Coasters come in all shapes, sizes, and designs. When should you offer a coaster to your guests?
A young subscriber asked me, “As a hostess, when do I need to offer a coaster, and when do I not need to?!”
Oh, this is fun because decorative coasters are a popular gift in the world of pretty accessories… but gift shops will probably not like my answer!
Any glass WITH a stem, such as a wine, champagne, or port glass, do NOT need a coaster!
A glass WITHOUT a stem, such as a highball, beer glass, or a tall ice tea glass, does require a coaster. Why? Cold drinks, especially with ice cubes, can create condensation and drip onto the surface where they are resting, leaving a watermark… especially on wood or leather-topped tables!
One of the engraved silver coasters I inherited from Mummy continues to be used under the iced stemless glass for drinks in the living room, and for iced water on the dining room table.
Coasters are thought to protect your table from scratches, yet the base of a stemmed glass will not scratch your table (and it is doubtful that a cocktail glass would either). So, as a hostess, relax; scratches will not happen from a stemmed glass!
My rule of thumb? A coaster should be offered only to guests with STEMLESS glasses!
When a cocktail napkin is offered, and you wish to set your drink down, it can be placed under a stemmed glass as a matched set until you pick it up again. (The cocktail napkin would be placed beside the coaster for a stemless glass.)
Silver wine coasters are a charming way to dress your dining table appropriately to hold a bottle of wine or decanter. The bottom of most wine coasters continue to have a soft felt bottom… in case you wish to “coast” your wine down the table!
The history of the “coaster” is intriguing! The term “coaster” was coined with reference to ships, referred to as “coasters,” going coast to coast in the 1700s. In well-to-do European houses, a custom started in the mid-1700s when a “coaster” was used to slide or “coast” a bottle of wine or a decanter across the dining room table on a tray (made of silver or wood) to late-night guests to serve themselves libations after the staff had retired for the evening. The tray had a soft fabric applied to the bottom to slide or “coast” across the wood table surface (without a tablecloth) easily.
And on a personal note, my heart goes out to all those in LA who have lost their homes in the devastating and catastrophic fires. I’m so terribly sorry and have you in my heartfelt prayers and send my love.
Xx Holly
PS: My Instagram “coaster” video is HERE. Please be a dear and inspire a friend to subscribe by forwarding this letter to them.