The coffee table, according to etiquette, has its own rules for serving. They may vary depending on the solemnity of the event, but not significantly, so our advice will suit every housewife.
Setting a coffee table at home begins with choosing a tablecloth and napkins. In contrast to formal business receptions, motley multi-colored tablecloths or white/beige with beautiful rich embroidery are suitable for the coffee table. A path along the center of the table and an individual embroidered napkin for each person are allowed.
You also need a service set: cups and saucers. If additional dishes (sugar bowl, milk jug or creamer, dessert plate) come from another set, remember the rules of combination: ceramics with ceramics, fine china with porcelain.
You can decorate the coffee table with fresh and artificial flowers, origami from napkins, a fruit bowl with colored fruits, and candles.
Setting the coffee table...
Before preparing for coffee drinking, you should take care and choose high-quality coffee beans: instant coffee or “3-in-1 coffee” is not appropriate here. Next, cups are selected. Depending on the service, coffee cups can have a volume from 50 to 200 ml - choose the “golden mean” to please every guest.
Serving order: a dessert plate is placed in front of each seat (5-10 cm from the edge of the table), dessert cutlery is placed to the right of it. A coffee cup and saucer is placed a little higher and to the right of the plate, and a coffee spoon is placed on the right. The handle of the cup should be pointing to the right. Napkins are placed folded on the left side next to each plate, and also placed in the center of the table in a napkin holder.
If two servings are planned - sandwiches and dessert, then the plates are updated. For sandwiches they place a dessert plate, and before serving dessert - a pie plate if the service does not have a cake plate. Cutlery - a fork + knife for appetizers and a cake fork - are placed immediately during initial serving.
Dishes with treats are placed in the center of the table - special tongs are served for canapés and sandwiches. The cake is cut into portions in advance and served after sandwiches along with other desserts. Also in the center are a sugar bowl with tongs, a milk jug or creamer, lemon slices on a plate, carafes of juice and mineral water.
Material and decor
All items except the cup are copper. The inside of the cezve should be tinned, that is, covered with a protective layer of tin: it is constantly in contact with a hot substance, and copper is easily oxidized. There are products that are tinned on all sides; then they shine like silver.
Copper version and version covered with tin on all sides
The device can be of a laconic design without any decorations. In establishments aimed at tourists, coffee utensils are often decorated. There are two traditional techniques – embossing and savate. Embossing is the creation of a relief pattern. Savate is the engraving of an image on a layer of tin so that the copper is exposed. Engraving is done only on those parts of the dishes that are not in contact with the contents.
Embossing and lack of decoration
Preparing and serving a coffee drink
“Brew coffee” is not said, the correct word would be “make coffee.” It is served and poured immediately before consumption, i.e. after the next change of dishes, when all the guests are at the table.
- If the drink is prepared in a Turk, then the container is not placed on the table, but is immediately poured into cups. If coffee will be served in a coffee pot or French press, then they are placed near the hostess who is responsible for pouring the drink.
- If cognac glasses were placed on the table when serving, then after pouring the coffee, guests are offered alcohol. A bottle of cognac is placed in the center of the table. If a guest asks for liqueur, then his cognac glass is changed to a liqueur glass, but initially it is not customary to serve the table with them.
- If the guest asked for tea, then the coffee shop is removed, and in return he is served a tea set consisting of a cup with a saucer and a teaspoon on the right side of the cup. The tea should already be poured into the cup.
Expert opinion You can serve coffee with muffins, marmalade, cakes and pies with apples or cottage cheese, buns, salty cookies, sweets, chocolate or fruit. Alcoholic drinks - liqueurs, cognac, wine. The coffee table is served at the very end of the banquet, as the last menu item, and all excess dishes from previous courses are removed. This serves as a signal to guests that the celebration is ending.
