French Onion Soup Etiquette

Onion soups have been popular throughout history.  They were seen as food for poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow.  French Onion Soup became famous in the 18th century with the opening of the gigantic food market Les Halles de Paris.  At dawn, workers and night owls sat together around a fragrant, yet cheap bowl of this delicious and heartwarming dish, made from beef broth, caramelized onions, a large bread slice, and grated and grilled Gruyere cheese.  The first bowls to get reinvigorated, the second bowls to avoid any hangover.  Soupe a' l'oignon (onion soup) has always been Paris's timeless hangover cure!


The "French" in "French Onion Soup" refers to the manner in which the onions are chopped ("frenched")--cut into thin lengthwise strips.


Personally, I would never serve this soup to guests at a dinner party.  Nor would I order this soup in restaurant.  (Even though most restaurants in my small town serve it as a beef broth, with chopped onions, croutons, and shredded cheese, toasted).  If prepared correctly, it is just too difficult to break through the layer of cheese and maneuver your way through this gooey delight.  It lives up to its reputation as "one of the most difficult foods to eat."


Although healthier than a creamy soup, the bread and melted cheese in this soup has lots of saturated fat, refined carbs, and a high sodium count.  So there's another reason I wouldn't order this...I don't want my cheat meal to be difficult to eat.


So, how do you eat French Onion Soup?  One of my etiquette teachers, Dorothea Johnson, suggests using a soup spoon to eat the soup, and a knife and fork to cut the cheese on the rim of the soup cup so that it does not trail from the mouth in a long string.  Don't mess with the cheese baked on the outside of the bowl.  Lord have mercy, I'm not going to be using a knife and fork to eat soup!Still interested in serving this soup?  Here's a recipe for you:

FRENCH ONION SOUP

1/3 cup olive oil

8 sliced onions

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

8 cups beef stock

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 loaf French bread

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Sauté onions and garlic in oil over low heat until onions are tender and golden yellow. Sprinkle flour over onions, cook a few minutes more, browning the flour well. Add stock and wine and bring to a boil, add thyme and bay leaf. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, slice French bread into 3/4 slices and butter both sides. Toast slices on griddle until golden brown. Ladle soup into an ovenproof bowl, add toasted bread and cover with cheese. Place ovenproof bowl on a baking sheet lined with tin foil. Bake at 350 °F or 5 minutes under a hot broiler.

Autumn Soup Tablescape

This past Sunday was the first chilly day we have had this fall season so I knew I wanted to enjoy a bowl of hot soup with the Sunday football.  I'm still on the blue and white dinnerware kick and set the table with that dinnerware and burlap linens.

Candles should not be burned during the daylight hours unless it's a very overcast day or the blinds are drawn.  Okay, so I drew the blinds.

Monogram everything, especially the napkins rings!

I used my Wedgwood "Woodland" soup plates and Johnson Brothers "Blue Willow" dinner plates as underplates.

Social Graces 101 tip:  

There is of course proper etiquette to be followed when eating soup:

At an informal meal you may serve soup in a soup plate on top of an underplate and provide an oval soup spoon.  You will spoon the soup away from you and place the soup spoon on the underplate between sips or when finished.

This is the resting and finished position of the spoon on the underplate at an informal meal.

At a formal dinner, soup must be served in a soup bowl with an underplate and a round/cream soup spoon provided.  Again place the soup spoon on the underplate between sips or when finished.

This is the resting and finished position of the spoon on the underplate at a formal meal.

Mama usually uses seasonal dinnerware for her meals.  On Sunday I changed things up a bit for her and used cute blue and white paper products from Target.

So, remember to practice proper soup etiquette:

Hold the spoon just like a pencil between your index and middle fingers with the thumb up.  Spoon the soup away from you toward the center of the bowl.  Don't fill the soup spoon completely full.  Place the soup spoon on the plate in the 10:20 "I am finished" position in between sips and when you have finished.  Never leave a soup spoon in a soup bowl.  Also, do not blow on your soup to cool it down and do not slurp your soup.

Enjoy the soup season!

Little Book of Etiquette

This book, by etiquette and protocol maven Dorothea Johnson, is a handy reference for those who need to brush up on their dining etiquette.  The pocket-size book will show you how to "Eat at ease as a guest or as a host in business and social arenas worldwide."

There is a lot of information packed into this tiny book (it's 3" x 3"), covering:

Dining Dos and Don'ts

Table Talk

American and Continental Styles of Eating

The Dining Tutorial

Eating Various Foods

Finessing the Business Meal

Forms of Service

This book is available on Amazon and would make a great gift for new college students, those entering the business world, or a gift to young people.

Good table manners are the ultimate symbol of who you are and how you were raised.

National Soup Month

Did you know?

