WEBVTT Kind: captions; Language: en

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As Joan is making plans for entertaining
a few of her friends at a buffet supper,

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she asks advice well ahead of time.
She has learned that what is correct in terms

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of etiquette is also highly practical
and logical. So she asks what foods she

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should offer, how it should be served,
and what preparation she should make for

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arranging a buffet supper table.

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On the evening of her party just before
her guests arrive, June has everything

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ready, but she needs help in actually
setting the table. The buffet supper is a

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bit different from other meals in that
it is served in the later evening when

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only a light meal is wanted. Chairs will
not be needed at the table since the

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guests will eat informally, eating wherever
they wish to seat themselves. A plain

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linen tablecloth is proper for this
type of service, but it should be laid

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squarely and smoothly with the sides
hanging evenly. For the care that is shown

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in entertaining guests is meant as a token
of respect and friendliness. Precision

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and symmetry are as necessary in arranging
a table as is the choice of the proper

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service and decorations. June wants

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candles on the table and has to be reminded
that this type of candlestick would

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be good if she were using candles as
the principal light for the supper. But

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since the candles are not to be the
principal light, they should not be

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placed on the table at all.

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However, her centerpiece of fruits
is a proper choice. It is attractive

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without being obtrusive, and it is not
expensive, but it should be placed exactly

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in the center of the table.
June enjoys the compliment on her

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centerpiece, but she still has a problem
before her in arranging the table so

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that her guests can serve themselves
without getting in each other's way. The

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answer is simple. Place things around the
table in the order in which each guest

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will help himself. First, the napkin forks.
These should not be stacked, but laid

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out singly. Staggering the forks helps
the guests to pick one up easily. Each

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rule of etiquette has a logical explanation
of this kind, and what may seem to be

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a small detail is still a way of showing
consideration for a guest. The same

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principle applies naturally in larger matters.

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The buffet supper as a whole is designed
as a simple meal which can be eaten

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simply. Since the guests will carry their
food to another room, the service is

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made as simple as possible.

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A single hot dish is offered
and kept warm in a casserole.

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It may be a meat pie, macaroni, and cheese,
or whatever you prefer. It should be

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substantial, but it need not be expensive.

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The food is still a food that
doesn't require a knife or cutting,

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for they will not be seated at a table.

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The same principle applies in offering a
single cold dish, which is a balance for

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the hot dish. June has prepared individual
salads which can be placed on the same

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plate as the hot food, and can also be
eaten easily without awkwardness. The main

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dishes are spaced about the table so that
each guest, as he goes around the table

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helping himself to each dish,
will not be crowded, but have ample room.

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The other foods may be placed conveniently
between the main dishes. The rolls

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that June is serving are kept warm in a napkin,
and they have already been

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buttered in the kitchen. In this way,
the guest may put the roll on his plate and

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not be bothered with a bread and butter plate.

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The entire meal, except for the dessert
and drink, is put on the single plate,

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even the relish, or hors d'oeuvre,
celery, olives, radishes, pickles, and so

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forth. The dessert is served on separate

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plates which have already been placed on
the table. The offering of cake calls

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for another fork, and also in the serving
for a cake knife and fork. The dessert

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forks are laid singly like the others,
and now our table is completely set. June

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can be confident and proud of her arrangements.
She has a pleasing and proper

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meal prepared for her guests. There is a
hot casserole dish, hot buttered rolls,

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cold individual salads, relish. For dessert,
there is cake. On the buffet are the

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drinks, milk, and punch. For older people,
there would be tea or coffee. The

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guests will help themselves from the tall
pitchers. But now everything is ready,

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and we can be certain that each guest
will be fully aware not only of the food,

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but of the attractiveness and convenience
of the table arrangement. The table

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arrangement will be seen in itself as a
gesture of consideration for the guest.

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And here is the soul of etiquette,
the proof of courtesy and friendliness.