To ensure that your coffee table always stands out not only with competent table setting, but also with excellent drinks, we suggest buying coffee in the Russian Tea Company online store. Only we present selected plantation coffee varieties, collected into excellent blends by professional tea testers. With RCHK, your coffee drinks will acquire new shades of tastes and aromas, and will become even warmer and more soulful, because our specialists work precisely for this.
Cups and glasses for coffee
Of course, the most important utensils are the cups and glasses in which the drink itself is served. They differ in their shape, volume, purpose, or even the material from which they are made. Most often used:
- thick-walled porcelain espresso cup with saucer, volume from 35 to 70 milliliters, the volume is selected depending on the specific type of coffee or its preparation method;
- a classic cappuccino cup, similar to an espresso cup, but with a larger volume, approximately 140-220 milliliters;
- a cup for black coffee, Americano or any coffee prepared in a French press resembles a cup for a classic cappuccino, but the volume is almost constant - from 220 to 230 milliliters;
- a glass called “Latte Glass” is used to serve latte, the volume is about 150-300 milliliters;
- a glass with the name “Irish Coffee Cup” for traditional Irish coffee, characterized by the presence of a handle, as well as a stand, with the most popular volume of 180-200 milliliters.
The container in which the drink will be served is an important component of the entire coffee ritual.
Typically, a similar list of cups and glasses make up the bulk of coffee utensils in restaurants and cafes. Some of them are used for different types of drink, for example, ristretto (the strongest, most invigorating of all) served in a regular espresso cup, and espresso lungo (as strong as classic espresso, but much larger) and dopio (double shot of classic espresso), on the contrary, in a cappuccino cup.
In addition, there are a huge number of glasses and glasses for dessert and alcoholic cocktails, mixed with or with the addition of coffee: tumbler, Collins glass, old-fashioned glass, glass called Hurricane or Goblet, Parfait, Frappe " and many others.
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Coffee etiquette
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When choosing mugs, glasses and glasses, it is important to pay attention not only to their design or volume, but also to quality. The enamel covering the cups must be durable, the porcelain or ceramics themselves must be of high quality and not too thin. The glass of glasses must be extremely heat-resistant, since many drinks served in them are poured hot.
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If we talk about appearance, it is believed that white coffee pairs (cups and special saucers) look the most advantageous, since white sets off the color of the coffee, and the result is a play on contrasts. It is better to purchase glasses and glasses without any patterns or designs on them; such decorations only distract attention and spoil the overall impression of the appearance of the dishes.
Preparation for registration
To organize a holiday, you must follow some rules and recommendations. And you need to start preparing in advance. First of all, this concerns the choice of a suitable table.
Table
There are some requirements for choosing a table for tea drinking. For example, the size of the tabletop should be such that it can easily accommodate all the cutlery, treats and tea. You also need to take into account the number of guests. If there is no suitable furniture, then you can arrange a tea party according to the “buffet” principle. In this case, you will have to do without chairs, which will allow free access for all guests. This option is optimal for daytime ceremonies.
If the reception of guests will be held in a small room, then you need to approach the arrangement of furniture very carefully. If the area allows, then it is better to place the table in the center. Otherwise, the optimal solution would be to place it near the wall. The first option is good because all guests will have free access to the table.
Color
Before setting the festive table, special attention should be paid to the color design. All elements must be optimally combined with each other. This applies, first of all, to tablecloths, napkins and interior design. A white table is a classic option; it can accommodate napkins and a tea set in bright colors.
To add some zest to the setting, you can use a bouquet of prepared flowers in an interesting and original vase. It is also important here that the flowers are selected correctly and arranged in an original composition.
Flowers should not have a sharp, distinct smell, so as not to interrupt the aroma of tea drink and sweets. They should only decorate the interior, but not interfere with the ceremony.
Background
Setting the dessert table begins with choosing a tablecloth, because it is the background and should look beautiful. For this, it is recommended to take products made from natural fabric. In this case, the tablecloth should be a bed shade: light blue, soft pink, cream, gray.
