An Interview with Tatyana Gresserova

Unexpectedly, we had a tie for the Best in Show Winner for the Amateur Community in our 1st Annual Etiquipedia Place Setting Competition. Our first of the tie-winning tables is that of  Tatyana Gresserova of Russia. Tatyana is shown above with her historical themed, dinner place setting.

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Meet Tatyana Gresserova from Saint Petersburg, Russia. She is an English teacher at a school in Russia. She has long been interested in etiquette and manners, and reads books and blogs on etiquette and manners, both in Russian and in English. She’s been acquainted with the etiquipedia.blogspot.com for some time, “long before I followed it on Instagram.” Tatyana said, “I have a family: my husband (a restaurant manager in the past, so he also has a taste in fine table setting and great dinners) and two daughters. My parents live near and they are usual guests at our place, as well as our numerous friends. With COVID situation now our dinners became rare and are only for close ones. But it was in quarantine period when we all were at home that we made beautifully set meals our usual everyday practice! And I hope we’ll keep it for long!”

I was absolutely delighted from the start with Tatyana’s place setting entry. It had such a creative theme! As I had been waiting until all of the entries were in to start judging the settings, I didn’t learn of the theme until I actually started looking carefully each place setting and menu. 

The envisioned dinner, hosted by Ernest and Wallis Simpson, with HRH Prince Edward on the guest list, was inspired. I found the menu interesting, without being pretentious. I’m not certain I would choose these differing dishes to be served together at the same dinner, however, if I were to see them offered at a buffet, I’d probably sample more than a bit of each. They are all favorites of mine!

Elegant dinner with traditional American menu
Event: the Independence Day
Date: 4th of July, 1933
Place: London, the UK
Hosts: Ernest and Wallis Simpson
Guests: HRH Prince Edward, 7 more guests

Aperitif: 2 cocktails

Soup:
Black bean soup

Fish:
Grilled salmon
served with Chardonnay blanc

Entree:
Maryland fried chicken
served with champagne rose brut

Entremen:
Chilled raspberry soufflé
served with liqueur

“Wallis Simpson is a contradictory historical figure whose life story is still full of mysteries. Yet it is well known that she was an extraordinary hostess and her parties were of great success. As a hostess, she was highly attentive to the details. By the time she was giving this dinner at their flat she had already been aware of Prince’s tastes and food preferences. Thus she knew that he was fond of simple food of fish and meat. And she chose American cuisine due to the occasion and in honour of the country she was born.”

A few etiquette notes on Tatyana’s setting: 

The overall simplicity of the place setting was perfect for the time period. The U.S. was in the grip of The Great Depression, and simplicity had become expected. Prohibition was still enforced in the U.S. until December of 1933, but I imagine a hostess like Wallis Simpson would have creatively found her way around something so bothersome as the law, and served alcohol to her guests. Especially, with the Prince on the menu… excuse me… on the guest list!

Tatyana’s everyday flatware at home fits in perfectly as 1930’s era flatware designs. The flatware patterns, even in sterling silver from 1933, were remarkably plain. These below are all from 1933, and advertised on Replacements.com. Anything fancier, or more ornamental, would have been incorrect to achieve the streamlined look from that era. The size of the napkin appears a bit small for a formal dinner, however that could be an optical illusion. I cannot really tell, by the way it is folded.

“By the mid-1930s the elaborate patterns and ornament of Art Deco were out. Sleek lines and simple, rounded curves were in. In clothing, too, efficiency and simplicity were key words. Americans began to buy low-cost copies of French fashions, or they made their own. In the late 1930s, this simplicity would emerge as a distinctively American style.” – www.encyclopedia.com

The heavyweight, patterned tablecloth made a great background for the streamlined glass beverage ware and ceramic ware, as did the patterned glass under-plate for the soup bowl. Those elements, along with the patterned glass of the salt and peppers, added interest to the overall look. Without any actual vintage 1930’s elements, Tatyana managed to create an authentic 1930’s “look.” Brava!

Four questions for Tatyana–

1. Have you always enjoyed a properly set table? Or, if not, was table setting something you learned to enjoy through your social life and/or business, later on in life?

I think that my interest to beautifully set table is from my childhood. In my grandparents’ home there was a tradition to have dinner every weekend and all family, friends and colleagues were invited. The dining room was small but they usually had 15-20 people at the table. As a child I was in charge of setting the it. It was a hard task as there were no sets of 20 plates or cutlery, so I learnt to be creative! And it was my grandfather who spoke to me of the importance of etiquette rules, especially table manners. Now I understand that my grandparents were perfect hosts and that inspired me to finish a 4-months course at Austrian School of Etiquette in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

2. How did you choose the various elements you used in your setting and why?

I was very eager to take part in this competition as it combines everything I love: history, outstanding dinners, beautifully set table, strict etiquette rules! And the fact that I don’t have neither vintage dishes nor silver (as I live far from my hometown Omsk and have got only new things at home) didn’t stop me. So I had to use what I had at home. Now I can see the difference between those grand dinners of the beginning of 20th century and our “minimalistic” dinners. The things you see in my setting are the things we use for our everyday meals as well as for our dinners with family and friends.

3. If yours was a historical setting, why did you choose that particular period in time?

My choice of a historical event was not accidental. I have long heard of Wallis Simpson as the host of the most elegant dinner parties in London. To find the details of her famous dinners, I read Arina Polyakova's book “How to Steal the King? The Wallis Simpson Story ”and watched several films and documentaries about Wallis.

The idea of choosing an aristocratic American woman who is trying to enter high English society, learning new rules of etiquette and retaining her identity, seemed very close to me. Probably, this is how I feel myself, studying the rules of etiquette and balancing between Russian and English cultures.

In preparation for the competition, I studied in detail the American and British dinners of the first half of the 20th century (by the way, I took a lot of information on etiquipedia.blogspot.com), learned the traditional recipes of that time, as well as the secrets of a successful dinner from Wallis Simpson.

The problem arose when I tried to invent the appropriate menu for the event. The flight of my imagination was prevented by the lack of the necessary cutlery: spoons for oysters, forks for lobsters. (The price of oysters, lobsters and crabs is so high that I hardly will use these devices in the near future, and I did not want to buy it just for a photo.)

6. Do you plan on entering again next year?

I am sure to enter the competition again next year! It was such a great experience and I can’t stop reading of historical dinners and looking for real menus and forgotten recipes of the past! I’m so grateful to the organisers for bringing such a pleasure and inspiration into my life!

Elizabeth Soos and I are equally grateful for your enthusiasm, Tatyana. We are thankful to you, and all of our entrants, for your participation and congratulate you on your award winning design! 

Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia