Spotlight on Petra Carsetti

  

IN JULY 2021 THE ITALIAN PETRA CARSETTI JUMPED TO THE NEWS FOR WINNING A WORLD RACE OF WHAT?

Meet Italian Etiquette Authority and Etiquipedia Contributor, Petra Carsetti, Author of Galatime and Galatime Act II

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, is a frequent television guest. Very active on Instagram @galateopetra_carsetti, Petra is happily married to well-known wine and food aficionado, journalist and author, Carlo Cambi and together they have one daughter.

Below are links to just a few of Petra Carsetti’s numerous articles on etiquette and table settings you’ll find on Etiquipedia:

• Petra Carsetti’s 10 Commandments of Italian Dinner Party Etiquette
• Table Etiquette and Beverages
• More Italian Etiquette with Galatime II
• Etiquette and Table Service Styles
• Italian Place-Setting Etiquette for Wines
• An Interview with Petra Carsetti

The following is a Q. & A. with Petra:

What was the impetus for starting your Etiquette business?
In reality, I've always had the impulse! Since I was a child I paid particular attention to how to set a table, empathize with people in front of me and know how to converse with everyone.

Why did you start? 

The 2016 the earthquake in the central part of Italy forced me to change my life. I therefore decided to enroll at the Italian Etiquette Academy to become a teacher of etiquette. In 2021 I also began to write books about etiquette.

What do you enjoy teaching the most regarding Etiquette? Surely the thing I like most is to make people understand that etiquette is the best tool for respect towards others and the use of kindness is the only true weapon to develop real progress towards the world and towards oneself.

What do you find rewarding about teaching Etiquette? 

I really love the amazement that I find in kids and teenagers when I teach them etiquette! They are always full of enthusiasm and curiosity.

What types of classes do you offer? 

I give lessons for all ages. I enter primary and secondary school, organize workshops around Italy, chair private and public events to deal with etiquette issues at 360°.

What age group do you enjoy working with most? And why? 

As already written, I love working with kids because there is a purity without superstructures that allow me to awaken hidden passions and make them feel more confident about themselves and the world around them.

Who are some of the older etiquette authors or authorities you enjoy reading most? 

Surely one of them is Monsignor Giovanni della Casa, he is the founder of good manners in Italy and his rules (from about 1550) are still valid today. Another author is a woman, she is Elda Lanza and she wrote a book with a very clear title: Il tovagliolo va a sinistra (The napkin goes to the left, first edition 2016)

If you would like to reach Petra, you can find her on Instagram. She is very active there @galateopetra_carsetti — Petra’s etiquette books, Galatime and Galatime Act II are both available on Amazon.

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

More Italian Etiquette with Galatime II

At the same time we can also decorate the table with small and harmonious ceramic objects (see for example in the photos the delight of the small Oriente Italiano egg by Ginori 1735 in periwinkle colour), but we avoid using fish-themed decorations if it is a meat dinner or using too much silver if it’s a rustic lunch. It is also possible to use a centerpiece that includes flowers, fruit or even vegetables; in the evening the combination of candles and flowers is permitted, but is mostly recommended for weddings.

From the new book by contributors, Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi, 

“Galatime ACT II: Life as a stage of elegance”

Many are unaware that candles during the day should not be used, not even for the centerpiece. They are only allowed for evening meals (usually after 8) and must be not too high (for the same principle as the flowers), nor too low not to make the hands and cuffs of the diners hot; the candles will be lit before sitting at the table and turned off when everyone has left, never in the presence of diners.

At the same time we can also decorate the table with small and harmonious ceramic objects (see for example in the photos the delight of the small Oriente Italiano egg by Ginori 1735 in periwinkle colour), but we avoid using fish-themed decorations if it is a meat dinner or using too much silver if it’s a rustic lunch. It is also possible to use a centerpiece that includes flowers, fruit or even vegetables; in the evening the combination of candles and flowers is permitted, but is mostly recommended for weddings.

We think that a beautiful table is the functional one and without ostentation: the furniture of the table with its elements of quality - even if few and not necessarily luxury - are just as important- as many as the quality of the ingredients of a menu! Menu that is key in organizing a successful invitation.