I know...it's also National Hot Tea Month, National Oatmeal Month (I won't go there), and National Whatever Else Month!  But yesterday was rainy and cold, not to mention we watched the National College Football Championship Game...Boo Hoo, Florida State wasn't there!  I find myself craving the comfort of piping hot soups during these times, so I made a big pot of the Taste of Gourmet Positively Smashing Potato Soup...

It's a deliciously flavorful and perfectly creamy potato soup that is easy and quick to prepare.  Just add milk and simmer.  Well, I added a little bit of diced onion, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, red potatoes, and whole corn kernels.  Lord have mercy y'all, this is a great soup!  The mix makes 1 1/2 quarts for $9.95.

Remember to practice proper soup etiquette:

Hold the spoon just like a pencil between your index and middle fingers with the thumb up.  Spoon the soup away from you toward the center of the bowl.  Don't fill the soup spoon completely full.  Place the soup spoon on the plate in the 10:20 "I am finished" position in between sips and when you have finished.  Never leave a soup spoon in a soup bowl.  Also, do not blow on your soup to cool it down and do not slurp your soup.

Enjoy the soup season!

Row Boating at the Dining Table

Are you guilty of row boating at the dinner table?

Here is an example of what not to do...When you place your flatware onto the plate and onto the table at the same time, that is row boating.  This is a dining etiquette faux pas y'all.

Once you pick up a piece of flatware at the dining table, it should never touch the table again.

 Here are some displays to help you remember where to place your flatware while dining:

In the American Style of Dining, the food is anchored with the fork, tines down in the left hand and cut with the knife in the right hand. The knife is then placed on the upper right hand side of the plate, with the cutting edge of the knife facing the center of the plate. The fork is switched to the right hand and the food is conveyed to the mouth with the fork, tines up. This is the style of dining most Americans are familiar with.

"I am resting" (American style)

"I am finished" (American Style)

In the Continental Style of Dining, the food is anchored with the fork, tines down, in the left hand and cut with the knife in the right hand. The food is conveyed to the mouth with the fork, tines down down, in the left hand, while the knife is still held in the right hand.

"I am resting" (Continental style)

"I am finished" (Continental Style)

Dinner Party Etiquette

What Not To Say At A Dinner Party

Unless you are gathered at the table with very close family and friends, there are taboo subjects that should be avoided while dining:

Bragging on and on about your perfect children...No. No. No.

Asking the hostess "Did you make this cake/pie?"...This is a pet peeve of mine.

Asking the host/hostess how much they paid for something...This is just tacky.

Asking for seconds...Lord have mercy, no!

Telling off-color jokes...Definitely taboo!

Talking about your health issues...Don't!

Arguments over religion or politics...This is a real no-no!

Make pleasant conversation and try to keep it positive.

Dining Family-Style at Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House

I'm visiting my friend Joy on Tybee Island and today we headed over to Savannah to have lunch at Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House.  Dining at Mrs. Wilkes is one of the top 10 things you must do when visiting Savannah!  Mrs. Wilkes operated the old time family-style dining establishment from 1943 until her death in 2002 at the age of 95.

Mrs. Wilkes

Crowds gather early to line up for the 11:00 a.m. opening of the boarding house dining.  Reservations are never accepted.  No ma'am!

Tables set for 12 are loaded with the most favorite of Southern dishes...fried chicken, cornbread dressing, sweet potato souffle, black-eyed peas, okra gumbo, corn muffins, and biscuits.

Family-Style Dining Etiquette Tip:  Of course, family-style dining is only appropriate in an informal setting.  The food is placed on the table in serving dishes and is passed around by each guest.  The table is usually very crowded and it's up to each guest to make sure all the dishes are passed...to the right. {If the guest to your left request a dish, you may pass that dish to them directly instead of going all the way around the table}.  It's considered proper etiquette to pass a serving dish with the serving utensil facing the receiver.  Always use the serving utensils provided, not your personal utensils!  Remember to pass the salt and pepper together...they are married.  Oh, and one more tip...don't try to grab food before it's passed to you!

If a blessing is said at your table, regardless of your beliefs, you should bow your head.

At the end of the meal at Mrs. Wilkes', the waitstaff announces that "it's a tradition in boarding house dining rooms to take your own plate, glass, and utensils out to the busboy waiting at the kitchen door."

There are Mrs. Wilkes' cookbooks containing the recipes for all that down-home Southern cooking available for purchase.

 

  
"Here's What I Wore"  The shorts are by Lilly Pulitzer in the 'Coralina' pattern and the cardi is also by Lilly P. 

 

The staff at Mrs. Wilkes could not have been friendlier and this young lady provided our table excellent customer service. 

