When bread is served to you, take the piece of bread to your butter plate (to the left of your dinner plate) and let it rest a moment versus straight to your mouth. Then, break or tear a piece at a time with your fingers. Never cut your bread with a knife! Always tear one piece at a time, and then butter each piece one at a time as well! Also, it’s important to remember to never butter an entire piece of bread!
The butter knife can be placed on the butter plate at the 10-2 o'clock position, with the blade pointed towards the diner.
In England, the butter knife is placed in the 12-6 o'clock position, with the blade facing to the left, away from the dinner plate.
See these examples brought to life in the photo above. The monogram in the photo are those of my dear mummy.
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Forbidden Faux Pas
No-No: To hold your butter knife and bread in a "helicopter hover" while breaking the bread or while buttering it!
What is done: Try to keep all flatware as close to the plate as possible, including the butter knife. Flatware should not be flying above the place setting, ever! Instead, discreetly break your bread, hold it just barely above the plate and butter it, and then return the butter knife onto the plate in the same position that it was placed when you sat down at the table.
Millennial Tip
Butter plates can be an amusing adornment on your table. For the fall, I have used glass "leaf-shaped" plates that add quite a festive look! In the spring, I love placing a small, edible violet on top of the butter pat! During Christmas, of course, two holly leaves are used to decorate the butter (but not the red berries, as they are poisonous!), and in the summer, a few basil or mint leaves. I also have some "butterfly-shaped" individual butter molds which I prepare in advance for dinner parties. If you ever see fox-head butter molds for sale, do let me know!