Editing Tableware (section)

==Western style==
[[File:Fotothek df roe-neg 0006279 017 Porträt einer alten Frau.jpg|thumb|left|Setting the table for a family meal, [[Leipzig]] (1952)]]

===Table settings===
{{Further|Place setting}}
A table setting in Western countries is mainly in one of two styles: ''[[service à la russe]]'' (French for "in the [[Russian Empire|Russian style]]"), where each course of the meal is brought out in specific order; and ''[[service à la française]]'' (French for "in the French style"), where all the courses for the meal are arranged on the table and presented at the same time that guests are seated. ''Service à la russe'' has become the custom in most restaurants, whereas ''[[service à la française]]'' is the norm in family settings.

Place settings for ''service à la russe'' dining are arranged according to the number of courses in the meal. The tableware is arranged in a particular order. With the first course, each guest at the table begins by using the tableware placed on the outside of place setting. As each course is finished the guest leaves the used cutlery on the used plate or bowl, which are removed from the table by the server. In some case, the original set is kept for the next course. To begin the next course, the diner uses the next item on the outside of the place setting, and so on. Forks are placed on the left of a dinner plate, knives to the right of the plate, and spoons to the outer right side of the place setting.

=== Flatware, plates and bowls ===
[[File:Formal 01.jpg|thumb|''Service à la russe'' formal place setting showing glassware for a range of beverages]]
[[File:Palais-Niel couverts.JPG|thumb|Table laid out for a banquet in [[Toulouse]] at the Palais Niel (2010)<br>'''''Plates''''' Dinner plate with rolled table napkin; small bread plate above forks.<br>
'''''Glasses''''' Small glass for water, larger one behind for red wine, and smaller wine glass for white wine.<br>
'''''Cutlery''''' (from the outside toward the plate) Fish cutlery (knife and fork, as fish will be served without any sauce, otherwise it would be a fish spoon (cuillère à gourmet)); meat cutlery and cheese or fruit cutlery, the end of the knife rests on a knife rest. Above the plate, dessert cutlery (spoon and fork). ]]

Items of tableware include a variety of [[Plate (dishware)|plates]], [[Bowl (vessel)|bowls]]; or cups for individual diners and a range of serving dishes to transport the food from the kitchen or to separate smaller dishes. Plates include [[Charger (table setting)|charger plates]] as well as specific dinner plates, lunch plates, dessert plates, salad plates or side plates. Bowls include those used for soup, cereal, pasta, fruit or dessert.  A range of [[saucer]]s accompany plates and bowls, those designed to go with teacups, coffee cups, demitasses and cream soup bowls. There are also individual covered casserole dishes. In the 19th century, crescent-shaped [[bone dish]]es could be used to hold side-salad or to discard bones.<ref>{{cite book |last=Buchanan Longstreet |first=Abby |date=1890 |title=Dinners, Ceremonious and Unceremonious and the Modern Methods of Serving Them |url=https://archive.org/details/dinnersceremoni00longgoog/page/n65/mode/2up |publisher=F.A. Stokes & Brother |page=59}}</ref>

Warewashing is essential but can be costly regardless of whether done by hand or in a [[dishwasher]].<ref>{{cite book |author1=Chris Thomas |author2=Ed Norman |author3=Edwin J. Norman |author4=Costas Katsigris  |date=2013 |title=Design and Equipment for Restaurants and Foodservice: A Management View |publisher= Wiley |isbn=9781118297742 |page=85}}</ref> Dishes come in standard sizes, which are set according to the manufacturer. They are similar throughout the industry. Plates are standardised in descending order of [[diameter]] size according to function. One standard series is [[charger (table setting)|charger]] (12 inches); [[dinner plate]] (10.5 inches); [[dessert plate]] (8.5 inches) [[salad plate]] (7.5 inches); [[side plate]], [[tea plate]] (6.75 inches).

