Fruit and Dessert Course Etiquette

A “dessert service,” usually consisting of  a dessert fork and knife, or dessert fork and spoon, all 3, or even a nut pick and fruit knife, along with a finger bowl, are brought out for each guest prior to dessert being served. “The two pieces (of flatware) are… standard practice and socially experienced hostesses use them because time and custom have proved that two pieces are functionally better than one.”— Mary D. Chambers, 1923

For dessert and fruit, you have a choice of two ways: 

(1) The dessert plate with the dessert silver on it and a second plate for fruit with the finger bowl and its doily on it with the fruit fork at the left and the fruit knife at the right. This is actually a two-course dessert service. 

(2) It is much simpler and equally as good service if you will set the finger bowl and its matching glass plate on the fruit plate with or without a doily between. Then place the dessert silver on the glass plate. The diner will remove the dessert silver and the finger bowl; the glass plate will be used as the dessert plate. After the dessert has been eaten, this plate is removed leaving the fruit plate ready for fruit. Should a fruit knife and fork be required, it can be brought at this time.

Today the above manner of serving dessert and fruit is confined to the home where the staff is expertly trained in traditional service. So few Americans take fruit after dessert; consequently the simple service for dessert is all that you will need.

Have the finger bowls about a third full of water. It's a nice note to add two or three flower petals or a small leaf, perhaps a tiny blossom, to the water; it helps to turn a routine procedure into an occasion.

Because more and more hostesses are omitting finger bowls (alas! since it is a gracious custom), they are placing the dessert silver at the top of the place setting and proceeding with dessert.

Why Two Pieces of Silver for Dessert?

The question is frequently asked, why is it necessary to have both the dessert fork and the dessert spoon for the dessert service? Why can't you use just the fork, say for pie or cake, and only the spoon when the dessert is ice cream or something else less solid?

Of course the single piece may be used and many hostesses do just that. The two pieces are, however, standard practice and socially experienced hostesses use them because time and custom have proved that two pieces are functionally better than one.— Mary D. Chambers, 1923

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

Gilded Age Dinner Table Decorations

The Duke of Buckingham on HBO’s “The Gilded Age” appears to be flummoxed by the nut pick set above the dinner plate. Normally, the nut pick would be brought out with the fruit knife and finger bowl on the dessert plate. 

As regards the most correct style of dinner-table decorations they offer great diversity of arrangement.

High centre pieces, and low centre pieces. Low specimen glasses placed the length of the table and trails of creepers and flowers laid on the table-cloth itself are some of the prevailing features of the day, but table decorations are essentially a matter of taste rather than of etiquette, and the extent of these decorations depends very much upon the size of the plate chest, and the length of the purse of the dinner giver.

The fruit for dessert is usually arranged down the centre of the table, amidst the flowers and plate. Some dinner-tables are also adorned with a variety of French conceits besides fruit and flowers ; other dinner-tables are decorated with flowers and plate only, the dessert not being placed on the table at all; but this latter mode can only be adopted by those who can make a lavish display of flowers and plate in the place of fruit.

For the purposes of lighting, lamps or silver candelabra with wax candles are used, according to the wealth of the dinner giver. Both lamps and candles are usually shaded with coloured shades, as they produce a pretty effect, and prevent the guests being incommoded by too close a proximity to the glare occasioned by some dozens of candles or by brilliant lamps, therefore shades are considered indispensable.

Electric light and electric lamps are now greatly the fashion, and offer many advantages.

The term “cover” signifies the place laid at table for each person, and the menu cards are elaborate or simple, accord- ing to individual taste, and are purchased printed for the purpose, having a space for the names of the dishes to be filled in, which is usually done by the mistress of the house, unless the establishment is on a large scale, it being usual to write them out in French.

Fanciful menu holders are much in use.

The use of menu would be pretentious at a small dinner- party when there is but little choice of dishes; but when there is a choice of dishes a menu is indispensable. — From “Manners and Rules of Good Society or Solecisms to be Avoided,” 1898

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