The first reason why it is good to prepare the menu in advance is that among our guests there may be vegetarian, vegan people, with intolerances and allergies or with religious precepts such as to require them to avoid certain foods. Thinking about suitable recipes means first of all having respect for our diners but also then not having problems in the kitchen having to make up for it with a delicious recipe at the last moment. If this were to happen, it would deprive us of the opportunity to be with our guests in serenity and for as long as we want to allow each other.— By Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi, 2023

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, is a frequent television guest and is very active on Instagram @galateopetra_carsetti

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

Table “Dressing” Etiquette

“Attention, objects and creativity have developed more and more consistently around everything that substantiates the equipment, but often with completely correct principles and rules. Giving vent to creativity is certainly a plus for welcoming our guests, but the rules of etiquette help us to set the table and furnish the house with harmony, elegance and above all with logic in order to create solid welcoming environments, honest marvelous (let's also think about how many amazing wedding tables you see insistently proposed on social media or in glossy magazines) and at the same time functional.”

From “CHAPTER III – The art of receiving: The table The menu” in the new book by contributor, Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi,“Galatime ACT II: Life as a stage of elegance”

“With this chapter we get to the heart of one of the topics that arouse the most interest and are most sought after in the field of etiquette: the table and the art of receiving.

“Attention, objects and creativity have developed more and more consistently around everything that substantiates the equipment, but often with completely correct principles and rules. Giving vent to creativity is certainly a plus for welcoming our guests, but the rules of etiquette help us to set the table and furnish the house with harmony, elegance and above all with logic in order to create solid welcoming environments, honest marvelous (let's also think about how many amazing wedding tables you see insistently proposed on social media or in glossy magazines) and at the same time functional.

“First of all, the various types of table must be distinguished: from the square one for four with about 80 centimeters on each side or eight with at least 130 centimeters as a side used for intimate lunches or for a few people, to the rectangular one with six seats which usually has a length of 120 centimeters and a width of 70 centimeters; or the rectangular table for ten people with a length of 220 centimeters and a width of at least 80 centimeters: this is the most used; the oval table is not uncommon and very elegant, it respects the dimensions more or less of the rectangular one and is more useful in narrow spaces with more guests. 

“Finally there is the round table with a diameter of at least 110 centimeters for six people and 150 centimeters for eight people; this typology "resets" or thins out hierarchies because it puts everyone on the same level (it is no coincidence that King Arthur is known for his round table and his desire for equality among all knights), but it hides a pitfall because It often happens that the napkins or placemats set overhang the edge and look sloppy!

“It must be kept in mind that each diner must have approximately 60 centimeters of space between their center of the plate and that of the next and approximately 45 centimeters in height; spaces are reduced in buffet lunches and even more so in cocktail invitations.

“When starting to set the table, the first thing to do is place a clip (it must never go down from the sides beyond the tablecloth) to muffle all the noises of the crockery, plates or glasses, as well as to protect the table from the heat of the food, with the green side towards the table and the white side towards the tablecloth.

“A table correctly set with springboard has a completely comforting consistency to the touch: it transmits solidity and comfort at the same time. The sensorial aspect of what is done and what is proposed should never be overlooked. There is a non-verbal language that is just as significant as words. It is no coincidence that etiquette pays so much attention to gestures, spaces, postures and non-verbal etiquette is also an ancient code of behavior and communication.

“The tablecloth must be in natural fabric such as linen, cotton or Flanders and must be in neutral colors such as white, pearl, beige; it must go down beyond the edge of the table for about 30-35 centimetres, but no more because otherwise it would disturb leg movements and could create problems. Only for buffet tables are floor-length tablecloths provided or possibly for very formal events where there are multiple tables set up or horseshoe-shaped equipment and imperial tables.

“Ban runners or placemats (allowed for breakfast or in the family) and above all never overlap them with a tablecloth: it would be a useless duplication! In recent years, "american cutlery" have become widely used, they have become a very fashionable accessory and are set as a substitute for the placemat: for etiquette it is not really advisable and in any case it is recommended at least not to put cutlery on them! Would you place cutlery on a charger? Never! So don't even do it on the placemats set together with the tablecloth.

