May just begs for guests. As you get ready to welcome them, lay a pristine white tablecloth and place a vase of spring flowers in the center for a festive touch. Arrange plates, forks, and knives, and set out beautifully prepared, garnished dishes.
Cold white meats—veal and poultry—sit on a bed of green lettuce leaves and parsley, while darker meats—pork and beef—pair well with pickled plums, mushrooms, and cucumbers. For jellied fish or aspic, place thinly sliced lemon, boiled carrots, hard‑boiled eggs, and sprigs of parsley in the mold before pouring in the broth. Arrange sandwiches on a tray lined with a white napkin. Slice roasted cold meats thinly against the grain and stack the pieces in overlapping rows, each leaning on the next. Garnish the edges of the serving dish with fresh herbs. Serve salads in a bowl without piling them high; decorate them with mayonnaise, hard‑boiled eggs, red pepper, and green onions. Place hot meat dishes on warmed plates and drizzle them with sauce. For each bowl, set a serving spoon and fork beside it.
Before serving dessert, coffee, or tea, clear the table of plates, forks, knives, and salt shakers, and bring out dessert plates and cold beverages.
If the celebration is a family affair, have everyone in the household help. Seat the children at a separate table away from the adults. If a guest needs to leave early, don’t hold them back — they’ll find a convenient moment to thank the hosts and slip away quietly. Thank your guests for their company and the time they spent with you.
