An Interview with Victoria B. Edwards

Victoria B. Edwards’ delightful and colorful tablescapes and place settings are popular images on her Instagram feed. She was one of our “Blue Ribbon” award winners from the Etiquette Community for both our 1st and our 2nd Annual Etiquipedia Place Setting Competitions. This is Victoria at her lovely, American Gilded Age place setting. 

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Ms. Edwards is a graduate of Marygrove College and the Emily Post Institute. Her firm has provided customized training seminars on anti-bullying, civility, etiquette, and dining protocol to after-school and summer programs throughout the Metropolitan Detroit area for over 20 years.

As a Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan community partner, Ms. Edwards’ firm has delivered badge and petal earning workshops that have provided over 500 Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors with the skills they need to feel self-assured and confident in any situation.

Each the summer, the “Aces, Birdies and Clubs” program authored by Ms. Edwards, introduces children to the fundamentals of golf in a fun and positive environment as part of the week-long Summer Etiquette and Golf Camp, sponsored by Edwards Etiquette. Golf is highlighted as a tool to help children expand and comprehend how courtesy and kindness can be put into use at home, school and everyday life.

Ms. Edwards volunteers her time and resources to children’s causes in and around Detroit through her service in various organizations. These would include the North End Youth Improvement Council, Junior League of Detroit, Detroit Association of Women’s Clubs, and Gamma Phi Delta, Sorority, Incorporated.  Congratulations, Victoria!

I loved the calm and tranquil look of this setting, even down to the lotus-shaped bowl. Victoria’s choice of colors for her American Gilded Age place setting was lovely and it gave the alfresco dining spot a “cool” feel, which was not only inviting, but important during the season with the hottest temperatures of the year. This was the prime peach picking season — from July to September — in which she set her table in. Adding to the cooling feel and look of the setting, was a novel and sweet way of helping one’s guests stay comfortable, prior to air conditioning. Victoria’s menu boasts four different sorbets, served in small amounts, as palate cleansers throughout the meal. Though this is not a traditional Gilded Age menu, the inclusion of the four palate cleansers was ingenious and represents well an era known for its excess. Very impressive! 

The Menu

Appetizer

Spicy Peach Gazpacho (chilled soup) 

Notes: Served in the floral white bowl, utilizing the first spoon to the right 

Palate Refresher

*Cucumber Sorbet 

- usually a bite sized serving (about the size of a grape) just enough to cleanse the palate and make ready for the next course

Salad Course

Michigan Cherry Salad 

Notes: A popular green salad in the Detroit area and other parts of Michigan typically topped with dried cherries, apples, blue cheese {I use Feta cheese crumbles as a substitute for the bleu cheese}, and a vinaigrette dressing) served on the gray plate utilizing the first fork on the left and the first knife to the right

Palate Refresher

*Apple Sorbet

 - another bite sized serving (about the size of a grape) to cleanse the palate for the next course

Fish/Seafood Course

Seared Lemon Butter Scallops Fresh from North Carolina 

Notes: Served on a cream "Scalloped" plate utilizing the fork on the left and the middle knife 

Palate Refresher

*Carrot Sorbet 

- yet another bite sized serving to prepare the palate for the next course

Entrée/Main Course

Cornish Hen w/Kentucky Wonder Green Beans

Notes: Chicken for one and green beans. Who doesn’t love an entire chicken? Cornish are easily baked of grilled and served with vegetable. This course is served on the pink plate and utilizes the remaining knife and fork both of which are closest to the plate.

Palate Refresher

*Lime Sorbet

- the last preparation of the palate for the last course

Dessert

Peach Pie a la Mode

Butter Croissant

Cucumber Lemonade

California Sauvignon

Prosecco

Notes: While Michigan’s cold climate makes our Peach season shorter than most other states, the moderating effect of Lake Michigan, allows peaches (Red Haven, Flaming Fury and Stellar varieties mainly) to thrive along the western shore of the state produces and enjoys a significant amount of peaches during the season. At the time of competition entry, Michigan’s peach season was coming to a close, thus the Peach Gazpacho and Peach dessert.