“Colored or patterned tablecloths are also fashionable, but even if they are adorable, it is best to use them only on more informal occasions such as a joyous arrangement in the garden or possibly at Christmas, a day on which a little more excess is permitted, but it is mandatory that all fabrics are well ironed, without creases so as not to give the impression of neglect.

“The napkin goes to the left, never under the cutlery, but rather more externally (or more to the left) of them. In the ceremony the position above the plate is foreseen and in the etiquette this position is used if for example there is a small gift or a single bouquet of flowers set up or if the space is really limited. It can be folded into four parts and then in half creating a booklet-like rectangle the open part towards the left and the rounded part towards the plate, or in a triangle always with the rounding on the right and although they are very spectacular or fun other types of folds are not at all recommended also because the napkin should be handled as little as possible without using napkin holders.

“A royal curiosity: at the Habsburg court the fantasy with napkins - perhaps on the basis of an oriental suggestion that recalls origami - was considered such a precious art to the point that the only two experts in folding (it is often customary to insert sandwiches between the folds of napkins) never traveled at the same time to avoid the tradition being lost in the event of an accident. These skills can still be understood today by visiting the imperial palace of Hofburg in Vienna where there are still two workers in charge of these delightful practices and where the royal collection of crockery is kept, perhaps the richest in Europe. As we know, the napkin was introduced to the Sforza court by Leonardo Da Vinci who had the task of master of ceremonies, but throughout the Middle Ages up to the Baroque many tablecloths were set, where the diners wiped their hands (alternatively they used the sleeves of clothes), for how many food services were foreseen. With every change of dish, a layer of tablecloth was taken away!” —From Carlo Cambi and Petra Carsetti in “Galatime ACT II: Life as a stage of elegance.” 2023

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, is a frequent television guest and is very active on Instagram @galateopetra_carsetti

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

Italian Place-Setting Etiquette for Wines

A semi-formal place setting example from the new Italian etiquette book, by Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi,
“GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

Taking as a reference the arrangement assumed by sommeliers (now more in vogue and certainly more used today) it must be specified that the water glass is placed in front of the tip of the main knife because it is a simple tumbler and has no stem: a low glass (that's why in the front row) which will be followed by the second-order glasses of service, starting therefore from those for the white and then for the reds (gradually more and more structured). 

In this case, in order to better enhance the organoleptic properties of the wines and their scents, glasses of different shapes and sizes are set, both for whites and reds such as tulip or balloon (the latter must be placed at the table at the time of serving the specific wine and not before). If you follow the rules of the sommelier, the “battery” of the glasses should be made up of at least six different containers for the wine (which must not be set all together but with a maximum of 3 glasses.) – Translated from “Galatime,” by Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, and in September she will come out with her new book, “GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

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

Table Etiquette and Beverages

Tipologie di bicchieri e tazze secondo il codice internazionale. Or… Types of glasses and cups according to the international code.- From “GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

When setting the table, always pick up every object on the table with a cloth, a towel or gloves (preferably white and cotton) so as not to leave fingerprints and streaks; I have happened to see some people holding the glasses by putting their fingers inside the glass. Never do this! Always pick up glasses from the stem or from the bottom, checking that there are no lime stains, that they are clear and transparent.

As we have already said, make certain that they do not have the smell of a cupboard, because it can happen that if glasses are not often used, scents or smells can emanate from them and alter the scents of the wines. It should also be emphasized that etiquette requires that wine or other beverage glasses are never colored. They may have small decorations, but they are always transparent.

Plan for that every four diners at your dinner table, you will have at least one jug of water, a wine decanter, a salt shaker each time. (If you are a guest, never ask the hostess for salt if it is not already on the table).

Water and all other beverages are not properly brought in plastic containers to the table: crystal, silver or glass are absolutely the materials which are preferred when entertaining; we can decide to decant a wine in special decanters, but nowadays, in agreement with the sommellerie, the original bottle on the table is granted, perhaps accompanied by a coaster, to avoid staining the tablecloth. 

