All human history attests 
That happiness for man, 
The hungry sinner; 
Since Eve ate apples 
Much depends upon dinner. 

Lord Byron, Don Juan 


The dinner table is the heart of the home, a magic place where moments are treasured and memories made. Family events, anniversaries, and holidays are all celebrated at the table, a place where children are taught, business is conducted, and romance is found, a setting that greets with a silent message: "Welcome. A place is prepared for you." 

A myriad of traditions surround the service of meals, especially dinner. We dine in a designated area and sit at a table enhanced by the symmetrical alignment of dinnerware. Like a picture slightly askew, an asymmetrical place setting creates subtle irritation, and to promote a harmonious relaxed ambience, dinnerware is laid directly opposite the ware on the other side of the table. When an odd number of people are seated at a rectangular, square, or oval table, the odd-numbered place setting is aligned with the middle of the even-numbered place setting opposite. This is not to suggest that one set the table with a ruler in hand, only that the symmetrical alignment of dinnerware please the eye. 

The type of dining occasion determines where to lay dinnerware. At a multi-course meal, notably a formal affair, each course is served one at a time, and dinnerware is laid in the center of the place setting. In formal dining, side dishes are not used, cups and saucers do not appear on the table, and demitasse is served in another room. 

At an informal meal, the menu is simpler and the courses are either laid on the table all at once or presented one at a time as in formal service. A meal served all at once requires space, and side dishes, namely, salad plate, bread-and-butter plate, and fruit saucer, are laid to the left of the cover. The left-handed person reverses the placement. Why are side dishes placed opposite the hand with which one eats? Because the placement of ware near the "eating" hand is awkward to manipulate and makes the dishes too close for comfort. 

The placement of the cup and saucer is different for company and family dining. Because the majority of people are right-handed, at a company occasion the cup and saucer are placed on the right side, even for a left-handed person; this placement promotes a symmetrical table setting. The cup and saucer are laid to the right of the outside piece of flatware. However, at a family meal, aesthetics are not as important as comfort, and commonsense dictates seating the left-handed person at the end of the table where the cup and saucer are placed on the left (even though the other cups and saucers are on the right). 

When hot beverages are served during a meal, such as coffee at breakfast or tea at lunch, the cup and saucer are laid on the table initially. But if hot beverages are served at the end of a meal, such as after dessert, the cup and saucer are brought to the table following the last course. 

Here are some guidelines for the alignment of dinnerware. 

• Large plates, such as the dinner plate and luncheon plate, are laid about 1 inch in from the edge of the table. The exception is the service plate, a capacious plate aligned flush with the edge of the table. 

• Small plates, such as the salad plate, fish plate, and dessert plate, are laid in the center of the cover, about 2 inches in from the edge of the table. 

• Cups and saucers are placed approximately 1 inch beyond the outermost piece of flatware. The top edge of the saucer is aligned with the top rim of the plate or bowl. 

• Cup handles are faced in a four o'clock position for easy access. 

• Soup bowl and soup cup handles are aligned parallel with the edge of the table. 

• Bread-and-butter plates are laid at the top left of the cover, usually above the dinner fork, a placement that avoids overcrowding on the right side, where the goblet and wine glass are placed. 

• Elbow room requires a minimum of 15 inches between place settings, or approximately 24 inches from the center of one place setting to the middle of the next. 

From the book, The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware by Suzanne von Drachenfels (Published by Simon and Schuster, November 2000; $40.00US/$59.00CAN; 0-684-84732-9) Copyright © 2000 Suzanne von Drachenfels 



About the author:
Suzanne von Drachenfels's passion for table things led her to a career as Tabletop Consultant to Fitz & Floyd, a maker of fine dinnerware that has been used in the West Wing of the White House. As an expert on the table, she has traveled extensively to conduct seminars and appeared on local television morning shows throughout the United States. She lives on the Monterey Peninsula in California, where she and her late husband, Baron Alexei von Drachenfels, have lived for many years.

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. It's rich, full-bodied taste is a daily necessity to millions of people. Of course, coffee is not only loved for its taste. The caffeine kick is needed by many to start the day. But if you are a true coffee lover, fresh gourmet coffee has a taste that can't be beat.

