When it comes to having friends and family over for summer gatherings, our first thoughts often turn to late afternoon barbecues with sizzling burgers, plastic cups and paper plates. If that’s your idea of outdoor entertaining, maybe it’s time to get out of the house!

Weber 3880001 Genesis S-320 Natural Gas Grill, Stainless Steel

List Price: $1,019.00
Buy New: $736.00
You Save: $283.00 (28%)

• 3-burner natural gas grill; 42,000 Btu’s; 637 inches total cooking area
• 507 square inches cooking area; 130 square inches warming rack
• Fully enclosed stainless steel cart; porcelain-enameled cooking grates
• 12,000 BTU input flush-mount side burner
• 2 heavy-duty front locking casters and 2 heavy-duty back swivel casters

“So many people are trapped in the mindset china should only be used for formal meals around the dining room table,” says Annie Williamson, showroom stylist with Replacements, Ltd., the world’s largest supplier of old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles. “That’s just so limiting. You can have fantastic fine dining outdoors, such as a sunny afternoon picnic or perhaps a beautiful dinner at sunset or under the stars, simply by using ‘your good stuff’ outdoors.”

Find New Uses for Traditional Pieces
Who says you can only use a tureen to serve soup or goblets for wine? Outdoor or alfresco entertaining really opens the door to new purposes for china, crystal and silver.
* Use a soup tureen to keep dinner rolls or buns warm.
* Iced tea glasses are perfect for parfaits or fruit salads, while sherbet or champagne glasses are great for serving ice cream and other summertime desserts.
* Use silver mint julep cups to serve shrimp cocktail or as individual vases. Fill coffee pots and pitchers with fresh flowers to create unusual centerpieces.
* Fill your silver or crystal punch bowl with ice to chill bottles of wine and other beverages.
* Stack footed cake plates, fill with appetizers and adorn with fresh flowers. You can also place candles of varying sizes on cake plates to create a great accent or centerpiece for evening entertaining.

Sizzle With Seasonal Color
From crystal blue skies to vibrant blooming flowers, dining outdoors is all about summertime hues. “Entertaining outside frees up the host to mix bright colors that might be a little overwhelming indoors,” says Replacements’ Dubravka Vujinovic. “Get creative by mixing and matching different hues of china or colored glass. And instead of using a tablecloth, buy inexpensive fabric remnants to layer various bold colors to accent your tableware.” She also suggests using ribbon or kitchen twine to affix fresh flowers around linens instead of using napkin rings, or using bedding plants in lieu of cut flowers. Take advantage of color all around you by incorporating fresh flowers and greenery from your yard or summer fruits and vegetables from your garden in centerpieces and other decor.

Hit the Spot With Summer Tea Parties
Formal afternoon tea isn’t just for the English, tea parties are becoming a popular entertaining trend.
* Set up several small tables around your patio or deck with tea sets/themes of various patterns; tie those together with similar floral centerpieces.
* Purchase tea cups in patterns that fit your guests’ individual personalities for a take home gift.
* Float delicate blossoms in tea cups or fill with miniature bouquets for colorful accents.

Don’t Worry About the Ants
Take out your bridal china for an elegant, romantic afternoon picnic.
* Use soup tureens or covered vegetable bowls to serve tuna or potato salads.
* Serve sandwiches or desserts on handled cake plates.

“So many people are squeamish about using their china, crystal or silver, especially heirloom and discontinued patterns,” says Vujinovic. “But these pieces are made to be used. In fact, regular hand washing will help keep impurities from penetrating the glaze of china and basically keeps the glaze strong, while silver’s finish actually improves with daily use.”

You adorn your body with jewelry and your house with accessories, but what about your poor dining table? Doesn’t it deserve some of that decoration too? Sure, you’ve got a wide array of china plates and crystal glasses, but you wont really be able to show off their attributes without the complementary flatware. Typically, flatware comes in three main categories: traditional, ornate and contemporary. You’ll need to determine which category your china and crystal fall into before you go shopping for appropriate flatware. Your best bet is to stay within a particular style. If you’ve got ornate china then choose an ornate flatware set. It can work in rare cases but usually mixing styles just ends up looking confused.

Oneida Moda 65-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 12

List Price: $320.00
Buy New: $112.99
You Save: $207.01 (65%)

Moda first stands out for its strong, clean lines. Showing just a hint of detail, each blunt handle end lifts up off the table slightly, and features a curved depression framed by the square sides. Pick up a Moda piece, and the craftsmanship is evident. Each 18/10 stainless-steel piece feels weighty, smoothly polished, and well-balanced, making eating with this pattern a pleasure. Mirror-bright and dishwasher-safe, Moda flatware makes a timeless, everyday flatware choice that dignifies special occasion dining as well.