 

Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House is located at 107 West Jones Street in Savannah.  Be there early to get a place in the line.  The doors open at 11:00 a.m. and the meals are served until 2:00 p.m.  Call 912.232.5997 for more information. *Only cash is accepted*

I would have been very shocked if the food at Mrs. Wilkes wasn't the best Southern cooking ever.  I'm happy to say that it was every bit as good as I expected.  Mrs. Wilkes definitely receives my "FIVE SILVER SPOONS" award for keeping it homecooked and Southern!

How to Get your Children to Behave in a Restaurant

You are finally seated at your table in a restaurant and starting to relax for an enjoyable meal.  You hear the screams from the children at the next table.  Then there's the sound of the flatware being banged on the tabletop. Now the children are up and running around the restaurant.  Oh my goodness!  You try not to stare.  Has this happened to you?  I have certainly experienced this.  In fact, if that behavior is going on in a restaurant, you can bet it's happening right next to my table!  And...9 times out of 10, the parents are on the phone or chatting with their table guests and not paying attention to their children while all the shenanigans are going on.  I realize that parents need time out...especially the Mamas!  But I also think that more parents should make sure their children are behaving like civilized human beings in public.

An Italian restaurant in Washington state is concerned about the unruly behavior of rowdy children in their restaurant.  They offer discounts to the parents of well-behaved children!  How do y'all feel about this?

Listen to this...Lord have mercy,  McDain's restaurant in Monroeville, PA has banned children from eating in their establishment.  You can read more about this here.

Other restaurants around the country are posting signs reminding parents to make sure their children aren't screaming, running around the restaurant, or misbehaving in any other way.  I have to tell y'all that my Daddy never needed to be reminded about his children's behavior in a restaurant.  One wrong glance in the wrong direction and we were history!  Seriously!

 Find a Babysitter  recently wrote an article "How to Get Your Kids to Behave in a Restaurant."  It is a very interesting post...explaining steps parents can take to prepare children for "Dining in public" and reiterates that parents are ultimately responsible for teaching their children how to behave in public.

So, how do you feel about parents receiving a discount if their children "behave" or what do you think about restaurants posting signs with "rules of behavior" or even banning children?  

Pumpkin Deviled Egg Plate--Southern Lady Must-Have

You "Might be a Southern Lady" if...you have deviled egg plates for every occasion--egg plates for all the major holidays, egg plates to-go, and fancy, high-fallutin' egg plates--they are all de rigueur!

So, of course I have a pumpkin-shaped egg plate for autumn!

Southerners love deviled eggs.  The deviled egg is the perfect party food and a beloved staple at Southern events.  Nobody can eat just one...they are most definitely the first food to go at a party! Whether you are attending a baby shower or a bridal shower, a picnic, tailgating party, funeral reception, or potluck meal...if you want to be the belle of the buffet, show up with deviled eggs!

Southern ladies have recipes for all kind of deviled eggs--crab stuffed, Tex Mex, Tomato Basil, et cetera.  Last night I prepared some deviled eggs, using a very simple recipe...

Simple Deviled Eggs:
1 dozen eggs
Mayonaisse
Grey Poupon Coarse Ground Mustard
Salad Relish
Salt and Pepper
Paprika

I boiled the eggs, let them cool, then peeled and sliced them in half.  I scooped out the yolk into a large bowl and added the mayo, mustard, relish, and salt and pepper.  I didn't add a certain amount, just what I thought tasted good!  And, just 'cuz I like it, I sprinkled paprika on top of each one.

I served Harney Tea's African Autumn tea with our supper...it's the perfect beverage for this time of year.  I LOVE this tea!

My OOTN:  Black tee, with black leggings, and an autumn half-apron from my "Prissy Apron Collection."  And...pearls, of course!

Etiquette tip:  How to eat a deviled egg:
Deviled eggs are finger foods and only served at Buffets, Picnics, Tailgates, and other informal casual settings.  When eating finger foods, remember to follow the three-finger rule...Use the thumb, middle, and index fingers when picking up the food with your fingers.

If you are standing up at an event, sit your beverage on a nearby table and and hold your plate with your palm underneath.  Take a couple of bites of the egg...don't put the whole thing in your mouth at once and please don't slurp out the yolk--Lord have mercy, that would be tacky!

I'm busy today getting my Halloween treats together for the youngins on Wednesday.  Y'all have a great week!!!

China pattern passed down by many a Southern Mama.

When I was a young girl, my Mama would host teas, ladies luncheons, and Sunday suppers for my friends and also her adult friends. Everything had to be perfect...from the table setting to the menu. The china Mama usually used was her good everyday china...'Desert Rose' by Franciscan.

Over the years, Mama and I both have purchased dozens of china patterns that we love, but the 'Desert Rose' pattern has always remained a sentimental favorite. It's the pattern that is most passed-down by Southern Mamas to their daughters.