Both the spoon and fork above the plate are used in the conclusion of the meal, one is used to assist with the other as the pie it typically warmer and ice cream has already begun to melt. While quite delectable, this dessert is rather messy and requires the assistance of both the fork and spoon.

Six Questions for Victoria:

1. How did you choose the menu and various elements you used in your setting and why? Please explain each of the utensils at your setting… For which of the foods on your menu (or course) was each different item intended?
I wanted my entry to reflect what a first time visitor would enjoy and be inclined to rave about it and attempt to recreate once they returned home. At the time of entry, it was still Summer here in Michigan and dining 'Alfresco' which means enjoying a meal outside is what Summer is all about here.

2. Why did you choose this particular period in time to set your table? Please go into as much detail as you can.
I chose the American Gilded Age for this year’s competition as my hometown during the Gilded Age, was the “Stove Capital of the World” and stoves are an integral part of any worthwhile meal. During the 19th century and by 1890, cast iron stove manufacturing was Detroit’s top industry.

FYI: The World's Largest Stove was an oversized reproduction of Michigan Stove Company's popular kitchen cooking stove. The company, founded by Jeremiah Dwyer in 1872, wanted to grab the attention of visitors attending the 1893 Chicago World's Fair so had the replica built to represent what the company manufactured at the Detroit factory.

3. How, if at all, did Covid-related social restrictions affect your choice of setting? Were you ready to celebrate? Feeling in the mood to do something different?  
COVID-19 is STILL raging here in Michigan, so safety is a priority. Besides the aesthetics and benefits (enjoying fresh air, eating in a more relaxed setting and less stressed which aids in digestion and being outdoors helps you sleep better) of dining outdoors, outdoor settings allow for social distancing, yet remaining social. I am always ready to celebrate once the taste of mouthwash subsides from the morning routine. Since COVID-19, everything is different so I guess that make me “always in the mood to something different”

4. Have you always enjoyed a properly set table? Or, if not, was the table setting something you learned to enjoy through your social life and/or business later on in life?
I have always enjoyed a properly set table from as far back as I can recall a setting a table “properly”. My etiquette business and “pivot” enterprise during COVID table scaping company certainly added to the enjoyment of setting a socially distanced weekly table.

5. Did you do any research on table setting etiquette before setting your elements at the table?
The research I did was mainly on what was going on in Detroit during each of the proposed themes for this year’s competition and what would a competitive dinner have looked liked; which what brought me to Peaches, Stoves and Michigan. I never thought Michigan and Peaches had much of a relationship besides pie and cobbler competitions prior to the 2nd Annual International Table Setting Competition – now I know why THAT even is still a thing.

6. Do you plan on entering again next year?
I do plan to enter again next year.

Elizabeth Soos and I would both like to congratulate Victoria on her award winning setting. We are honored that she entered our contest and love meeting others who are so willing to share their talents, enthusiasm for etiquette, and their wealth of knowledge. Congratulations!

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

An Interview with Victoria B. Edwards

If you are familiar with the @EdwardsEtiquette Instagram feed, then you’ve probably seen Victoria B. Edwards’ delightful and colorful tablescapes and place settings, with napkins folded into many fun shapes. She was one of our two “Blue Ribbon” winners from the Etiquette Community for our 1st Annual Etiquipedia Place Setting Competition. 

🍽 🍽 🍽 🍽 

As a civility and etiquette expert, Victoria B. Edwards has taught dining protocol at recreation and community centers, athletic clubs, and libraries as part of numerous youth initiatives, after school and summer programs throughout the Metropolitan Detroit area for over 20 years. She founded Edwards Etiquette in 2015, and is a graduate of the Emily Post Institute. Edwards currently serves as Membership Director of the National Association of Urban Etiquette Professionals (NAUEP). Her firm holds memberships in the Michigan and National Afterschool Associations. Edwards also delivers corporate training on topics such as civility, business etiquette, communication, personal branding, and image management through customized programs, workshop/retreat facilitation and one-on-one consulting. She routinely partners with individuals and organizations to instill necessary confidence, training and professional awareness in adults to better represent themselves and their organizations. Edwards has received numerous awards and professional recognition for leadership and civic services, been featured in Who's Who in Black Detroit for 6 years, was selected as "Woman of the Year" by the National Association of Professional Women and promoted to Honorary Lieutenant of the United States Army for her commitment to voluntarism and community service. Congratulations, Victoria!

