"During one of my first dates with my hubby I felt really embarrassed when I misused my knife at dinner with his family.  I pushed my vegetables onto my fork with my knife in my left hand.  Quickly, I realized this was wrong when my loving hubby hipped me to the correct way quietly.  This prompted me to reacquaint myself with the right way to use my flatware."

Table manners are more relaxed than in the past, but they’re still important. Knowing your way around a place setting tells your friends, colleagues or date that you have a little sophistication. Brush up on your table manners before your next dinner so you can feel confident and focus on your company.

Here are five quick tips for dining out or entertaining at home:

Place your napkin in your lap as soon as you’re seated.

When serving wine to your guests, taste it first before serving them to make sure the wine is not spoiled.

Do not begin eating your meal until everyone at the table is served or your host gives you permission.

Once you use your knife, never lay it back on the table; place it across the upper right-hand corner of your plate.​

Once you have completed your meal, place your knife and fork in a closed position in the middle of your plate. This alerts your server or host that you are done.​