The photo to the right shows the meat course. The water and red wine glass remain. This shows that there will be a salad course following the meat course.
The photo below shows a formal table setting. The elements include: individual salt and pepper, individual nut dish, candy dish and olives. The utensils show that there will be a seafood cocktail to begin, followed by a cream soup course. At this point the charger plate will be removed to prepare for the fish course and then the meat course. The salad course will be served after the meat course. There is a salad fork and salad knife. Dessert will be served and those utensils appear at the top of the plate beneath the place card and menu card. The water glass is always placed directly above the meat knife and the other glasses are arranged by size. In this case there is a cocktail glass for the champagne toast and a sherry glass for the soup course. White wine will be served with the the fish course and red wine with the meat course. Coffee service will be served with the dessert.
This formal setting to the left will have clear soup served for the soup course. Notice the cocktail glass was removed following the toast but the sherry glass remains for the soup course. In this example, there is a bread and butter plate. Though common in Europe, the bread and butter plate is not used on a formal table in the US because bread is not included in a formal menu. The utensils show that there will be a fish course following the soup course.
This is the fish course. Notice that the white wine glass and red wine glass remain on the table.
