If you are having an exquisite meal in a sit-down restaurant, drinks in an up-and-coming bar, or a low-key catch-up at a friend’s house, you can be sure that bread will be a part of any menu. Simple and cost-effective, bread is a versatile food that can provide a satisfying side dish or an integral ingredient for most meals.
Despite our familiarity with bread, knowing how to serve bread and producing fresh bread presentation ideas can be a challenge for those looking to serve bread at a dinner party or soiree. At Banneton Man, we are here to help with a range of tips and suggestions not only for how to serve bread, but how to eat bread with a refinement that elevates your dining experience.
4 Tips for How to Eat Bread
There are many basic rules to follow when it comes to presentation and etiquette around how to eat bread on formal occasions. Show the world your class and sophistication by following this selection of easy tips for how to eat bread.
1. Wait Until the Course is Served For Formal Dinners
While many of us will be eager to tear into the delicious warm bread on the table between courses, proper etiquette dictates that, for formal dinners, you should wait for your meal to be in front of you, allowing you to eat the bread with your food.
2. Better Buttering
Knowing how to eat bread with butter is a sign of refinement. Place a sample of butter on your bread plate using a knife, then tear off a bite-sized portion of bread and butter only butter that piece right before eating. This helps to avoid any wayward butter chunks ending up over your mouth and fingers.
3. Whole Loaf Hygiene
When an uncut loaf or baguette is on offer, the host (or the one closest to the bread) should take care to use a napkin to hold the loaf before cutting it into the required number of pieces. Fingers and hands should only touch your portion of the bread to avoid the spread of germs.
4. No Shared Dips
Staying with our theme of hygiene, if your bread is served with olive oil or dips, every person at the table should have their own dipping plate to avoid communal situations. With friends or family, shared dipping may be acceptable, but for formal occasions you should request separate plates before spooning a small amount of the dips and sauces onto them.
4 Preparation Ideas for How to Serve Bread at a Dinner Party
Knowing how to serve bread at a dinner party can help to transform not only the look of your table, but the level of enjoyment your guests experience. Unleash your creativity and display your hard work by trying bread presentation ideas that will truly enhance your loaf.
1. Styles Baskets
One of the classic bread presentation ideas to serve bread at a dinner party is to use wire or textured baskets. This offers a neat, rustic look for your table and is easily accessible for guests.
2. Serving Dish
If you want to showcase your bread creation at a dinner party, a stylish serving dish can make all the difference to your table. A combination of serving dishes and plates can offer a neat, sharp look, whilst giving guests a practical way to enjoy your delicious bread.
3. Serving Boards
One of the most popular bread presentation ideas is the use of a serving board. This is a simple, creative investment as you are not restricted to using it for bread, but for a variety of other foods. You can adapt this versatile look by adding extra items for a styled look or keep things simple and minimalistic at your next dinner party.
4. Cone Baskets & Pails
Looking for quirky bread presentation ideas to draw the attention of guests at your next dinner party? Things like slices, small loaves or breadsticks can be served in quaint pails for a unique addition to the table. Otherwise, try serving multiple types of bread at once with a multi-cone basket, offering variety and choice to your guests.
Eat & Serve Bread with Style Thanks to Banneton Man
The main thing to remember is to enjoy baking, serving, and eating your beautiful bread creations! Whether you are looking for ways to eat sourdough bread, or you are searching for the perfect bread slashing tools to capture a finessed look for your loaf, we at Banneton Man have a series of products and ideas to help you know how to serve and eat bread like a pro.
Contact us today for more information or take a look at our amazing collections and blog posts to take your bread to the next level.
