Pleasant Living: TABLE SETTINGS

"Animals feed themselves; men eat; but only wise men know the art of eating."

Jean Anthelme Brillat Savarin - The Physiology of Taste 1825

Setting the table. It's an ordinary task, one performed perhaps thousands of times in one's life. Like making the bed or taking a shower, it's one of those everyday tasks repeated almost without thinking, a ritual that has essentially lost its meaning not to mention creativity or flair.

Okay I admit I have wolfed down my breakfast or lunch standing over the kitchen sink and that for many meals I resort to grabbing a plate, a fork and a wrinkled napkin out of the drawer however I love any opportunity to put on a show.

For a holiday, a birthday celebration, a picnic or when company comes over for dinner I love laying the table in a special way.

I collect - well actually hoard - all manner of dinnerware, flatware, glassware and table linens and I love to put them to use.

Hand in hand with my hoarding of table ware, another nerdy interest of mine is reading about the social history of table utensils and manners. An entire shelf of our library is dedicated to my collection of vintage home keeping and etiquette books.

Recently I was looking through one, the 1921 edition of HOW TO SET THE TABLE FOR EVERY OCCASION by Sara Swain Adams. This thin volume is an entertaining snapshot of the history of American home dining or at least what one woman thought it should be. There are topics such as Directions for Serving by Maid or Butler (say whaaat?) or Various Ways of Announcing a Meal (huh?). One chapter that caught my eye was titled Laying the Table for the Family Dinner.

The diagram accompanying the text features a service plate, napkin flanked to the left with a salad fork, fish fork and meat fork. To the right of the service plate a butter knife, bullion spoon, fish knife and a meat knife. Then there is a Champblanc glass (a champagne flute, even I had to look that one up), cider cup and water tumbler. Finally, each place setting is accompanied by individual cellars of salt, pepper and of all things, paprika! What family is the dear Ms. Adams laying this table for, the Windsors of England?

Thankfully that book was written a century ago and life and lifestyle have changed dramatically in many ways. I don't think many families have butlers or maids that serve them their meals and anyway I'm not writing this for those folks. Now I'm not suggesting you pull out the china, crystal, silverware and freshly pressed linens (if you even have it) no, but on special occasions it's self-satisfying to dine at a well laid table. It doesn't have to be fine or upscale just thoughtful.

One of my favorite tables is laid with mismatched plates, flatware and glassware. For any table setting considering the menu is key, there's no need to place dinnerware or utensils, which will not be used, on the table.

If the event is particularly informal say a picnic or backyard barbecue instead of napkins I use oversized dishtowels or tea towels that I refer to as "lapkins".

Even a weeknight takeout meal can be elevated with very little effort. This convenient and more casual event can become special with thoughtful and creative ways to set out the needed tableware.

When entertaining a larger group bundle flatware into colorful pots or canisters, gather napkins in a basket or simply stack them together along with the plates.

For our friends in Italy dining al fresco may happen almost every evening but still it is made special not only by the food and wine served but also because of the panache and attention given to the table setting.