soup can be served with croutons or oyster cocktail crackers or with Saltines. The first two may be eaten by placing them in the vessel a few at a time and eating them with the soup.
Saltine Crackers are to be eaten separately and apart from the soup. These crackers can be crumbled into chowder, but this is to be done only at a very informal meal.
3. Soup may be served with a relish tray of pickled vegetables. Items on it are considered finger foods and are to be picked up with them. Each person can take up to two of each item and place them on a bread and butter plate.
4. Relish tray items may be placed on the edge of an underlying plate in the absence of a bread and butter plate. Olive pits could be taken out of the mouth with the thumb and the index finger and placed on the left edge of the plate.
5. The rest position for the spoon is handle in the four o’clock position. The finished position for a spoon on a plate is at four o’clock. The finished position for a spoon served with a bowl or cup is on the right side of the underlying plate.
6. Sherry can be served with a soup course. A sherry glass is to be set in formation to the right of the last wine glass. It can be filled half-full, without being lifted from the table. The glass is to be held by the stem in the right-hand when drinking from it. It is to be set back in the position for it when the drink is rested or finished. Sherry could be omitted.
Wine Service
Wine can be served by the glass or by bottle presented at the table. Wine may be served by a Sommelier (wine steward) or by someone designated to do so by the management. In a private home, wine is to be served by a host or by someone designated to do so by the host. The host can ask a man at the other end of the table to "Do the honors.” Each glass can be filled half full, without being lifted from the table. Look for drinks to be served from the right (refreshing). Informally, wine can be served Family style. It may be passed counterclockwise and each person at the table pours wine into his or her glass. This is usually done only among families. The wine holder and the wine bottle remain on the table until after the meal is over. The bottle can be removed when it is empty. It is to be replaced with a second bottle of the same wine. It can be replaced with a slightly different or slightly heavier variety.
Note: To indicate that wine service is to be omitted, a guest can wave two fingers at the rim of the glass, or mouth the words, "No thank you" A cupped hand to the chest and eyes closed can do the same. A guest may limit the amount of wine to be poured with a pinch of the index finger and the thumb; this to ensure the host knows that service was not missed. A guest is to avoid cupping a hand over a glass or turning one upside down. Take notes on food and wine pairings.
To Take a Drink of Wine
1. Place your eating implements in the rest position for style in which you are eating. Pat or blot your mouth with the corner of your napkin. Place your napkin back on your lap.
2. Pick up the glass by the stem with the right-hand, thumb, index, and middle finger, elbow down and in, and wrist to hand take it to the mouth and take a sip (pour) of the drink. (Avoid the crane.)
3. The rest and finished position for the glass is in the table setting position for it.
4. When someone else is paying for the wine, it is to be sipped, at will, but savored. The wineglass is to be refilled each time it appears to be empty. Take your time.
5. The server is to refill each wineglass without the guest having to ask. It is to be refilled in the same manner as it was first filled.
Virgin wine, sparkling water, or cider could be served in lieu of wine.
Fruit-juice may be served as a first course.
1. It is to be placed center the place setting in a glass set atop an underlying plate. The underlying plate can be set atop a show plate.
2. The glass is to be picked up with the right-hand elbow down and in. The elbow is to be moved forward; the wrist moved upward, and the beverage poured into the mouth.
3. The rest and finished position for the glass is center the underlying plate. Fruit-juice served as a beverage is served in a glass without an underlying plate and is set next to other glasses in a place setting.
Melon could be served as a first course.
1. It is to be served on a dessert plate with or without an underlying plate. The plate might be set atop a show plate.
2. When melon is to be served unpeeled in a skin, in halves or quarters, or in balls, it is to be eaten with a spoon.
3. It can be eaten with a knife and fork when served as a thin wedge or with a fork alone when presented in cubes.
Order of Service Filling a Plate
Roasted meat (a Roti,) fowl, or a vegetable item is to be served as a third or main course. A dinner plate can be used to replace any show or charger plate present. When the main course is served, take small portions.
1. A serving fork is to be used in conjunction with a serving spoon to pick up the main course item. The fork is to be held in the left-hand tines facing up. The tines are placed under the portion. The serving spoon is to be held in the right-hand bowl facing down rested on top of the item and kept there until it is placed onto the plate. When a serving dish is passed with toast beneath some food in a sauce, the toast is to be taken also.
2. The serving spoon and fork are placed in the dish from which the food item was taken: fork tines up handle to the left, spoon placed bowl down over the tines, handles placed side by side.
3. A lone serving fork can be used to pick up the main course item. It is to be held in the right-hand tines facing up resting between the thumb and the index finger and held by the thumb being rested approximately midway on the face of the handle. The fork is placed under the item, lifted, and steadied as the item is placed onto the plate. It is then placed tines up handle to the left on the dish or platter from which the item was taken.
In a commercial dining room, when you are given a meal, and you are (super-sized) given too much, you can avoid the trough. You may ask for another plate and serve a portion to it. You could, where appropriate, eat half the dish, and take the other “To go.” Ask for a bag to go with that “To go” container: paper if given the option. Thank the server and, if allowed, leave a better tip.
