[ctt1wbw]

Okay, the wife and I bought a Bed and Breakfast in Stanley, Virginia last week. I'm messing around with place settings for breakfast.

http://picasaweb.google.com/WhiteFen...PlaceSettings#

Look at my photos and tell me what you think I should do different.

[ctt1wbw]

Oh and btw, I can highly recommend Google Picasa 3 for a small business like mine. I can't believe that it is actually free software.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Picasa

Hov... Der er ingenting at se. Enten har du ikke adgang til disse billeder, eller også findes de ikke på denne webadresse. Kontakt ejeren direkte for at få adgang.

Translation: no public galleries available from this user.

[ctt1wbw]

Okey dokey. It's public now. Kind of a strange place to go to make it public.

[Oisín]

First thoughts:

Why one glass on the left and one on the right? Why not both on the right?

Why one spoon on the left, one spoon on the right, and one at the ‘top’? Not sure if this is a US vs. Europe thing, but over here, I’d expect a knife and fork on each side of the plate, for breakfast, too, for when [well, if] you serve a full continental breakfast with scrambled eggs, sausages, pancakes, etc. And I’d expect the egg spoon to be on ‘top’, not on the side.

Also, what’s the second bowl for? I take it the glass bowl is for cereal/oatmeal/yoghurt/stuff; so what’s the porcelain bowl for? Fruit?

Other than that, it looks very nice and homely.

[ctt1wbw]

Yes, the glass bowl is for fruit. The other one is for cereal, if wanted. But for the utinsels, I've seen them placed in so many different locations it ain't funny.

As for the glasses, I thought it would look too crowded on one side of the sitting... is this normal?

[Oisín]

Most normal ’round these parts would probably to have just one glass and one cup—if you want more than one ‘glass drink’ (like, both milk and juice), you’d just ask for an extra glass. If there are two from the start, I think they’d both be placed on the right here. Or at least one on the far right, one sort of middle-right, and then the cup closer to the middle; but not all the way over on the left.

[ctt1wbw]

I do that tomorrow with the cups. Thanks for help.

[macforray]

I liked everything except the glasses themselves. I'm no Emily Post, and I have seen some "non traditional" silverware placements before, but I still believe forks on left, spoons on right and the knife at the top "works" better.

Just my $.02.

[ctt1wbw]

I've seen that placement method before. I'll give that a go tomorrow, too.

I realize this is just a B&B, but I want people to think that I at least took the time to make it look like a 5 star restaurant, right?

[Oisín]

Absolutely right!

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by macforray 

I liked everything except the glasses themselves. I'm no Emily Post, and I have seen some "non traditional" silverware placements before, but I still believe forks on left, spoons on right and the knife at the top "works" better.

Just my $.02.

Okay, here's something. How would you arrange the spoons on the right and the forks on the left? Smaller spoon next to the plate, getting larger as you work your way outward, or reverse that?

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Absolutely right!

I was thinking about trying to make the towel animals that the cruise ships make to put on the beds. That would be a bit much, but still would be cool.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by ctt1wbw 

Okay, here's something. How would you arrange the spoons on the right and the forks on the left? Smaller spoon next to the plate, getting larger as you work your way outward, or reverse that?

Definitely reverse.

Plate is bigger than cutlery, so the focus is in the centre already; it creates a nicer visual effect if the shape tapers off in size towards the edges, rather than going from big to small, and then back to bigger again.

[ctt1wbw]

Ah, and the knives on top of plate, then?

[Andy8]

What sort of food are you planning to cook/serve for breakfast?

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by ctt1wbw 

Ah, and the knives on top of plate, then?

Well, that still sounds odd to me, but if it sounds normal to Americans, I'd go with that instead (seeing as how you’re actually, erm, in America, and I’m not). My choice would be forks left, knives right, cereal spoon left (outside fork), egg spoon [tea spoon or medium-sized spoon] top.

Edit: No, wait, there are two forks and only one knife. In that case, I’d go big fork inner left; small fork outer left; knife inner right; cereal spoon outer right; egg spoon top.

[Railroader]

I have nothing to contribute to this thread.

Carry on.

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by Andy8 

What sort of food are you planning to cook/serve for breakfast?

It's just the typical fruit mix, croissants and bages, cereal, and then sometimes the main course is an egg quiche, sometimes omelets, sometimes pancakes (or flapjacks)... Nothing big or fancy.

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Well, that still sounds odd to me, but if it sounds normal to Americans, I'd go with that instead (seeing as how you’re actually, erm, in America, and I’m not). My choice would be forks left, knives right, cereal spoon left (outside fork), egg spoon [tea spoon or medium-sized spoon] top.

Edit: No, wait, there are two forks and only one knife. In that case, I’d go big fork inner left; small fork outer left; knife inner right; cereal spoon outer right; egg spoon top.

cool. Thanks.

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by Railroader 

I have nothing to contribute to this thread.

Carry on.

Carry on, aye.

[moonmonkey]

This might be a useful refresher for those in the former colonies.

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - CUTLERY

The golden rule is ALWAYS work from the OUTSIDE, IN. Use the outside knife and fork for the first course (entrée), and then simply work inwards for each subsequent course.
Knives are always to the right, and forks are always to the left.
The soup spoon, if required, will always be on the extreme right if being served as a first course, or second in from the right if being served as a second course.
Dessert cutlery will always be at the top of the place setting with the fork facing right and the spoon positioned above this with the bowl facing left.

