The Fallible Fall Season Finger Bowl Faux Pas

With Fall, approaches the season of company award dinners, school functions, rehearsal dinners and weddings. Who knew October is now the most popular month of the year to get married. You may have occasion to see finger bowls every week. You may only see one finger bowl in your life.
So, don't get flustered over the idea of the finger bowl and let yourself get carried away with the blowing Fall foliage. Settle in and feast your eyes on these few simple tips on how to manipulate the Finger Bowl:

• Do Not drink from your finger bowl. We all know this, n'est-ce pas?
• Do use one hand at a time. Demurely, place the fingers only in the bowl, slowly remove, then dab onto one's napkin in one's lap.
• Do remove the bowl with BOTH HANDS when finished and move the bowl to the top left of your place, signalling to the server you are done. Sometimes, finger bowls come with their own plate, but mostly, these days, they come on top of a dessert plate.
• Do make sure to remove the paper doily or linen doily accompanying the bowl if on top of a dessert plate so the server may then place the dessert onto your dessert plate.
• Do silently through example and eye contact help a dinner partner to the left or right of you in the manipulation of their finger bowl if need be.

Many years ago at my first job at Adolfo, during my first formal dinner function at a Christmas Party at the exclusive Doubles Club in New York City, I was faced with the dreaded finger bowl. I knew what it was. I knew enough not to drink from my finger bowl, but I did not know quite what to do with my finger bowl when finished. A very nice lady to my left silently helped me throgh the manipulation of my finger bowl. How nice was she! I have often thought of her and have always been greatful for her kindness shown to me as a young adult.

Enjoy the Fall, all its functions and fear not the finger bowl.