Question: European Banquet Etiquette

[JewelFreak]

One of those earthshaking things we need to know. But I'm curious! Help from anybody familiar with fancy schmancy dinners -- are bread plates not part of the battle plan?

Pics of the pre-wedding dinner last weekend in Luxumbourg -- hard to look past the sparkling magnificence of the ladies (which you can find detailed in the Royal Jewels forum), but I couldn't help noticing bread rolls bare-naked on the tablecloth among all those royals. Huh? says I to myself. I lived in Europe for 5 yrs & in that time & several subsequent yrs took clients to some superb restaurants, attended banquets in a couple of castles (no royalty present, just middling bozos like me), and don't remember ever having to get crumbs all over the place, breaking a roll without a plate. From the photos, the rolls start on top of the napkin, which presumably you put in your lap immediately. Then what? Get that beautiful silver service plate (which is NOT meant to be eaten on) all messy, or break the bread over your lap, or above the table? Or on your neighbor?

Is this SOP or do I just have amnesia? I know you'll want to stop whatever you're doing right now & answer!

 

[junebug17]

I have no answer or explanation, but I laughed when I saw rolls just sitting there on the table, in the midst of all that opulence! Maybe they're trying to be green and conserve water by having less dishes to wash lol.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Yeah, I don't know, however you can tell that chick in the bottom photo is PISSED OFF about it! She may even end up Yelping about how her royal dinner was ruined because she didn't have a bread plate!

 

[yennyfire]

Yeah, I don't know, however you can tell that chick in the bottom photo is PISSED OFF about it! She may even end up Yelping about how her royal dinner was ruined because she didn't have a bread plate!

That is priceless MC! I googled "dinner roll ettiquete" and didn't find anything about the appropriateness of rolls on the table...that's just odd to me!

 

[JewelFreak]

I'm surprised a smart person hasn't come up with an answer yet! Glad it strikes others as strange too. I'm sure they're all very nice Royals -- 2nd pic is Queen Sonja of Norway & the Furst von & zu Liechtenstein; the beauty with her roll on the table, Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg. I wouldn't want crumbs on either of those gorgeous laps, if it were me sitting there trying to figure out how to eat my darn roll.

So, European PSers, why is the bread butt naked on the tablecloth?

--- Laurie

 

[monarch64]

http://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_setting/place_setting/dinnerware/plates.html

 

[junebug17]

http://www.etiquettescholar.com/dining_etiquette/table_setting/place_setting/dinnerware/plates.html

Monarch, you're one step ahead of me! Was just going to post this...according to this site, bread and butter plate is optional in Europe.

 

[JulieN]

That is correct. Sometimes it is rolled up in the napkin, but suppose someone doesn't notice and unfurls it to have a roll drop on the ground!

Bread is perfectly allowed to be on the table without a bread plate. Do not put it in your lap.

 

[junebug17]

Well, you learn something new every day! I still think the rolls look kinda funny just hanging out by their lonesome...and Laurie, the arrows in your pics made me laugh too...maybe I'm losing my mind a little...

 

[JewelFreak]

You liked my arrows, eh, Junebug? I got a giggle making them. Well, so that answers my question -- thanks, Monarch. Maybe because taking me out to dinner can be like eating with a little kid (I'm always trying to hide gravy dribbles or a pea that went walkabout), that looks hard to cope with. Especially while keeping my tiara on straight. Well, live & learn.

--- Laurie

 

[JewelFreak]

You liked my arrows, eh, Junebug? I got a giggle making them. So that answers my question -- thanks, Monarch. Maybe because taking me out to dinner can be like eating with a little kid (I'm always trying to hide gravy dribbles or a pea that went walkabout), that looks hard to cope with. Especially while keeping my tiara on straight. Well, live & learn.

--- Laurie

 

[JewelFreak]

You liked my arrows, eh, Junebug? I got a giggle making them. So that answers my question -- thanks, Monarch. Maybe because taking me out to dinner can be like eating with a little kid (I'm always trying to hide gravy dribbles or a pea that went walkabout), that looks hard to cope with. Especially while keeping my tiara on straight. Well, live & learn.

--- Laurie

 

[JewelFreak]

Sorry -- multiple post & I couldn't delete. What's going on?

 

[zoebartlett]

This thread is hysterical. I love the arrows, and I LOVE that you thought of posting it here. It's as if the person in the last picture is thinking, "wth, where's my bread plate, damn it?!"

I'd want a plate, too, but it doesn't sound like that's how it's done.

I have to ask, how did you get to be the lucky duck to attend such a regal affair? I feel like you've mentioned royalty before but maybe I made that up.

 

[JewelFreak]

Not me, Zoe! Good lord, the panic if an invitation went stray & arrived at my house!! Going through my closet -- "Do you think something from Land's End will do the trick?" "Now where did I put that tiara?....oh yeah, don't have one." I could wear my HoW earrings, that'll knock 'em out! And I know I'd drop a piece of lettuce all soggy with dressing, on the tablecloth.

--- Laurie

 

[zoebartlett]

Not me, Zoe! Good lord, the panic if an invitation went stray & arrived at my house!! Going through my closet -- "Do you think something from Land's End will do the trick?" "Now where did I put that tiara?....oh yeah, don't have one." I could wear my HoW earrings, that'll knock 'em out! And I know I'd drop a piece of lettuce all soggy with dressing, on the tablecloth.

--- Laurie

So those are just pics you found online? I thought you had actually attended that wedding! I thought we had royalty among us...

 

[amc80]

Going through my closet -- "Do you think something from Land's End will do the trick?" "Now where did I put that tiara?

--- Laurie

Okay, just spit fresca out onto my keyboard.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Not me, Zoe! Good lord, the panic if an invitation went stray & arrived at my house!! Going through my closet -- "Do you think something from Land's End will do the trick?" "Now where did I put that tiara?....oh yeah, don't have one." I could wear my HoW earrings, that'll knock 'em out! And I know I'd drop a piece of lettuce all soggy with dressing, on the tablecloth.

--- Laurie

I have to admit, my first thought was you were asking because you were going to a fancy dinner in Europe! Then when I saw the royals, I thought, maybe not!

 

[zoebartlett]

Not me, Zoe! Good lord, the panic if an invitation went stray & arrived at my house!! Going through my closet -- "Do you think something from Land's End will do the trick?" "Now where did I put that tiara?....oh yeah, don't have one." I could wear my HoW earrings, that'll knock 'em out! And I know I'd drop a piece of lettuce all soggy with dressing, on the tablecloth.

--- Laurie

I have to admit, my first thought was you were asking because you were going to a fancy dinner in Europe! Then when I saw the royals, I thought, maybe not!