B&B – Bread and Butter
A B&B is a shortened term for the bread and butter plate, which is a normal part of a formal dining set. The B&B is most typically used in a formal dining set up and it is the dish guests use to place their bread for buttering. Although, B&B plates are typically used for rolls in the bread basket they can also be used to place:
- croissants
- muffins
- biscuits
- cornbread
- toast
- scones
- any other bread item that is served as an appetizer or before a meal.
During service, the waiter could place the single piece of bread on the B&B plate or the guests could extract their chosen roll from the bread basket and place it on their individual plate. The guest would then collect butter for their bread to spread it themselves. Often times, crumbs from the bread get all over the table so the B&B plate is used to minimize the mess on the table and the floor. This is especially helpful for baguettes and other types of crusty bread. The B&B plate is one of the first pieces of the place setting put on the table and is usually there when the guests arrive. It shouldn’t be mistaken for the appetizer plate which is ever so slightly larger. The bread and butter plate can also be used in informal dining situations such as a picnic. In this case, the B&B plate could be made of Styrofoam, plastic, paper, china or glass and given to the guest as a complement to the place setting itself. Bread and butter plates are always used at restaurants and are presented with the bread basket immediately after guests take their seats, if they are not already on the table.
