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Business Social Dining, Business Social Dining Etiquette, Career Services Austin Be at Ease School of Etiquette Over the Counter Etiquette, College Dining Etiquette, Crème brûlée, Dessert
Outclass the Competition
by Harold Almon baesoe.com
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. Sauce can be pre-ladled onto a dessert. 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.”
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.
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.
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. 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.
Eating Crème Brulee
Crème brulee 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.
4. The finished position for the spoon is to the right side of the cup atop the underlying plate.
When garnished with berries (and kiwi) each is to be eaten with a spoon.
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