===Drinkware===
{{Main|Glassware|Lead crystal}}

Glasses and [[mug]]s of various types are an important part of tableware, as beverages are important parts of a meal. Vessels to hold alcoholic beverages such as [[Wine glass|wine]], whether [[Red wine|red]], [[White wine|white]], [[Sparkling wine|sparkling]] tend to be quite specialised in form, with for example [[Port wine]] glasses, [[beer glass]]es, [[Snifter|brandy balloons]], [[aperitif]] and [[liqueur]] glasses all having different shapes. [[Water glass]]es, juice glasses and [[hot chocolate]] mugs are also differentiated. Their appearance as part of the tableware depends on the meal and the style of table arrangement.

Tea and coffee tend to involve strong social rituals and so [[teacup]]s and, coffee cups (including [[demitasse]] cups) have a shape that depends on the culture and the social situation in which the drink is taken.

===Cutlery===
{{Main|Cutlery|List of eating utensils|Silver (household)}}
{{Category see also|Silversmiths by nationality}}

Cutlery is an important part of tableware. A basic formal place setting will usually have a dinner plate at the centre, resting on a [[charger (table setting)|charger]]. The rest of the place setting depends upon the first course, which may be soup, salad or fish.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cunningham|first=Marion|title=The Fannie Farmer Cookbook|year=1996|publisher=Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.|isbn=0679450815|page=[https://archive.org/details/fanniefarmercook1996cunn/page/817 817]|url=https://archive.org/details/fanniefarmercook1996cunn/page/817}}</ref>
* If [[soup]] is the first course, to the left of the dinner [[Plate (dishware)|plate]], moving clockwise, are placed a small salad fork to the left of the dinner plate; a large dinner fork to the left of the salad fork; a side plate above the forks; a wine or water glass above and to the right of the dinner plate; a large dinner knife to the right of the dinner plate; a smaller butter knife to the right of the dinner knife; a dinner spoon to the right of the knives; a [[soup spoon]] to the right of the dinner spoon.
* If [[salad]] is the first course, the soup spoon is skipped. The dinner fork is placed immediately left of the dinner plate; the salad fork is placed on the outer left side of the place setting.

In either arrangement, the napkin may either rest folded underneath the [[fork]]s, or it may be folded and placed on the dinner plate.

When more courses are being served, place settings may become more elaborate and cutlery more specialised. Examples include fruit spoon or fruit knife, cheese knife, and [[pastry fork]]. Other types of cutlery, such as boning forks, were used when formal meals included dishes that have since become less common. Carving knives and forks are used to carve roasts at the table.

===Serving dishes===
[[File:Service à thé à la menthe .JPG|thumb|Middle-Eastern service for [[Maghrebi mint tea|mint tea]]]]

A wide range of serving dishes are used to transport food from kitchen to table or to serve it at table, to make food service easier and cleaner or more efficient and pleasant. Serving dishes include: [[butter dish]]es; [[casserole]]s; fruit bowls; [[ramekin]]s or lidded serving bowls; [[compote]]s; [[Pitcher (container)|pitchers]] or [[Jug (container)|jugs]]; [[Platter (dishware)|platters]], [[salver]]s, and [[tray]]s; [[salt and pepper shakers]] or [[salt cellar]]s; [[Sauce boat|sauce or gravy boats]]; [[tureen]]s and [[tajine]]s; vegetable or [[salad]] bowls.

A range of items specific to the serving of tea or coffee also have long cultural traditions. They include [[teapot]]s and [[coffee pot]]s as well as [[samovar]]s, [[Sugar bowl (dishware)|sugar bowls]]; [[Creamer (vessel)|milk or cream jugs]].

=== Serving utensils ===
Serving utensils are implements used to move food from serving dishes to individual plates. In [[Types of restaurant#Family style|family-style dining]], these might include [[serving spoon]]s. A [[fish slice]] is an early example of a specialty [[silver service]] utensil used in waiter or butler service.<ref name="Victoria and Albert Museum">{{Cite web |title=Serving up: silver slices · V&A |url=https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/serving-up-silver-slices/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=[[Victoria and Albert Museum]] |language=en}}</ref>

=== Place markers ===
Place markers are used to designate assigned seats to guests.  They are typically used at large formal functions such as weddings, banquets for dignitaries, politicians or diplomats as well as on special occasions such as large children's parties. Some are collectible.<ref>{{cite web|title=Place marker|url=http://www.horniman.ac.uk/object/1989.114|publisher=Horniman Museum and Gardens}}</ref>