Do you know the regal way to hold a dessert fork and spoon?

The dessert fork is facing to the right, and above, the dessert spoon is facing to the left. Notice how the ends of both are not equally aligned with one another but ever so slightly pulled to the right and left.

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When attending an informal dinner, if you observe that the place setting includes a dessert fork and spoon placed together, centered on top of the dinner plate, the good news is that you are definitely going to be served dessert, or "pudding" as it is lovingly referred to in England! The quandary for some is knowing which one to pick up. The simple answer is that you pick up both! Once dessert is served and you see the hostess has picked up her fork and spoon, then you follow suit by placing the fork in your left hand, tines side down, and placing the spoon in your right hand. The fork is used as a kind of "pusher" to place the dessert into the spoon, and then you eat from the spoon. Most guests choose to pick up either the fork or the spoon, instead of picking them both up together, one in each hand. So, now you know!

When you set an informal place setting with the fork and spoon above the dinner plate, remember that the fork is on the bottom, with the tines facing to the right. It is easy to remember that the fork is positioned to the right, so that the tines cannot poke your heart! The spoon is placed higher, above the fork, with the bowl of the spoon facing towards the left. A spoon full of sugar cannot hurt your heart!

I was delighted to learn a little nuance when doing a photo shoot for my book, The Pretty & Proper Living Room. I arranged a composition for "a romantic dinner for two" on a Pembroke table in my living room at Fox Hall. Just before the photographer began to shoot the scene, my dear friend, a consummate British gentleman, popped in to say hello. He glanced at my place setting and asked permission to suggest a slight adjustment. "Yes, of course! I relish your seasoned insight!" So, he gently moved the dessert fork and spoon, infinitesimally, to the right and to the left. "This enables your guest to pick up the spoon without the possibility of the fork pricking the right hand,” he explained. A tiny but refined detail!

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A place setting in the stupendously handsome state dining room at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England. I filmed an episode for my public television series, You Are Cordially Invited, with Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, the eldest daughter of the 11th Duke of Marlborough, in the private apartments. They had never before been filmed.

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For a formal place setting, the dessert spoon and fork are not placed above the dinner plate! Instead, they are in line with the rest of the flatware. The dessert spoon is placed closest to the plate on the right, and the dessert fork, just to the left of the plate so that they are the last pieces of flatware employed while dining. This will allow you to savour your pudding!

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Rarely do you see the dessert fork and spoon placed above the plate in regal residences in England.Here, in the state dining room at Blenheim Palace, notice how the dessert fork is directly next to the plate on the left. The dessert spoon, to the right of the plate, has a small knife between the plate and the spoon. This is for the last course being served, possibly cheese or fruit.

Do you know what a salt cellar is?

I have always been enamored with the traditional cobalt blue glass liners inside of my silver salt cellars. And, how convenient that they complement the color scheme of the dining room at Fox Hall!

A classic salt cellar is a diminutive container filled with salt for a formal dinner. It is a charming, traditional accessory for an elegant place setting.

A Peek at Salt History

Salt cellars have been around since ancient Rome. Salt was a prized possession, and in the Middle Ages, a large silver dish of salt was considered a status symbol. It was placed prominently in front of the host to indicate his prosperity.   

Soon, smaller petite sized salt receptacles were created for dinner guests to share. In the 1600s, small salt spoons were designed to accompany each salt cellar. In the Victorian era, an individual salt cellar was displayed for each guest to have at the table, and considered quite vogue. In the early 20th century, “salt shakers” were developed when anti-clumping salt was invented.

If you attend a dinner party and an individual (not shared) salt cellar is above your place setting without a salt spoon, you may pinch the salt with your fingers, or use the tip of your clean knife blade to take out the salt and place it on the rim of your plate or on your butter plate. If the salt cellar is shared, then do not use your fingers! Salt taken from the salt cellar, with a salt spoon, may be sprinkled over your food.

Refrain from seasoning what is served to you until you have tasted it first! It can be construed as an insult to the hostess or chef that you should choose to season their culinary creation before you make the effort to taste it.

Salt is corrosive to silver, so glass liners were designed for silver salt cellars to protect the salt from damaging the silver. Remember to remove the salt from the silver salt cellar, especially if it does not have a glass liner, and wash it to remove any salt residue.

And yes, you may use a pair of salt cellars for both salt and pepper! Salt is usually placed to the right of the pepper because most people are right-handed, and salt is requested more than pepper (even though I prefer pepper).

Salt cellars, as well as individual salt and pepper shakers, are placed above an individual place setting or, when shared, above and in between the two place settings.

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Forbidden Faux Pas

No-no: To leave any salt cellars or shakers on the table after dinner, when the dessert is served.
What is done: Remove the cellars before dessert is served.

No-no: To pass only the salt or just the pepper.
What is done: When asked to pass the salt or pepper, always pass them together.

No-no: To dip your food into the salt cellar.

Millennial Tip

For an informal dinner, consider using your salt cellars to hold a few chocolate covered coffee beans, spiced nuts, or even a flower blossom or two. Place one at the top of a place setting or around the centerpiece or flower arrangement. A white gardenia blossom, or a little rose blossom with a few tiny green leafs can be quite elegant in a salt cellar… who would have ever thought!