Containing 12 place settings, this set allows a dozen friends and family members to come together for an anniversary celebration or holiday feast. Each place setting consists of a dinner knife, dinner fork, salad fork, soup spoon, and teaspoon. Also included in the 65-piece set is a five-piece hostess set, consisting of two serving spoons, one of which is pierced; a cold meat fork; pointed butter knife/cheese spreader; and squared spoon for sugar or jam. Oneida tucks in a wooden drawer caddy to hold the set, and covers the flatware with a full 25-year warranty. Moreover, not only is a registered Oneida flatware pattern available for a lifetime, the pattern name is backstamped on each Oneida teaspoon. That means years from now, should you or your heirs forget the name, the pattern can be easily recognized and reordered. –Ann Bieri

What’s in the Box
12 place settings and 1 hostess set. Each place setting consists of: dinner knife; dinner fork; salad fork; soup spoon; teaspoon. The 5-piece hostess set consists of: serving spoon; pierced serving spoon; cold meat fork; butter knife; sugar spoon. 65 pieces total. Wooden caddy also included.

Most families have at least two sets of flatware; one for everyday use, and one for formal occasions. Your best choice for everyday dining is stainless steel, as it retains its shine for many years of daily use. This is due to a mixture of steel, nickel and chromium, which gives stainless steel flatware its very durable finish.

However, nothing says elegance and formality quite like a sterling silver flatware set. Sterling silver is almost pure silver and must carry the word sterling stamped on the back to guarantee authenticity. It must contain approximately 92.5% pure silver with 7.5% of an alloy for strength. Sterling silver flatware is, of course, much more expensive than stainless steel flatware, but it is well worth the price.

Both stainless steel flatware and sterling silver flatware will require some care to retain their shine. Stainless steel items can be washed either by hand or in a dishwasher, but should immediately be dried. Sterling silver flatware, on the other hand, should always be hand washed in warm, soapy water, rinsed in clear, hot water and dried immediately to prevent the occurrence of water spots. Furthermore, stainless steel and sterling silver flatware should never be left in direct contact as this can damage the silver.

Whether you choose to go with a stainless steel or sterling silver flatware set, you should always remember that the key element of your collection is the four-piece place setting. This includes the place fork, place knife, salad fork and teaspoon. Of course, you’ll want some other pieces as well, but these are your foundation flatware pieces so you should fully investigate the look and feel of each set. And, don’t be afraid to use your flatware. Thats what its there for; even if it is that pricey sterling silver flatware set you’ve had your eye on for ages.

Jim Grayson makes a living in the field of research. If you have found this article useful, visit his specialist resource sites, http://www.sterling-silver-flatware.info and http://www.stainless-steel-flatware.info. For more general information on this topic and others, visit http://www.discount-flatware.info.

Lenox Butterfly Meadow 18-Piece Dinnerware Set, Service for 6

List Price: $312.00
Buy New: $99.99
You Save: $212.01 (68%)

• Set includes 6 each of dinner plates, salad plates, mugs
• Made of fine china for all-occasion use
• Mix-and-match butterfly and floral motif; scalloped edges
• Designed to go from freezer to oven to table, microwave- and dishwasher-safe
• Coordinates with Butterfly Meadow serveware, crystal, and flatware

Emblazoned with a sweet butterfly and wildflower motif, this summery dinnerware pattern is versatile enough to serve everyday meals or stand in for special occasion dining. Perfect for an average family, this set packs six 10-3/4-inch dinner plates, six 9-inch salad plates, and six 12-ounce mugs. Made of fine china, the dinnerware has a beautiful reflective quality to its ivory base color yet is surprisingly durable enough to go from the freezer to the oven to the table without damaging and is also safe for the microwave and dishwasher.

Based on designs from Lenox artist Louise de Luyer, Butterfly Meadow’s dinnerware set mixes and matches a variety of meadow scenes, each featuring a species of butterfly with a different bloom. Among the pictured butterfly varieties, there are colorful Swallowtails, Monarchs, Eastern-Tailed Blues, Orange Sulphers, and even a dragonfly here and there. Avid gardeners will also be able to spot favorite flowers, which range from morning glories to lilacs to tiger lilies. Each scene is a bit different from the next, adding to the charm of this country-style dinnerware. Graceful scalloped and ridged edges on plates and mugs lend an additional feeling of innocence to this pattern. This dinnerware set matches other crystal, flatware, and serving pieces in fine china and sculpted metal within Lenox’s Butterfly Meadow collection. –Cristina Vaamonde

What’s in the Box
6 dinnerware place settings. Each place setting consists of: dinner plate, salad plate, mug. 18 pieces total.