Luckily, it's easy to get a hit of fresh gourmet coffee almost everywhere. There are coffee shops on almost every street corner and quality coffee beans are sold in many specialty shops as well as supermarkets.

"Fresh" is the key to fresh gourmet coffee. Coffee simply does not improve with age -- it should be used within six months of production. Some of the large coffee distributors include old coffee beans in their mixes to reduce the cost. Needless to say, this practice also reduces the flavor.

Fresh gourmet coffee costs a bit more than regular supermarket coffee. That's because it's made from high quality Arabica coffee that has been hand-picked in processed. Commercial grade coffee is made from the cheaper Robusta coffee which has an inferior taste and texture than Arabica.

Commercial grade coffee is also machine picked and processed which means that foreign substances such as twigs and leaves find their way into the finished product. When you buy fresh gourmet coffee, you are assured of the quality and taste.

You have many choices when it comes to fresh gourmet coffee. Each coffee growing region produces a uniquely flavored coffee bean and the processing method to also determines the final taste of the coffee. The roasting method in particular determines the kind of coffee taste.

Fresh gourmet coffee should be ground just before brewing. You need a coffee grinder in your home if you want to the best tasting coffee possible. A good-quality coffee maker is also a necessity when making great tasting coffee.

One question on the minds of many people who frequently suffer from cold sores is “is there a cure for cold sores?” Sadly, the answer is no. But while there is no cold sores cure, there are numerous preventive measures people can take to keep their cold sore outbreaks to a minimum. 

Some of these preventions include not kissing people who currently have cold sores, protecting the lips from prolonged exposure to the sun, use lip balm with sun block on the lips at all times, and avoiding personal triggers that can lead to a cold sore outbreak. Following these procedures will not guarantee that a person will never have another cold sore, but it will decrease the likelihood that they will have another outbreak. 

It is a good idea to avoid any close contact like kissing with anyone who currently has a cold sore. Although people can spread the cold-sore-causing HSV-1 virus even when they do not have a cold sore, it is much more likely to spread when a sore is present. It is advisable not to share any items with people who have cold sores as well. Items such as toothbrushes, towels, razors, and tableware can carry the HSV-1 virus. 

It is also a good idea to protect the lips from the sun. People should wear a lip balm containing sunscreen at all times to prevent any burning or drying. Even with the sun block, people should still limit the amount of direct sunlight their lips get. It is advisable to wear a hat or stay in the shade to keep the lips from getting too much sun. 

Some foods seem to trigger cold sore outbreaks in some people. Foods and drinks containing caffeine like chocolate, coffee, and soft drinks make some people more susceptible to cold sore outbreaks. People who are sensitive to these substances should limit their intake in order to decrease the likelihood of a cold sore outbreak. 

There is no cold sores cure, but taking these precautions can greatly reduce the likelihood of a cold sore outbreak. Anyone who has a weakened immune system is at a risk for cold sores, but many of these preventive measures can still be effective.

Do you know an espresso drinker that you want to get a gift for? Perhaps you’d like to get yourself some gourmet espresso. Well, buying gourmet espresso coffee gifts is easier than ever. With more and more stores online selling gourmet espresso at fantastic prices with cheap shipping, everyone can afford it now. We recommend 3 of the best merchants online on our Coffee and Tea Gifts page (http://www.gourmet-food-gifts.com/coffee-and-tea-gifts.htm), you just need to scroll to the bottom and start shopping. 

Here’s a little bit of information on what you can expect to find. There are quite a few choices when it comes to espresso. You can buy whole beans or ground coffee, but if you’re not sure if your friend has a coffee grinder, either pick one up at the same time (2 of the 3 merchants we recommend sell them) or go with ground coffee beans. Most people like the amount of caffeine in espresso (myself included) and not just the taste. But for those of us who can’t have too much caffeine for health reasons, you can also get decaffeinated espresso. 

You can also purchase espresso pods. Before doing so though, carefully check if your machine will accept espresso pods. What is a pod you ask? It looks almost identical to a tea bag, perhaps slightly larger and acts in the same way as a teabag. It’s mess-free, unlike using a filter and loose coffee and ensures the same great taste for every cup. It’s much easier to use, but also slightly more expensive. 

Whatever you choose, have fun with it. There are so many brands to choose from, you might want to try them all to find the perfect coffee for you. Happy shopping!