Several years ago, when Mama moved from the home where I grew up to her new home in a different town, she gave me all her 'Desert Rose' dinnerware. Lord have mercy, I believe I have a service for 24! I'm so happy that I can now serve family and friends using Mama's favorite china...full of precious memories from social occasions in our home on Magnolia Drive...and very, very Southern!

Recently I prepared Sunday dinner for family...using the 'Desert Rose'.
From the "Miss Janice Prissy Apron Collection"...I wore a simple white battenburg lace apron. I've had this sweet apron for many, many years. Of course it coordinated well with the battenburg linen napkins and doilies I used on the table and sideboard.
Close up of the tablescape...I covered the table with a pink damask cloth and used white lace placemats.
Y'all, Blogger gave me a tremendous headache with the following photos. I could not move them around without moving them out of order to make room for a description. *Please see the notes below for each photo. I apologize!!!

~Centerpiece of roses and baby's breath in a Franciscan vase.
~White battenburg napkin with silver monogrammed napkin ring and luncheon fork to the left of the place setting.

~Luncheon knife {resting on a knife rest}, cream soup spoon, fruit cocktail spoon, and iced teaspoon {resting on an iced teaspoon rest} to the right of the place setting.--Remember the iced teaspoon must remain in the glass after stirring sweetener, or returned to the teaspoon rest...never placed back on the tablecloth.

~Dessert fork and spoon at the top of the place setting.
~Pink water goblet {by Arcoroc Glassware} on a doily and iced tea tumbler {by Franciscan} on an Arcoroc saucer and doily.
~Refreshing ice cold water in a Franciscan 'Desert Rose' pitcher.
~The sideboard was set for bread, dessert, and coffee service. Chocolate cake and Sister Schubert 'Parker House' rolls on the tiered tray with 'Desert Rose' plates and doilies.
~The first course--Fruit Cocktail, served from an Arcoroc fruit cocktail glass and a Franciscan 'Desert Rose' underplate, doily, and fruit spoon. When you are finished eating the fruit cocktail, place the spoon on the underplate, not the fruit cup.
The second course--Chilled Asparagus Soup, served from a Franciscan 'Desert Rose' soup bowl and an Arcoroc underplate, and rounded {cream} soup spoon. All soups should be eaten the same: Hold the spoon just like a pencil between your index and middle fingers with the thumb up. Spoon the soup away from you toward the center or top of the bowl. Don't fill the spoon completely full and sip from the side of the spoon. Place the soup spoon on the saucer in the 4 o'clock position "I am finished."
~The Franciscan 'Desert Rose' butter dish...with a butter knife. The butter knife is used to slice the butter and transfer the pat to the butter pat plate.

~The Franciscan 'Desert Rose' bread plate and butter spreader. The butter spreader is used to butter only the piece of bread that is put into your mouth...not the whole roll.

~The Franciscan 'Desert Rose' butter pat plate...very sweet touch and very Southern!

~The Main Course--Shrimp Tempura with a fresh salad and Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette {available from my Taste of Gourmet products}.

~The Gravy Boat and Gravy Ladle...on the table since I served a tempura sauce for the shrimp. The person seated closest to the gravy boat picks it up and offers the sauce to the person on her left, then serves herself with the ladle, and passes the boat to the right.

~Of course, I have the 'Desert Rose' salt and pepper shakers--married and always passed together!

~A Silent Butler is used to "crumb" the table before dessert is served. "Crumbing" is done to the left of each guest. Be discreet y'all!
~Coffee service...Silver coffee pot, Franciscan 'Desert Rose' cups and saucers, with the teaspoons at the 4 o'clock position. Details y'all!
~Franciscan 'Desert Rose' sugar bowl and creamer.

~The Dessert Course--Chocolate Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream
The desert fork and spoon is always placed above the center of the 'cover'.

The Finger Bowl presentation. A Franciscan 'Desert Rose' glass bowl is used for the water and rose petals, on a doily and a pink Arcoroc dessert plate. When any type of finger foods are served {i.e., fried shrimp}, a finger bowl may be presented along with the dessert course. Move the dessert fork down to the left and the dessert spoon down to the right of the finger bowl and dessert plate.

Remove the finger bowl along with the doily and place it to the upper left side of the dessert plate. Gently dip your fingertips {one hand at a time} in the water, then pat dry on your napkin.

Ready for dessert! When served cake with ice cream, the fork is held in the left hand, prongs down and used to cut the cake and to help place it on the spoon, which is held in your right hand. Then, you eat the ice cream and cake with the spoon.

I hope y'all have a learned a little dining etiquette today...I can't type underneath this photo. Ugh!