Rules governing how to host date as far back as 1000 AD, including napkin etiquette, clothing, a child’s place - literally, and table service. Listen in as we prepare you for your upcoming holiday soirees, fetes, and shindigs.
Etiquette for a Happy Host or Hostess and Guests
As we embark into the winter holidays, you may find yourself keen on picking up some tried-and-true tips for being a great host. In a nutshell, good hosting is about making your guests feel at home, but some of the things we do (or don’t do) are rooted in medieval traditions meant to personify such high-minded ideals as piety, charity, generosity, and service.
Leigh kicks off Episode 33 of As We Eat with a list of hosting must-haves – such as napkins, forks, seating arrangements, and more – along with some surprising history about how each of these so-called niceties made their debuts on well-appointed tables.
Kim discovers that the good manners exhibited in hosting has much to do with the historical manners of chevaliers, otherwise known as knights or “horse soldiers.” Deeply influenced by Arabic literature and the Moors, the “knightly code of conduct” reflected the virtues of courage, honor, and service, and directed many Lords and their Ladys on how to exhibit these qualities in all aspects of their life. These manners were adopted first by medieval merchants, and later by the “middle class” that emerged after the Napoleonic Wars of the 19th Century.
Leigh and Kim decide that modern hosting means ensuring your guests feel comfortable and welcome. Beyond providing forks and napkins, we recommend being attentive to your guests’ dietary needs and striking up conversations about the foods you are eating. Share your food memories and stories, talk about what those foods mean to you, and include everyone at the table.
Finally, we also suggest what it means to be a good guest – don’t overstay your visit, say thank you to your gracious guest, and PUT DOWN THE PHONE.
How to Be a Good Host Transcript
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Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode
Books We Think You’ll Enjoy Reading
Il Coutegiano, The Book of the Coutier by Baldesar Castiglione
Recipes You Really Need to Try
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu - Pinch of Yum
Prosciutto and Fig Salad Board - Pure Wow
Episodes We Think You’ll Like
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How to Be A Good Host: Don’t do These Seven Things, Horses and Good Manners, and the Death of Vocabulary