How to set the table - Anna Post

如何布置餐桌 - Anna Post

翻译人员: Catherine Gu 校对人员: Mengqi Wu

Have you ever helped set a table

你是否曾经在帮忙布置餐桌的时候，

and found yourself wondering

发现自己不知道

where to place the forks?

叉子应该摆在哪儿？

Or sat down to eat a restaurant

或者在餐馆坐下用餐的时候，

and wondered which utensils to use?

却不知道如何使用这些餐具？

Well, here's some simple, traditional etiquette tips

那么，现在就要讲一些关于布置餐桌的

on how to set a table.

简单、传统的礼仪技巧。

What would happen if you set a table like this?

如果你像这样布置餐桌，怎么样呢？

It doesn't look good,

这种方式看上去不好看，

and you have to clean up the mess

而且在你开始吃之前，

before you can even start.

不得不自己将餐具摆整齐。

Let's try another way.

让我们试试另一种方式。

To start, use a placemat or tablecloth,

首先，垫上一个餐垫或一块桌布，

but not both,

但不要两个都用，

so the dishes aren't directly on the table.

这样盘子就不会直接放在餐桌上了。

This is more about looks than etiquette,

虽然这样做主要是为了摆放好看而非礼仪。

but it's rare to see nothing under a plate

但很少会见到盘子底下什么都没有，

除非你在野餐桌上吃。

unless you're eating at a picnic table.

Set out any flowers,

摆上些花，

candlesticks,

蜡烛台，

or other decorations you like.

或其它你喜欢的装饰。

Candles are usually only lit at night.

蜡烛通常只是在夜晚才点燃。

Start with utensils for the main course,

从主餐用具开始，

putting your dinner fork on the left

餐叉放在左边，

and your dinner knife on the right-hand side

餐刀放在右边，

since these are the hands we use them with.

因为这些都是我们用手来使用。

Here's a helpful tip:

一个有用的技巧：

You always eat outside-in,

你总是由外向里使用餐具，

so to set for salad,

所以为了吃沙拉，

we'll put the salad fork

我们把沙拉叉

to the outside of the dinner fork

摆在餐叉的外面，

and the salad knife to the outside of the dinner knife.

沙拉刀摆在餐刀的外面。

We'll have salad first,

我们先吃沙拉，

then our main course.

然后吃主菜。

Notice, too, that the knife blades

摆放时也要注意刀刃

are both pointed toward the plate.

都应朝向餐盘。

This is an old tradition

这是古老的传统，

from a time when dinner knives were quite sharp,

从人们开始使用锋利的餐刀的时期流传下来的。

and it was a sign of politeness and nonaggression

使这些餐具不对着其他用餐者，

to keep them pointed away from other diners.

也是一个有礼貌和互不侵犯的标志。

We might have some soup,

我们或许会喝汤，

and since soup usually comes first,

因为汤通常先上，

the soup spoon goes outside the knives

汤匙摆在刀的外面，

since we use our right hand to hold it.

因为我们用右手拿汤匙。

Here's another tip:

还有一个技巧：

Only set the table with what you'll need.

只用你需要的餐具布置餐桌。

If you're not eating soup,

如果你不喝汤，

don't set a soup spoon.

就不要摆汤匙。

Now, for dessert, we'll have ice cream

现在，到甜点了，我们要吃冰激凌，

so we'll place the dessert up top

所以我们把甜点摆在上方，

since we don't need it for a little while.

因为我们不会马上吃它。

Notice that the bowl of the spool

注意勺碗应该

is pointing to the left.

朝向左边。

This way, when it's time to eat,

这样，当吃的时候，

you just slide it down

你只用把它滑到下方，

and it's in the right spot.

它就被放在右边了。

If you were having cake,

如果你要吃蛋糕，

you'd set a fork and flip it 180 degrees

就放一把叉子在上方并把水平翻转180度，

so it would be right side-up on the left instead.

所以叉子是朝向右边，使用时滑到左下方。

Next we'll anchor our setting with the plate.

接下来我们就来摆餐盘。

You can also serve from the kitchen

你也可以先在厨房摆好，

then bring them to the table.

再端到餐桌上。

The bread plate goes up and to the left of the setting,

面包盘摆在左上方，

and the butter knife goes on the plate at an angle,

切黄油的刀以一个角度摆在盘上

again, with the blade pointing in.

还是刀刃朝里。

There's only one spot left,

只剩下最后一个需要注意的地方了，

and that's for the drinks.

饮料摆放在哪儿。

Set the wine glass to the upper right,

把葡萄酒酒杯摆在右上方，

and then place the water glass to the left of it at an angle.

然后盛水的玻璃杯以一定的角度放在它的左边。

If you're like me

如果你像我一样

and can never remember which goes where,

总记不住哪个摆在哪里，

think water, wine,

想想水、葡萄酒，

w-a, w-i;

w-a，w-i；

a, i;

a, i;

they go left to right in alphabetical order.

它们从左到右按字母顺序摆放。

Another tip:

To remember left and right with the bread and the drinks,

还有一个窍门：

用面包和饮料来记左边和右边，

think B-M-W like the car.

首字母的顺序就和汽车B-M-W一样。

B, your bread plate, is on the left;

B, 面包盘，在左边；

M, your meal, is in the middle,

M, 饭，在中间，

and W, your water, is on the right.

W，水，在右边。

Lastly, the napkin traditionally goes to the left of the forks,

最后，按照传统，餐巾放在叉子的左侧，

though it's okay to put it underneath them, too.

尽管也可以把餐巾放在叉子的下面。

For a fancier meal like this one

对于像这样比较丰盛的一餐

that takes up a lot of space,

占用了大量的空间，

we'll put it in the middle.

我们会把餐巾放在中间。

Now we're ready to eat.

现在我们准备好要吃了。

Hopefully these tips will be helpful

下一次要你帮忙摆餐桌，

the next time you're asked to help set the table

或坐下享受一顿美味佳肴，

希望这些窍门会派上用场。

or sit down at a fancy meal.

Enjoy!

享用吧！