A Butler’s Guide to Entertaining
Nicholas Clayton is an English Butler of many years' standing. He has teamed up with the National Trust to create a book packed full of tips for entertaining. Here are some of the best...
A Butler’s Guide to Entertaining by Nicholas Clayton (National Trust, £7.99, (www.nationaltrustbooks.co.uk)
At Breakfast you can use whatever shape napkin you like but, in common with afternoon tea, a napkin folded to resemble a triangle with the middle point set facing west is probably right.
A female guest of honour normally sits to the right of the host and a male guest of honour sits to the left of the hostess.
Look after the oldest person first and then the ladies; obvious and old fashioned maybe but always the best.
The number one rule to remember is that you are the host and as such it is your primary duty to ensure the comfort of your guests.
To avoid leaving your dabs on the silver when you are setting the table, never touch any part of it that is used to eat.
Red wine is best served at room temperature, about 18°C (64°F). White wine and rosé should be chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving at around 8-10°C (46-50°F) Champagne and sparkling wines should be chilled a little longer to about 6-8°C (43-46°F)
It may seem boring but, but to be absolutely correct you should never hear a Champagne cork ‘pop’ when you open it.
Candles are lit just before the guest comes into the dining room and should not be put out until they leave.
Ideally wine should be stored in a cool, dark place with minimal temperature fluctuations and away from vibrations and strong odours. Bottles should be stored on their side in humid conditions to keep the cork moist and to prevent air from entering the bottle.
As a general rule you should add roughly 1 ½ teaspoon of, ideally, full fat milk at room temperature to your cup and then pour the tea, through a strainer, into the teacup.
To make coffee use ‘just off the boil’ water. Boiling water will scald your coffee and spoil the flavour.
When toasting, your glass should be about two-thirds full or at least have something in it to drink because it is considered bad toast etiquette to toast with an empty glass.
Ladies should never put a handbag on the dining table at any time during dinner and certainly never on the loo floor or any floor for that matter.
Unless you happen to be a medic on call or the prime minister, turn your mobile off at parties. If you have left it on, never answer it during a conversation and never put it on the dining table while you eat.
A Butler’s Guide to Entertaining by Nicholas Clayton (National Trust, £7.99, (www.nationaltrustbooks.co.uk)
At Breakfast you can use whatever shape napkin you like but, in common with afternoon tea, a napkin folded to resemble a triangle with the middle point set facing west is probably right.
A female guest of honour normally sits to the right of the host and a male guest of honour sits to the left of the hostess.
Look after the oldest person first and then the ladies; obvious and old fashioned maybe but always the best.
The number one rule to remember is that you are the host and as such it is your primary duty to ensure the comfort of your guests.
To avoid leaving your dabs on the silver when you are setting the table, never touch any part of it that is used to eat.
Red wine is best served at room temperature, about 18°C (64°F). White wine and rosé should be chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving at around 8-10°C (46-50°F) Champagne and sparkling wines should be chilled a little longer to about 6-8°C (43-46°F)
It may seem boring but, but to be absolutely correct you should never hear a Champagne cork ‘pop’ when you open it.
Candles are lit just before the guest comes into the dining room and should not be put out until they leave.
Ideally wine should be stored in a cool, dark place with minimal temperature fluctuations and away from vibrations and strong odours. Bottles should be stored on their side in humid conditions to keep the cork moist and to prevent air from entering the bottle.
As a general rule you should add roughly 1 ½ teaspoon of, ideally, full fat milk at room temperature to your cup and then pour the tea, through a strainer, into the teacup.
To make coffee use ‘just off the boil’ water. Boiling water will scald your coffee and spoil the flavour.
When toasting, your glass should be about two-thirds full or at least have something in it to drink because it is considered bad toast etiquette to toast with an empty glass.
Ladies should never put a handbag on the dining table at any time during dinner and certainly never on the loo floor or any floor for that matter.
Unless you happen to be a medic on call or the prime minister, turn your mobile off at parties. If you have left it on, never answer it during a conversation and never put it on the dining table while you eat.