Although already mentioned in another chapter, it is reiterated that the cans of the various beverages on the market are banned from the table and not only for a good aesthetic taste linked to the art of the device, according to etiquette, but above all because we know well that many they contain too much sugar which is harmful to both the figure and our health. Therefore, let us eliminate them from the diet, especially that of our children, so as not to accustom them to a wrong taste: better then replace these drinks with home-made infusions or healthy citrus juices. – Translated from “Galatime,” by Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, and in September she will come out with her new book, “GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

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

Etiquette and Table Service Styles

This post below is from “Galatime” the new Italian Etiquette book by Petra Carsetti and her husband, Carlo Cambi – I am very pleased to say that I will be sharing more from Petra’s new book in the coming weeks:
“The etiquette of the new millennium for those who love to live well and in harmony with others; for those who are curious to know the origins of “good manners,” for those who want to socialize with certainty of manners and education of thought. It is a sort of invitation to the renaissance of the encounter. But it is also an essay, which can be read almost in the form of a novel, on the history of costume, as well as a friend to ask for advice on doing the right thing at the right time. Because beyond the fashions, the ways count. To understand this there is Galatime”

English, Russian, French and Italian Service

Here is a review of the main existing services:

Russian (or guéridon) service takes advantage of a trolley placed near the table from which a waiter (a servant in the house) divides and makes the dishes that are served to the right of the diner; this type of service requires expert hands in portioning.

English service: the waiter (or the servant) from the serving dish divides and serves the diner directly from the left with tongs; this method is widely used in receptions and banquets because the service is very quick and fast, but often if it is not performed by expert hands, it could lead to splashes of sauce, stains and food falling from the serving plate directly on the tablecloth or on the clothes of bystanders.

French service which in turn is divided into: 

1. Direct, in which a servant or a waiter hands a serving dish to the left of the diner with a serving utensil (or utensils) from which he will serve himself according to his own taste and hunger; this type of service allows guests either to be able to take the desired food without exaggerating the portion if it is not to one's liking or by abounding a little more (never excessively) if it is a very popular dish;

2. Indirect when the different foods are served in trays set on other tables or trolleys and each table serves itself using the servers found in each individual serving dish. It is a very informal method that can be taken into consideration, for example, in dinners with a large number of guests; naturally if you choose this type, you must set up tables with free spaces to be able to move, food warmers for dishes that must be kept warm, far from those that must be kept cold.

Italian service (or al plate, service surassiette) is that which involves the preparation of the dish in the kitchen and then brought directly to the diner, served from the right. This system is the most used, perhaps the most elegant and refined (it is no coincidence that in starred restaurants it is the only type of service, in which the dishes are often covered by a cloche) but it has the flaw that the guest cannot decide the quantity of food to be taken and therefore he will be forced to eat a large portion even if he does not find it to his liking. In a formal meeting at home, if there is no domestic help, it would impose a prolonged or continuous absence on the hostess. 

From all these types of service we learn to choose the one that best suits your occasion, knowing however that the dishes are always removed from the right and put back clean from the left; one or more trolleys are set up to place both the dirty dishes (on the floor below, covered with a cloth) that will never be stacked one on top of the other on the table, but cleared one at a time with the respective cutlery even if they are not used (maybe put all in a special container), and the clean dishes that will have been prepared previously on the upper level of the trolley and then given to diners without having to be absent continuously.

From “Galatime. È sempre tempo di buone maniere”

It should be specified that the cheese must of course be brought just before serving the pasta or soup and removed immediately afterwards; the menage must be removed when the saucer or crescent for the salad is removed; first the serving dishes must be removed and then the dinner plates. Finally, remember that everything must be cleared before dessert, except the glass of water (with its carafe) and the centerpiece. – From “Galatime,” by Petra Carsetti and Carlo Cambi

Petra Carsetti was born into a gastronomic minded family… true lovers of excellent foods and wines. From an early age she showed a great passion for the table, which she later developed by working in important, well-known Italian restaurants. Since 2005, she has written many books on food and wine, along with guides to Italian restaurants, specializing also in galateo and etiquette at the Accademia Italiana Galateo and ANCEP (the Association of Ceremonialists for Public Institute). She teaches etiquette in schools to adults and children, is a consultant for various political and economic authorities, and she has a weekly column in a historic newspaper. She also writes for various other newspapers, and in September she will come out with her new book, “GalaTime: it is always time for good manners”!

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