Etiquette and Dessert Nut Picks

When the fruit knives and nut picks are brought in with the finger bowl, the knife, pick and finger bowl are placed in their proper spots at the place setting before the course is served. The fruit knife goes to the right, the nut pick above the plate and the finger bowl goes to the upper left, above where forks are generally placed.

Correct Placement of the Nut Pick at the Setting

Properly speaking, the pudding, pie, ice cream, etc…, is not the dessert, it is the sweet course, and the dessert is the course of fruit, nuts, or both, which is the last course of the dinner or luncheon. A little cheese and crackers may or may not be offered with this course. The dessert plate is used for the fruit or nuts, and the dessert spoon for the sweet course; and such a confusion of terms gives sanction to the common usage of calling a pudding, or the like dish, a dessert — whereas in most of our homes we have no dessert at dinner, but we have a sweet course.

Coffee is sometimes brought on with the dessert, sometimes it is served in the drawing-room. After the dessert is served the servants withdraw, and the guests may linger for a little while in conversation, though this lingering is best done over coffee in the drawing-room, when the company may break up into congenial groups. — Mary Davoren Chambers, Boston Cooking School Magazine, 1920

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

The Etiquette of Final Courses

The savory cheese swallowed in small morsels, and the sweet fruits, which strongly stimulate the nerves of taste, or nuts which require considerable mastication, cause an abundant flow of blood to the nerve centers…

Why Dessert, Cheese and Fruits End Meals

A writer in the Medical and Surgical Reporter explains the philosophy of taking bread, cheese and dessert at the end of dinner. He says that in order to supply abundant gastric juice for the digestion of the food introduced into it, the stomach requires an abundant supply of blood, and the nervous system must be kept active in order to respond to demands made upon it. 

The savory cheese swallowed in small morsels, and the sweet fruits, which strongly stimulate the nerves of taste, or nuts which require considerable mastication, cause an abundant flow of blood to the nerve centers; while the frequent movements of swallowing stimulate the heart and increase the rapidity of general circulation.— Good Housekeeping, 1885

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

Etiquette After “Sweets Course”

The French ‘Sweets Course’ is known as the ‘Dessert Course’ in the USA, and the ‘Pudding Course’ in the U.K. Above is a vintage British, double-layered, boxed set of silver plated, pudding forks, pudding spoons and a serving fork and spoon.
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“Just at the close of dinner, after ice cream, pie or pudding has been disposed of and when fruit is about to be served, a dessert plate, with doily and finger bowl upon it is placed before each guest ...”

The Embroidered Doily and Finger Bowl 

That fashionable little embroidered doily is not meant for use. It is laid over the fruit dessert plate and serves as a mat for the finger bowl, which is placed upon it. Just at the close of dinner, after ice cream, pie or pudding has been disposed of and when fruit is about to be served, a dessert plate, with doily and finger bowl upon it is placed before each guest, who removes the finger bowl and the doily and places them at the left of the plate. The finger bowl contains a little water and a bit of lemon. After dipping the fingers in the bowl, they are dried on the dinner napkin, or a regular fruit napkin, provided for that purpose. —San Diego Bee, 1887

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