(ARA) - Whatever happened to the silver table service items you received for your wedding? The silver bowls, platters, serviceware and flatware are probably sitting in the china cabinet becoming tarnished because who has time to polish silver? And no one actually uses them, do they?

They do and you can, too. It’s nice to bring out a pretty silver serving tray to brighten a party table. Popular silver gifts that don’t end up in the cabinet like picture frames, candlesticks and even your silver jewelry are items you’d like to use, too, and you’d like them to be as clean and sparkly as when you got them.

Tuttle la Preference Sterling Pantheon 46-Piece Continental-Size Flatware Set, Service for 8
Buy New: $6,000.00 (On sale from $8,200.00)
You Save: $2200.00 (27%)

Features:
• 46-piece flatware set, 8 place settings, 5 serving pieces
• 8 each: dinner fork; salad fork; soupspoon; knife; teaspoon
• Serving set: butter knife; sugar spoon; serving fork; 2 serving spoons; ladle
• Sterling silver; made in USA
• Lifetime warranty for generations of service

Here are some tips for using and caring for your silver items:

* Remove candle wax — Simply run hot water over the waxy area. The softened wax should be easy to pry off with a finger — never a sharp object.

* Wash and dry — Wash the item by hand with warm water and a gentle dishwashing soap, but don’t soak the silver for any length of time. Rinse the piece well and dry immediately with a soft, lint-free cloth.

* Prepare for removing tarnish — Wear plastic gloves rather than rubber (rubber can react adversely with the silver and cause discoloration). Use a soft cotton cloth or sponge to work the silver cleaner over the piece, following the cleaner’s directions.

* Polish or cleaner — Whether you choose cleaner or polish, it’s a personal preference and for many, time is of the essence. There is one solution — Tarn-X tarnish remover — that quickly and easily removes tarnish with no rubbing or scrubbing.

Tarn-X removes tarnish from sterling silver, silver plate, platinum, copper, gold and cleans diamonds. It’s a tarnish remover that’s been trusted with fine silver products for 40 years. Simply wipe it on and rinse off with cold water. Dry it with a soft cloth, and that’s it!

* Cleaning jewelry — Dip it, rinse and dry. Suddenly your jewelry looks like new and you can wear it again.

“My jewelry box is full of silver jewelry that I bought 20 years ago and considered getting rid of because I never wear it anymore,” says Miriam Lambertz, of Minneapolis, Minn. “I used Tarn-X on a very special bracelet that I can wear again now, and it only took a minute to come clean.”

Wear your old silver jewelry proudly with your new jewelry. When fine jewelry and diamonds need cleaning, it won’t be a big, time consuming project. You can clean your jewelry while you’re getting ready to go out, and your jewelry will look as fresh as you do.

Remember these other tips for silver service care:

* Display safely — A glass-enclosed cabinet works well. Camphor blocks can be added to the cabinet to help prevent tarnish, without actually touching the silver. Find them where new silver pieces are sold. If the silver you inherited from your grandparents is tucked away, now you can display it because cleaning with Tarn-X is so easy.

* Using silver — Certain foods with a high acidic content will stain and pit fine silver. Use a plastic liner to protect the finish.

* Store safely — Wrap each piece with acid-free buffered tissue, or washed cotton, linen, or polyester or specially made silver cloths. Do not use wool, felt, chamois leather or newspaper, which can cause excessive tarnishing.

For more information about Tarn-X and other fine silver care products, visit www.jelmar.com. As with any Jelmar product, they offer a full money back guarantee.

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Oneida Mooncrest 45-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 8
Amazon Price: $54.67


Customer Review: This simple, elegant flatware set came just in time for our family get togethers. We couldn’t resist the price. And furthermore, it includes a set of serveware!

J.A. Henckels International Flatware Tray
Amazon Price: $14.99


Customer Review: THIS ITEM WORKED PERFECTLY FOR ME/FITS RIGHT INTO SMALL DRAWERS ON A SERVER I HAVE IN MY DINING ROOM. QUALITY IS GOOD/A SOLIDLY MADE TRAY.

Oneida Colonial Boston 20-Piece Stainless Steel Flatware Set, Service for 4
Amazon Price: $27.21


Customer Review: December 2008 I purchased 2 sets of the Oneida Colonial Boston 20-Piece Stainless Steel Flatware. The discription that Amazon gave was that it ws 18/8. When they were received the flatware was 18/0. To say the least I was very disappointed in the quality. I would not buy anything from Amazon again because I do not fell …

Oneida Colonial Boston Stainless Steel Flatware Collection
Amazon Price: $34.99

Oneida Chandler 65-Piece Flatware Set, Service for 12
Amazon Price: $102.99


Customer Review: We received this for Christmas/Anniversary from my father. Boy, I can tell you it was worth the wait to open it. If you like clean lines, yet modern flair…this is for you. The silverware is so think and heavy. We cannot wait to throw our first dinner party.

