In this place setting, the base plate, also called a charger or service plate, acts as an underplate for the dish holding the first course, in this case a salad. When the first course is cleared, the service plate remains until the entree is served. The charger may be removed when the dinner plate is being used.The season of entertaining officially gets under way next week. Family and friends will gather across the country to share good will and good food.
Whether you serve two or 22 guests, the table setting for Thanksgiving dinner can be festive, fun and frugal, said Laura Hartman, a sales associate at Fischer Evans Jewelers on Market Street.
“Any table can be beautiful,” Hartman said. “You just need to remember the important elements: china, crystal, silverware, linens, candles and a centerpiece.”
Whether the china is Wedgwood, Royal Worcester or clever thrift-store finds, the magic of a beautifully set table is in how it’s pulled together.
“The centerpiece makes the table,” Hartman said. “You can do so much with things you get out of your yard, whether it’s greenery, twigs or fresh flowers. Pull colors that either match your china or bring in the warm colors of fall – orange, red and chocolate brown. It’s an inexpensive way to spruce up a table.”