Bread and drinks have their own places in the place setting: the bread plate on the left, the glasses on the right. Each has a small custom of its own.
Key idea
Tear off one bite-size piece of bread at a time and butter it over your bread plate. Take butter from the shared dish onto your bread plate first. Hold a stemmed glass by the stem, and drink only from your own glass, the water glass above your knife.
Why it works
Breaking one piece at a time keeps crumbs and buttery fingers in one small place, and it lets you talk between bites. Taking butter onto your own plate first keeps your knife and crumbs out of the shared dish, which everyone uses. A glass held by the stem stays cool and clean, and drinking only from your own glass needs no explanation.
Worked example: The bread basket arrives
A basket of rolls comes to James first. What does he do?
- He offers the basket to the person beside him, or takes a roll and passes it on to the right.
- He takes a roll with his fingers (touch only the one you take) and puts it on his bread plate.
- He takes a little butter onto his bread plate, then tears off one bite, butters it, and eats it.
Answer: Take one roll, pass the basket, and break off one bite at a time.
Worked example: Two glasses
Hana sees a water glass and a second glass above her knife, plus a glass to the left of her plate. Which may she use?
- Drinks are on the right: the d hand.
- Her water glass is the one above her knife; the other glass on her right is also hers.
- The glass on the left belongs to the guest on her left.
Answer: The glasses above her knife, on the right.
Common mistake
Buttering a whole roll at once or biting straight into it. One bite-size piece at a time is the custom, buttered over the bread plate. Quick check: is there only one small piece of buttered bread in your hand? Then you are doing it right.
Customs differ: in some countries bread is set on the tablecloth beside the plate, with no bread plate at all. Follow the table in front of you.