Related article: Basic principles of table setting in a restaurant: preparation, requirements and design
Of course, there are exceptions. It’s worth considering here that color affects the mood of guests, so you need to be very careful when choosing a tablecloth. Textiles should be selected to match the chosen theme of the holiday. If desired, you can use contrasting colors.
The main thing is that the tablecloth optimally matches the color scheme of the room and that the tea set, napkins and decorations contrast well against its background. This will establish the correct emphasis.
An excellent solution would be to choose a tablecloth with a pattern. Most often, preference is given to canvases with bright polka dots or checkered patterns. And to add a touch of romanticism, you can’t find a better tablecloth with a floral pattern.
The size of the tablecloth is also important. It should cover the edges of the table and hang down no more than 35 cm. For a round or oval table, this value is 25 cm. It is also recommended to choose ready-made covers that perfectly fit the tabletop.
Napkins
Setting a sweet table is not complete without napkins. In this case, it is not recommended to use disposable paper products. Of course, if they have an original appearance and are optimally combined with the tablecloth, then their use is permissible; the ban is only on monotonous and boring products.
More recently, it was customary to place napkins under the plate. But today, an original solution will be a variety of figures made from them, which are laid out directly on the devices. This will add zest to the ceremony.
On video: table etiquette: how and what to serve the tea table.
Basic rules for setting the table for breakfast
- Textile.
Decorating a table for breakfast should start with choosing a tablecloth. It must certainly match the overall style of the kitchen or dining room. If you have a long table in your kitchen, then a runner would be more appropriate for decorating it. It, like fabric napkins, should be chosen to match the dishes used, but not too bright. If the dishes are patterned, then the patterns on the runner should be similar.
To receive guests, it is best to cover the breakfast table with a formal white tablecloth. Its sterile snow-white appearance is diluted by adding decor in pastel shades.
Any textile should be harmoniously combined with the dishes. For a festive breakfast with crystal tableware, you can choose an openwork tablecloth. When decorating a table with a porcelain set, simpler textiles are also suitable.
Important! Never use colored and plain napkins at the same time. This will create disharmony in the design, depriving the breakfast table setting of sophistication.
- Arrangement of dishes and cutlery.
When setting the table for breakfast, it is equally important to arrange the dishes and cutlery correctly. In the center of the entire composition, according to the design rules, a large flat dish is placed for scrambled eggs or an omelet. Underneath there is a large bright napkin that matches the tone of the rest of the textiles. To the left of the main plate is a saucer for bread.
If you intend to serve milk porridge, then place a deep one on a flat plate. Choose dishes with bright, beautiful patterns, and then you will be in an optimistic mood for the whole day.
Cutlery is placed in relation to the main plate. A knife is placed to the right of it, and on the right side of it, first a tablespoon, and then a teaspoon. A fork and napkin are placed to the left of the plate. In order not to be mistaken in the arrangement of the cutlery and to arrange everything correctly, look at what the table setting for breakfast looks like in the diagram below.
A coffee cup and saucer are placed diagonally to the right of the main plate, and a sugar bowl is placed next to them. On the left, above the central dish, small plates for sandwiches and croissants are laid out. Glasses for juice are placed above the knife. The figure below shows a basic diagram of table setting for breakfast for several people, which will help you navigate the correct arrangement of all utensils.
When setting the table for breakfast, as well as for dinner, you should take into account the number of people. This can be either a romantic morning meal for two or a meal for the whole family. Consider the number of people in advance: you may have to discard some devices due to lack of space.
- Exquisite decor.
Proper arrangement of dishes is the main step towards creating the ideal environment for a morning meal. But the little things play an equally important role. Serving breakfast will sparkle with new colors if, in addition to the main elements, you also add thematic decor. For example, a bouquet of flowers or a bowl of fruit placed in the center of the table will create a joyful mood.
Beautiful presentation of the food itself is also important in creating the ideal breakfast setting. Fruits can be served to the table by cutting them in an original way and placing them on a plate in the form of figures.
