Place Settings

I recently hosted an informal dinner party for a couple of my girlfriends and their husbands. I decided it would be easier to go ahead and set the table with napkins and utensils. So as I started setting the table, I thought to myself how helpful it would be if I actually knew the proper way to do it. Knife on the right or left, spoon with the fork... I had no idea but I decided that it was about time to learn it.

For a very simple, informal place setting:

• Forks on the left
• Napkin on the left with the open end facing away from the plate, either to the left of the fork or under it
• Spoons on the far right
• Knife on the right closest to the plate with the cutting edge facing the plate
• Drink glasses just above the knife on the right
• Bread plate on the left side above the fork

One way to remember which bread plate and drinking glass is yours, helpful when your out at a dinner with lots of people, is that if you make an “okay” sign with your hands, your left hand forms a “b” for bread and your right hand forms a “d” for drink. That way you won’t worry that you’re eating your neighbor’s bread!

And a great way to remember the proper order of the silverware is to simply alphabetize, reading from left to right: Fork, Knife, Spoon.

Now you’re a little smarter, Girlfriend — And so am I.