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - GLASSWARE

Depending on how many different wines are being served, they will normally be positioned above the knives. They should be placed with the water glass to the extreme left, and then follow in the order for which they will be used, working from left to right. For example:
Water - Champagne - White Wine- Red Wine - Dessert Wine

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - PLATES & NAPKIN

It is common practice to find a place plate (or base plate) positioned in the center of the cutlery setting. This will often have the napkin folded and resting upon it. Alternatively, the first course (or entrée) may already be served upon this plate, in which case, the napkin will be positioned to the left of the forks.
The side plate (or butter plate) will be positioned to the left of the forks with a side knife (or butter knife) laid across it. If space is a little limited, it is quite acceptable to position the napkin across this plate too.

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - PROPER EATING STYLE

Acceptable eating styles vary from Continent to Continent. But regardless of location, the only proper way to cut and eat one's food is to hold the knife and fork in a relaxed, natural manner.....never with clenched fists spearing food like a hunter!
In American society, it is perfectly acceptable to cut one's food using the knife and fork as usual, and then transfer the fork to the right hand to then "spear" it before eating. In Continental Europe, this would however be frowned upon. Here, food is only ever transferred to the mouth with the fork in the left hand with the prongs still facing downwards - a very delicate act indeed if one's host is inconsiderate enough to serve garden peas as a vegetable!

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - MISCELLANY

When seated, unfold the napkin and place it across the lap.
If bread rolls are served, break the bread between your fingers rather than cut it.
When eating soup, always move the soup spoon away from you to the other side of the dish and "sip" the soup (quietly!) from it.
In some circumstances it may be appropriate for a finger bowl to be served, for example where ribs have been served. In which case, one should gently clean the fingers in the warm scented water and dry them on one's napkin.
When finished eating, position the knife and fork (or other cutlery used) side by side pointing into the centre of the plate.

[macforray]

Originally Posted by ctt1wbw 

Okay, here's something. How would you arrange the spoons on the right and the forks on the left? Smaller spoon next to the plate, getting larger as you work your way outward, or reverse that?

What moonmonkey said^.

Always work from the outside toward the plate.

[brassplayersrock²]

matching napkins please.

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock² 

matching napkins please.

Yeah, that's easy to fix. It was laundry day.

[ctt1wbw]

Originally Posted by moonmonkey 

This might be a useful refresher for those in the former colonies.

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - CUTLERY

The golden rule is ALWAYS work from the OUTSIDE, IN. Use the outside knife and fork for the first course (entrée), and then simply work inwards for each subsequent course.
Knives are always to the right, and forks are always to the left.
The soup spoon, if required, will always be on the extreme right if being served as a first course, or second in from the right if being served as a second course.
Dessert cutlery will always be at the top of the place setting with the fork facing right and the spoon positioned above this with the bowl facing left.

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - GLASSWARE

Depending on how many different wines are being served, they will normally be positioned above the knives. They should be placed with the water glass to the extreme left, and then follow in the order for which they will be used, working from left to right. For example:
Water - Champagne - White Wine- Red Wine - Dessert Wine

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - PLATES & NAPKIN

It is common practice to find a place plate (or base plate) positioned in the center of the cutlery setting. This will often have the napkin folded and resting upon it. Alternatively, the first course (or entrée) may already be served upon this plate, in which case, the napkin will be positioned to the left of the forks.
The side plate (or butter plate) will be positioned to the left of the forks with a side knife (or butter knife) laid across it. If space is a little limited, it is quite acceptable to position the napkin across this plate too.

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - PROPER EATING STYLE

Acceptable eating styles vary from Continent to Continent. But regardless of location, the only proper way to cut and eat one's food is to hold the knife and fork in a relaxed, natural manner.....never with clenched fists spearing food like a hunter!
In American society, it is perfectly acceptable to cut one's food using the knife and fork as usual, and then transfer the fork to the right hand to then "spear" it before eating. In Continental Europe, this would however be frowned upon. Here, food is only ever transferred to the mouth with the fork in the left hand with the prongs still facing downwards - a very delicate act indeed if one's host is inconsiderate enough to serve garden peas as a vegetable!

TABLE SETTING ETIQUETTE - MISCELLANY

When seated, unfold the napkin and place it across the lap.
If bread rolls are served, break the bread between your fingers rather than cut it.
When eating soup, always move the soup spoon away from you to the other side of the dish and "sip" the soup (quietly!) from it.
In some circumstances it may be appropriate for a finger bowl to be served, for example where ribs have been served. In which case, one should gently clean the fingers in the warm scented water and dry them on one's napkin.
When finished eating, position the knife and fork (or other cutlery used) side by side pointing into the centre of the plate.

Wow. And where does the bottle of Jim Beam go?

Thanks for that.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by ctt1wbw 

Wow. And where does the bottle of Jim Beam go?

For breakfast ?

Where can I sign up ?

-t

[andi*pandi]

I was going to comment on the napkins clashing too, but see it was laundry day. For a B&B I don't expect the ritz, but in the same color family would be good. Also put both glasses on the right.

salad/fruit fork big fork ((( plate ))) knife(s) spoon(s)

[ort888]

Wanna know how I know you're gay...

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by ctt1wbw 

Okay, the wife and I bought a Bed and Breakfast in Stanley, Virginia last week. I'm messing around with place settings for breakfast.

http://picasaweb.google.com/WhiteFen...PlaceSettings#

Look at my photos and tell me what you think I should do different.

It all seems a bit elaborate just for a pop tart and a bottle of Bud.

[ctt1wbw]

Bottle of Bud my ass, pal. This is a high class joint. PBR in a can.