Victoria’s Menu

*AMUSE BOUCHE

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Scallops 

*Lime Sorbet

BREAD 

Butter Croissant 

SALAD

Strawberry Orange Spinach salad with Shredded Bacon and Feta Cheese crumbles

*Mint Sorbet

ENTREE 

Sautéed Collard Greens, Onions and (Minced) Garlic

Rice Pilaf                                     Chicken Marsala

DESSERT

Baked Cranberry & Caramel Stuffed Apple Pastry Puff 

with Vanilla Bean Ice cream

BEVERAGES

Lemon and Cucumber infused Water

California Cabernet Sauvignon                Cranberry/Blackberry     Infused Hot Tea

*Not shown, but would be part of this dining experience

Victoria’s setting is a lovely, romantic mix of mismatched floral china elements that blend beautifully together. This is not easily done. I have seen too many tables at which mismatched china pieces clashed with one another, so Victoria did a great job here with her choices.

The matte gold service plate (or place plate,) does not overwhelm the china and it complements the gold trim on the beverage ware. In fact, the photo is lit in such a way, that the flatware is possibly in a goldtone, however, it could be silvertone as well, which adds to the beauty of the table.

A few etiquette notes on Victoria’s setting: 

Specificity on what will be served and when, is always helpful when imagining how well a place setting suits a menu. This setting appears to have a superfluous teaspoon, however, I could not be certain, so we are assuming it is for a sorbet!

Unless a specific course requires a teaspoon, or spoon of any kind, one should not be at the setting. The menu specified that the sorbets were not part of the setting. Did that mean the teaspoon was not for either sorbet? I couldn’t answer that question and neither could Elizabeth Soos.

On the upside, I was pleased to see the butter spreader on the bread plate correctly. Too many hosts and hostesses have taken to placing these spreaders in a vertical manner (à la caterers or cruise lines), which is incorrect. Historically, any knife should face toward the diner or his / her plate. Blades of knives should never point toward anyone else at the table.

A mix of 3 different floral china patterns that complement one another beautifully.

A service plate, or place plate, with a high gold shine would have detracted from the gold and floral elements on the other tableware and the rose-fold napkin. The matte gold finish was the perfect choice.

The contemporary elements, like the glassware and flatware chosen by Victoria, mix well with the antique elements. Not one element is a detraction or distraction.

6 Questions for Victoria

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 have enjoyed a properly set table for as long as I can remember. Although I grew up in the Midwest, I grew up in a very Southern home. I was raised by my grandparents and never minded being my grandmother’s assistant in setting up for her various club meetings. The older I got, the more fun it got to set a fancy buffet table or create a charcuterie plate (even though I was an adult before I knew what ‘charcuterie’ meant). By time I was 12 years old, her (my grandmother) friends were inviting me to tea parties and their sorority and other notable womens’ events of the day. Sometimes as a junior hostess and sometimes a guest. I was elated to be invited in either capacity.

It was in those spaces I became interested in table setting and tablescapes. Our State Fair used to have a competition of sorts and it looked like SERIOUS BUSINESS and that was always fascinating to me.


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

I went for pretty, feminine, and romantic with the elements of my table setting.. The colors (pink and gold), theme (Plain & Fancy) and menu selection brought to mind a few ladies getting together on deck or veranda discussing/planning the seasons’ cotillions, graduations and weddings. The menu is primarily composed of things one would have in the house or could get at the corner market as part of the weekly groceries with just a couple of gourmet items.

3. How, if at all, did Covid related social restrictions affect your choice of setting? Were you ready to celebrate? Feeling in the mood to do something different? Etc…

I can honestly say that I didn’t really have any COVID related social restrictions in my choice of setting. I was definitely ready to celebrate and feeling the need to do something different.

4. Same for the menu chosen as question number three… Did Covid related social restrictions affect your menu choices at all?

The only COVID-19 social restriction that comes to mind in my choice of setting was the idea of an individual pastry desert envisioned about the size of a popover for each guest and not a pie or cake.

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

Mine was not a historical setting.

6. Do you plan on entering again next year?

Yes.

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