Coming together to share a meal is one of our most vital traditions. Whether dining with friends, family, or business associates, an elegant setting and gracious manners bring a sense of harmony and order to the occasion. Yet when it comes to knowing precisely how to set a table for formal and informal dining, which fork to use, how to serve different types of wine--even how to eat certain foods--many of us are not fully confident. This guidebook shows how to select, lay, and use tableware to enhance any dining experience, and how to properly store and care for it. Von Drachenfels provides guidance on mixing and matching tableware patterns; the basics of coffee, tea, and wine; menu planning; napkin folding; and the proper service techniques for all types of entertainment. Meanwhile, she delves deep into the history of tableware and customs, making today's practices understandable.--From publisher description.