What Do You Do With All That Silverware?

Did you ever sit down to a nice dinner and think there were as many utensils in front of you as in your entire kitchen?

Here is a common setting for a three- to five-course meal, and the proper way to use each piece:

Left to right, bottom: salad fork, dinner fork, dinner plate with napkin, dinner knife, soup spoon.

Top: bread plate with butter knife, dessert spoon, dessert fork, water glass and iced tea, juice or wine glass.

Place napkin on lap when you sit down. Use silverware from the outside first, leaving salad fork on plate in the 4:20 position or soup spoon on the plate the soup is on (dinner plate will be taken away with soup or salad).

For dessert: Use a fork if it crumbs or flakes; use spoon if it drips or melts; if it does both, use either.