A finger bowl is a bowl of water that dinner guests use for rinsing their fingers. In a formal meal, the finger bowl is brought to the table at the time of the dessert course of the meal, and guests set it aside for use after the last course, just before leaving the table. In less formal service, the finger bowl may be presented after any course that involves finger food and may even be presented after more than one such course in a single meal.
In formal service, the finger bowl is most commonly brought to the table with the dessert plate; there is a linen doily under the bowl, and the dessert fork and spoon are placed on either side of the bowl. The arrangement of plates and flatware are set before each guest, who then move the flatware to the sides of the dessert plate, and move the finger bowl with the doily to the upper left of the plate. "This is the only time during a formal meal that a guest takes part in placing the appointments for a course". [1] : 295
If a separate fruit course follows dessert, the finger bowl is instead brought in with the fruit plate and fruit fork and knife, arranged as they would be on a dessert plate. Alternatively, a full array of dessert and fruit dishes can be brought out at once, with the finger bowl on top of the dessert plate with its fork and spoon, and the dessert plate on top of the fruit plate, with doilies between each dish; in this type of service, the fruit fork and knife are brought out after the dessert plates and silver are cleared. [2] : 208–209
After dessert (or after the fruit, if that forms the last course), guests lightly dip their fingertips into the water, one hand at a time, and then wipe them on the napkin in their lap. [3] : 285
In a very formal service, "where there are plenty of servants, the finger bowl may not come in on the fruit plate but may be brought on its own serving plate, replacing the used fruit plate before the guests leave the table for coffee." [3] : 275
Practices have varied by time and place. The bowl may be "less than half" [2] : 209 or as much as "three-quarters" [4] : 434 filled with water. A glass ornament, flower, flower petals, lemon slice, sprig of mint or other decoration is often floated in it; [3] : 285 [5] others advise against adding a slice of lemon. [2] Some writers advise against using the finger bowl to wet the mouth; [1] : 28 others allow it. [4] : 435
In high-end American restaurants of the early to mid-20th century, finger bowls were presented at the end of the meal. In chop houses and lobster palaces of the period, finger bowls were often presented after any course with finger foods or drawn butter. [5]
In some styles of informal and restaurant service and at very large gatherings, the dessert fork and spoon are set above the top edge of the plate at the start of the meal (a practice considered incorrect at dinner parties). In that style of service, near the end of the meal, the finger bowl is presented with the dessert plate, similar to formal service; and the guests set the bowl aside and move the fork and spoon to the sides of the plate for the dessert course. After dessert, the guests use the finger bowl before leaving the table. [6] : 246
In a form of service commonly seen in the early 21st century, guests use the finger bowl before dessert and fruit, rather than after. This innovation, possibly resulting from ignorance of correct usage, is of unknown and apparently recent origin.[ citation needed ]
Unfamiliarity with finger bowls has led to many common faux pas, including drinking the water, eating the flower, or failing to move the doily with the bowl when shifting it off of the dessert plate. [7] : 146
The decline of the finger bowl in American restaurants began during the war effort during World War I when everyone was encouraged to minimize excess. Before that, "live music and finger bowls were two amenities put forward as competitive attractions over places that didn't have them." Despite the general decline in use, finger-bowl service continued at some venues well into the 20th century. [5]
Thali or Bhojanam is a round platter used to serve food in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Thali is also used to refer to an Indian-style meal made up of a selection of various dishes which are served on a platter. Thali is also used in south Asia for ceremonial purposes.
Table setting or place setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware—such as eating utensils and for serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting. It is also the layout in which the utensils and ornaments are positioned. The practice of dictating the precise arrangement of tableware has varied across cultures and historical periods.
Service à la française is the practice of serving various dishes of a meal at the same time, with the diners helping themselves from the serving dishes. That contrasts to service à la russe in which dishes are brought to the table sequentially and served individually, portioned by servants.
