Day #23 – June 30, 2010
“The cloth or place mats for breakfast are usually the gay pleasant type of medium texture, harmonizing in color with the dishes used.”
Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, 1949
Even though Clay and I are enjoying a cruise for a few days, I have been trying to find ways to continue the 1950’s project. It hasn’t been easy.
- I can’t cook here… Food is readily available twenty-four hours a day.
- I don’t need to clean because we have maid service (Hallelujah!)
- I don’t see any gardens for picking vegetables or canning beans.
- I can still wear skirts and pearls, but honestly, we are spending most of the day at the pool.
So, what is a 1950’s gal to do? I am not sure if women in fifty’s were well-versed in the art of napkin folding, but I know that they cared about presentation. If they were on a cruise and saw the napkin art we have seen here, they would certainly take note.
So, I asked our waiter, Branko, if he could give me a napkin folding lesson, and he said he’d be happy to show me a few tricks. I noticed that Royal Caribbean only used two folds during the entire cruise, one for breakfast (very simple) and one for dinner (more advanced). I don’t know the actual names for these napkin arrangements, but I call them 1.) The Pocket Fold 2.) The Formal Fold (aka, the Queen is joining us for dinner fold).
Here are the two folds in detail:
1.) The Pocket Fold
a.) The key to all of this napkin art is to start with a huge napkin.
b.) Next, fold the napkin into three parts.
c.) Then, turn it over and fold it up about 2/3 the way to the top.
d.) Finally, fold it under and turn the napkin to its final position. 
e.) If you want to use the pouch as silverware clothes, insert silverware to the little pocket. This simple fold keeps your forks in a little pouch so they don’t get cold, or run off and leave you, or feel embarrassed because their bottom is showing.
2.) The Formal Fold
a.) Take your enormous napkin and fold it in half, along the diagonal.
b.) Next, fold two edges in to make a square out of your napkin.
c.) Then, fold it in half along the opposite diagonal.
d.) Take the top half of the top layer and fold it down.
e.) Finally, wrap it around and tuck one side into the other.
f.) Stand the napkin up and observe your masterpiece!
Even though this seems like a long process, it only took Branko about two minutes to show me. Clay and I were both able to repeat it pretty quickly, so if you are having a dinner party soon, try folding the napkins in a special way to dress up the table and make your guests feel special. If there is anything a 1950’s wife does, she makes people at her table feel special because she goes the extra mile.
Just for fun, here are a few napkin etiquette tips:
Rule 1: When you’re given a napkin, use it. Don’t let it sit beside your plate. It was given to you for wiping your face when you need to and to protect your lap from spills. Leaving it beside your plate marks you as a slob.
Rule 2: Wait for the host to pick up and unfold his napkin before you do the same with yours.
Rule 3: If the napkin is larger than your lap, fold it such that it just covers your lap.
Rule 4: In polite society, movements at the dinner table tend to be small, so don’t make any ostentatious displays like wildly shaking the napkin to open it. Just unfold it. And when you wipe your mouth, don’t use the napkin as you would a wash cloth during your morning shower; gently dab at your mouth.
Rule 5: Don’t wait for the food to be served before you open your napkin. Should your napkin still be sitting on the table when the food arrives, the server may have to create space to set your plate.
Rule 6: Should you have to leave the table during the meal, leave the napkin, loosely folded, on your seat or on the table to the left of your plate. Also put the loosely folded napkin to the left of your plate when you’re done eating, never on the plate.
Rule 7: The place for a napkin? In your lap. It is not tucked into your pants, nor does it belong tucked into your shirt collar. However, if you are in a milieu where that kind of behavior is acceptable, don’t be afraid to go along. For example, diners from Southern Italy (or southern New Jersey) have long known that a bowl of spaghetti topped with marinara sauce can be better enjoyed when you don’t have to worry about the red stuff splattering on your shirt. Many Italian and Italian-American diners therefore tuck the napkin into their collars as a matter of course. Feel free to do the same. Live! Enjoy!
