Etiquette Boss: A touch of elegance

ENTERTAINMENT  ETIQUETTE

This is the season of feasting, entertaining, caroling, gift-giving and lots of activity. Therefore, for the rest of the year I will focus on topics that might be helpful as we entertain or are entertained. I think this reprint is timely.

Desserts: Sorbet and Sherbet

Sorbet and sherbet are usually used to describe the same dish, but purists are aware of their differences. Add a touch of elegance to your meal by serving sorbet in between your first course (which might be a shrimp cocktail or fish broth) and your meat course, which might be meat or chicken. It will cleanse the palate and  avoid  taking the taste of one course over to the next.

The serving of sorbet dates back to the Roman Empire when hosts served packed snow brought down from the mountains to clear the palates of their guests between all courses. In modern times, it is only served in between the fish and meat courses.

Sherbet can be described as its cousin. Sorbet and sherbet look alike but sorbet has no dairy, while sherbet  has a small amount of milk and can contain egg whites. It is therefore creamier, more like ice cream but with fewer calories. Another difference is that while sorbet is used to clean the palate, it can be used as dessert, especially for  lactose intolerant guests.

Sherbet, however, is used only as dessert because of the milk it contains.  Another difference that separates these cousins is in the eating utensils that accompany their service.  Depending on texture and when it is served, sorbet may be eaten with a fork or a spoon, while sherbet, as dessert, is only served with a spoon.

BEAUTY TIPS:   Perky lips without fillers

Though most of us do not desire the Angelina Jolie pout, we want our lipstick to stay without bleeding.

Gravity affects our lips as well as our cheeks. For a quick and effective way to plump up our thinning lips, purse them in an exaggerated manner. Push the bottom lip firmly against the top lip and hold for a count of 10. Relax and repeat three times. You will feel the difference after a day or two, and see a difference within two weeks.

Apply olive oil to your clean face, especially around the mouth area before doing any facial exercise, as exercising dry skin can cause wrinkles.

Phillipa Morrish is the president of Etiquette Training International.