Lenox

Entertaining 101

Being a great host or hostess means more than just delicious food – it’s how you serve it. Whether you serve your guests on casual dinnerware or fine china, one easy way to make them feel welcome (and make yourself look good!) is to set your table properly.

While most of us plan casual get-togethers, it’s important to know the right way to set a table. You can’t just plop down your plates and call it a day. Here’s a quick crash course.

How to set a table:

• Draw an imaginary vertical line through the center of the dinner plate. To the right of this line, place the glassware, cup/saucer, knives and spoons. (A seafood fork also goes to the right.)
• Place drinkware above the knife’s tip. If you’re using more than two glasses, fan them back diagonally to the right to form a

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Beginner Guide to Wine Glasses

Merlot, Chablis, Bordeaux, shiraz… there are many different types of wine, and they sound a lot like a foreign language. (That’s because they often are – French, Italian, Spanish….)

To top it off, each type of wine is best served in a wine glass designed specifically for that wine. Red wine, white wine, blush, champagne. Your head might be spinning… without even taking one sip of your favorite vintage!

Don’t worry. You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to look like one. Just follow these wine glass basics:

Tulip wine glasses

Often referred to as a wine goblet, this glass has a narrow opening to concentrate the wine’s aroma (or “bouquet”) and to allow for wine swirling. Use tulip wine glasses for merlot, cabernet and Bordeaux wines.

White wine glasses

A smaller version of the tulip wine glass, the white wine glass is…