Various customary etiquette practices exist regarding the placement and use of eating utensils in social settings. These practices vary from culture to culture. Fork etiquette, for example, differs in Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia, and continues to change. In East Asian cultures, a variety of etiquette practices govern the use of chopsticks.
Tableware items are the dishware and utensils used for setting a table, serving food, and dining. The term includes cutlery, glassware, serving dishes, serving utensils, and other items used for practical as well as decorative purposes. The quality, nature, variety and number of objects varies according to culture, religion, number of diners, cuisine and occasion. For example, Middle Eastern, Indian or Polynesian food culture and cuisine sometimes limits tableware to serving dishes, using bread or leaves as individual plates, and not infrequently without use of cutlery. Special occasions are usually reflected in higher quality tableware.
A doily is an ornamental mat, typically made of paper or fabric, and variously used for protecting surfaces or binding flowers, in food service presentation, or as a clothing ornamentation, as well as a head covering for Jewish women and Christian women. It is characterized by openwork, which allows the surface of the underlying object to show through.
A full-course dinner is a dinner consisting of multiple dishes, or courses. In its simplest form, it can consist of three or four courses; for example: a starter, a main course, and dessert.
Charger plates or service plates are large plates used at full-course dinners and/or to dress up special events like parties and weddings. Charger plates have been in use since the 19th century.
A tea set or tea service is a collection of matching teaware and related utensils used in the preparation and serving of tea. The traditional components of a tea set may vary between societies and cultures.
Table manners are the rules of etiquette used while eating, which may also include the use of utensils. Different cultures observe different rules for table manners. Each family or group sets its own standards for how strictly these rules are to be followed.
The historical form of service à la russe is a manner of dining with courses brought to the table sequentially, and the food portioned on individual plates by the waiter. It contrasts with the older service à la française, based on several courses brought to the table simultaneously, in an impressive display of tureens and serving dishes, with diners plating food themselves.
Etiquette rules in the United States and Canada generally apply to all individuals, unlike cultures with more formal class structures, such as those with nobility and royalty.
Letitia "Tish" Baldrige was an American etiquette expert, public relations executive and author who was most famous for serving as Jacqueline Kennedy's Social Secretary.
Chopsticks are shaped pairs of equal-length sticks that have been used as kitchen and eating utensils in most of East and Southeast Asia for over three millennia. They are held in the dominant hand, secured by fingers, and wielded as extensions of the hand, to pick up food.
Customs and etiquette in Chinese dining are the traditional behaviors observed while eating in Greater China. Traditional Han customs have spread throughout East Asia to varying degrees, with some regions sharing a few aspects of formal dining, which has ranged from guest seating to paying the bill.
Various codes of etiquette in Indonesia govern the expectations of social behavior in the country and are considered very important. Etiquette demonstrates respect and is a key factor in social interactions. Like many social cultures, etiquette varies greatly depending on one's status relative to the person in question. Some conventions may be region-specific, and thus may not exist in all regions of Indonesia. The following are generally accepted contemporary customs in Indonesia.
In South Korea, etiquette, or the code of social behavior that governs human interactions, is largely derived from Korean Confucianism and focuses on the core values of this religion. In addition to general behaviour, etiquette in South Korea also determines how to behave with responsibility and social status. Although most aspects of etiquette are accepted by the country at large, customs can be localized to specific regions or influenced by other cultures, namely China, Japan, and the United States.
Table manners are the cultural customs and rules of etiquette used while dining. As in other areas of North American etiquette, the rules governing appropriate table manners have changed over time and may differ depending on the setting.
Japanese dining etiquette is a set of traditional perceptions governing specific expectations which outlines general standards of how one should behave and respond in various dining situations.
A charcuterie board is an appetizer typically served on a wooden board or stone slab, either eaten straight from the board itself or portioned onto flatware. It features a selection of preserved foods, especially cured meats or pâtés, as well as cheeses and crackers or bread.