Features:

• Cream Colored
• 10 oz Ceramic Coffee Cup
• Microwave & Dishwasher Safe
• Measures: 3.5W x 4H inch

Customer Review:
Everyone I know is fixated on making the perfect cup of coffee. But let’s face it: a lot of the coffee you will drink for the rest of your life will be average or below. That is where this coffee mug comes in. Originally designed for diners and other cheap restaurants, this mug has history and tradition behind it. Virtually any coffee will taste better in this mug. The color is right — off-white. The shape is right — love those slightly concave sides. And the heft, the weight, is perfect. You won’t be knocking this puppy over easily. Get six of these so that you always have one clean in your cupboard. Oh, and if you are a tea drinker also (like me), don’t even think of drinking tea from one of these. For coffee consumption only.

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That are many stainless steel flatware brands but Oneida flatware is clearly the leader in design and quality. Design is the first thing that draws you to a pattern. But flatware should feel comfortable and natural in your hand as well. Oneida stainless steel flatware patterns are crafted through a forging process, blending shape with function. Form-driven designs bring a higher level of quality and an exceptional feel to the dining experience. When you pick up a premium Oneida stainless steel 18/10 stainless design, you can truly see and feel the difference. Oneida never retires a pattern. If you need a replacement 30 years from now it will be available from Oneida flatware.

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Corelle and Pfaltzgraff will have the casual dinnerware dishes, plates and serving pieces you need for everyday dining. Durable, chip resistant, dishwasher and microwave friendly. You know what you’re getting, and you know that it is casual dinnerware you can count on.

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The fine china and dinnerware choices are too many for one page. See separate listings for the world’s top fine dinnerware brands: Lenox, Royal Doulton, Mikasa , and Noritake. Follow the link to the most popular and highly rated fine dinnerware choices by Amazon shoppers.

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No other kitchen item has more choices than drinkware and glassware. Anything from styrofoam cups to blown glass will hold liquid and work so far as it goes. The real choice is for the sophistication and presence you want to display with your other house wares. Pure lead-free crystal with flawless clarity and gently rounded corners will probably always be the ultimate choice. That comes at a price, however. Everyday drinkware should look good but it must be durable and dishwasher safe. Libbey 16-Piece Geo Heavy-base Tumblers Glassware Set is an adult glassware set. Kids like the feel, but the 1″ thick solid-glass base may be too much to handle.

Drinkware-Glassware

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Dinnerware is something that each home needs to have. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for something for yourself or for a gift (or maybe even both) but having the right selection is the key here. Because there are so many options out there in dinnerware, you may find yourself a little confused and wondering just what you should choose. While it really is only up to you to choose what you like the best, there are a few things that you can and should consider before purchasing dinnerware for your home.

Dinnerware Materials

Dinnerware is varied. There are a number of excellent types out there for you to choose from, though. Most dinnerware is made of one of several materials. The most expensive and highest in quality is porcelain. Other expensive qualities include china, bone china, EAPG, and Depression glass. You will find other materials used as well in the making of dinnerware including glass, stoneware, pottery, earthenware, plastic and ironstone. What is the difference? Quality, price and elegance are what the difference is in these types of dinnerware.

Choosing Your Dinnerware

How do you choose the right dinnerware option for you or for your gift? There are several things to take into consideration here. For example, it is important to think about the quality of the piece. Purchasing something very nice, such as china, is a great option but if you plan to use the dinnerware daily with small children, well, you need to move down to the lesser expensive options! Nevertheless, the most important element in choosing the right dinnerware for your home is that you need to consider your tastes or that of the person it is being purchased for. Patterns, colors, and materials are all things to consider.

Consider the pattern of the room that it will be used in as well as the pattern of the furniture. Is there a better choice for color? Is there some pattern that you just love and must have? Do you enjoy a fine piece or are you looking for something that isn’t going to cause a heart attack if it gets broken? Do you like lightweight dinnerware pieces or do you enjoy the heavier options. These are things that you can ask yourself. Or, you can simply browse what is available to choose from.

And, there are lots to choose from. You will find a wide selection of patterns, colors and schemes. You will also find a wide selection of designers as well. Some of the very best may be a little costly, but it is well worth if for their workmanship. And, dont forget that it is not all about plates, bowls and cups either. There are a number of pieces that can and should be purchased to provide the complete set of the dinnerware selection. Serving platters, soup bowls, glasses, salad dishes, cereal bowls and gravy bowls. There are platters of all sizes, salt and pepper shakers as well as coffee and tea pots that match the dinnerware selection! There is much to consider in dinnerware, much!

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