Avoid eating out of a container or bucket when you can ask for a plate. Avoid choosing plastic flatware over a metal fork and knife.
A serving spoon may be used to pick up a side food item. It is to be held in the right-hand bowl facing up, stem resting between the thumb and the index finger, and thumb resting midway the face of the handle.
1. A serving spoon is to be tipped away toward the center of the table, filled and leveled. It can be tipped again to allow any excess substance to return to the dish prior to the item being served to the plate.
2. The spoon is placed, bowl up, and handle to the left, in the bowl or dish from which the food item was taken. To do this, you may switch the spoon to your left hand.
3. A serving spoon could be used in conjunction with a serving fork to pick up a side course item. The spoon is to be held in the right-hand bowl up and the serving fork in the left-hand tines down. The fork is used to push-pull a side course item onto the serving spoon and then is left in the dish tines down handle to the left.
4. The serving spoon is used to serve the item on to the plate and is then placed bowl up to the right of the fork handle facing the same direction. You will need to learn to fill a plate at table. It supports Family and Butler styles of meal service.
5. An incorrect item may be served. If it is a major mistake you could mention it to your host or to the server when you are the host so that it can be replaced.
A Fish Dish as a Second Course
A fish (at night) or an egg dish during the day can be served as a second course. When served on a salad plate, this course may be set atop a show or charger plate. It could be set atop a table, tablecloth, or placemat.
1. Fish is to be taken from the serving dish by using a serving fork, tines up in the left-hand and a serving spoon bowl down in the right hand. Parsley can be served with fish. It may be sprinkled over it. It could be offered in a dish. It is to be placed to the left side of the plate.
2. Fish may be served with a sauce. It could be pre-placed over it. It might be offered in a sauceboat; to be ladled onto the dish as soon as possible after it is served.
3. Fish has been seen served with lemon. The lemon is to be held in a cupped right-hand with the left-hand overlapping it. It is then squeezed so that the juice can run over the fish. The lemon can be served in a cloth pouch. It is to be held in the right-hand, pierced with a fork held in the left hand, and the juice squeezed over the fish.
A potato item (boiled, mashed or fried) can be served with a fish course. It may be omitted. It could be used to teach how to master eating Continental style.
Fish served as a second course can to be eaten using a fish knife and a fish fork.
1. The fish knife is to be rested on top of a cupped hand with the thumb stretched straight and rested on the side of the handle. The fish fork: a salad fork in size with a notched left tine is used in the same manner as is a place fork. The fish head when still attached is to be removed first. It is to be picked up and placed to the left of the plate using the fork and knife. The fish is held in place by using the fork tines down in the left hand. The knife is used to slit it from tip to tail in a hand pumping motion, and then to open it out flat.
2. The tip of the fish knife is it to be placed under the bone and moved down the length of it to separate it from the fish. The fork and knife is used to lift the bone away. The bone is to be laid on the top left side of the plate.
3. One portion of the fish is to be moved to the front bottom third of the plate. There it may be sliced, cut in manageable portions, one or two pieces at a time, and eaten.
Fish that is soft and boneless could be eaten using the fish fork alone. Fish may be eaten with a meat knife and fork when fish is served as the main course. The fish knife is to be placed in the rest position for a meat knife.
Note: a finger bowl can be passed and used after a fish course whenever it is felt that one is needed. (Only here, the water is to be topped with rose petals, and flatware is to be omitted.) It is to be used in the same manner as when provided for use after a desert course.
Note: some people are not allowed to eat fish for any meal. A fish course can be exempted. During the day it may be replaced by an egg dish. An appetizer dish could be served in lieu of it. The manner in which an appetizer or egg dish is eaten depends on the way each is prepared.
White wine can be served with a fish course. A white wine glass is to be set in formation to the right of the red wine glass. It can be filled half full, without being lifted from the table. It is to be held by the stem in the right hand. It is to be placed back in the position it was set in when the drink is rested or finished. This wine (and the glass for it) may be omitted.
Eating Lobster
Lobster served as the main course is to be eaten with a plate, the fingers, an oyster cocktail fork, and a bib for each person to be provided one.
1. Each lobster leg is to be twisted off and taken to the mouth. The meat is to be quietly sucked and forced out while the leg is held between the teeth.
2. The meat in the pocket of the body is to be extracted using an oyster cocktail fork.
3. It can be cut, dipped in a sauce and then placed in the mouth. The lobster tomalley (green) or the roe (red) is to be lifted out of the body and placed to the left side of the plate. The roe (red) can be eaten.
4. The lobster tail is to be held in the left-hand and detached from the body held firmly in the right hand. The meat is to be removed by breaking off the little flaps at the small end and then inserting the oyster cocktail fork in this end and pushing the meat out of the large end.
5. The tail can be split prior to the time it is brought to the table. Then the meat is to be lifted out of the shell in one piece using a fork. In either case, the meat can be cut into manageable portions one or two pieces at a time.
6. Each piece of lobster may be dipped in the attending sauce and then placed in the mouth.
Note: Again, some people cannot or will not eat Lobster.
After receiving the main course, you can begin to eat bread.
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