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re: How do you handle others with bad table manners?
Posted on 11/16/14 at 11:26 pm to bosoxjo13
Posted on 11/16/14 at 11:26 pm to bosoxjo13
Pointless?
If im eating a steak, ill cut with knife in right hand and hold the steak with the fork in my left hand. Once the piece is cut, ill put the fork in my right hand and knife on the table/plate and eat the piece. Im not sitting there with both utensils in my hands the whole time im eating. The extra three seconds it takes to do that isnt going to kill you.
Just the way I was raised
If im eating a steak, ill cut with knife in right hand and hold the steak with the fork in my left hand. Once the piece is cut, ill put the fork in my right hand and knife on the table/plate and eat the piece. Im not sitting there with both utensils in my hands the whole time im eating. The extra three seconds it takes to do that isnt going to kill you.
Just the way I was raised
1
Posted on 11/17/14 at 7:22 am to bosoxjo13
quote:
Really? This seems pretty pointless
To me too - in Europe, they may hold the fork in the left hand, cut with the right, push it onto the back side of the fork with the knife and then take it to their mouth with their left hand with the fork upside down.
Considered proper fork and knife technique there.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 8:44 am to MeridianDog
Doesn't justify doing it though. I just don't see it as proper table manners. Oh well
Posted on 11/17/14 at 8:48 am to Deactived
quote:
To me too - in Europe, they may hold the fork in the left hand, cut with the right, push it onto the back side of the fork with the knife and then take it to their mouth with their left hand with the fork upside down.
Considered proper fork and knife technique there.
Euro style is what I was taught, and the continental style of cutlery handling is fairly widespread in the US.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 8:56 am to hungryone
Sorry but I gotta get down with the American style of eating.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 9:39 am to hungryone
quote:
Euro style is what I was taught, and the continental style of cutlery handling is fairly widespread in the US.
I too was taught this way.
Also, I correct other people's children for a living, teaching. Unfortunately, I find it hard to turn it off when I am in public. My wife often accuses me of talking to her or others in my "teacher voice."
Someone else made a good suggestion. The trick at a dinner is to make a comment that is not overly offensive but gets the message across. I remember my great uncle once asking me if I was enjoying the meal, because I was eating like a savage. This prompted my parents to correct me. Often, parents do not realize that their children are out of line, because they see them everyday. Last, people do not want to parent their damn kids anymore IMO. They would rather be their friend.
This post was edited on 11/17/14 at 9:40 am
Posted on 11/17/14 at 9:50 am to Deactived
quote:
If im eating a steak, ill cut with knife in right hand and hold the steak with the fork in my left hand. Once the piece is cut, ill put the fork in my right hand and knife on the table/plate and eat the piece. Im not sitting there with both utensils in my hands the whole time im eating. The extra three seconds it takes to do that isnt going to kill you.
Just the way I was raised
Keeping the fork in left hand, tines down, and knife in the right hand is a proper form if Continental Style. The 'American Style' lacks a certain efficiency and is being phased out by-and-large.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 9:54 am to Jackalope
Efficiency, really?
The two seconds it takes to switch hands isn't that big of a deal.
Being phased out? By whom?
The two seconds it takes to switch hands isn't that big of a deal.
Being phased out? By whom?
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:35 am to Deactived
If you eat with your right hand, why can't you use the knife with your left? I'm left handed and can cut with the right.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:39 am to Jake88
quote:
If you eat with your right hand, why can't you use the knife with your left? I'm left handed and can cut with the right.
You certainly can. It's just a slight cultural variation. Using cutlery in the European fashion shouldn't draw comments or even much notice. It is perfectly acceptable both in the US and abroad.
Whether you switch hands when using a knife is merely a quaint variation of style. It is not equivalent to chewing with your mouth open, snatching food from others' plates, or blowing your nose into your napkin.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:40 am to Jake88
quote:
If you eat with your right hand, why can't you use the knife with your left? I'm left handed and can cut with the right.
If I tried to cut with my left hand, everyone would get stabbed in the face
Talk about mentally retarded, that left hand. I can't do anything with it.
I'm not ambidextrous to any degree.
As for the topic, the meat cutting doesn't really bother me at all. I don't notice such things. But I definitely understand why one would feel more ravenous animal-esq holding fork and knife in each hand and going to town without putting either one down. But I think there are much worse manner blunders.
This post was edited on 11/17/14 at 11:42 am
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:42 am to hungryone
Being left handed with the fork, I probably can't use my left to cut any longer, actually.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:45 am to LouisianaLady
I put the knife down after I cut, I just don't have to switch hands with the fork.
I do think it's odd when someone grabs the fork with their entire fist to use it for cutting.
I do think it's odd when someone grabs the fork with their entire fist to use it for cutting.
This post was edited on 11/17/14 at 11:47 am
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:46 am to Jake88
quote:
I put the knife down after I cut, I just don't have to switch hands with the fork.
Now that I think about it, I don't switch hands either. I just set down the knife. I think.
DAMNIT I DON'T KNOW NOW
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:46 am to Stadium Rat
quote:
quote:
Elbows on the table
I rebel against this one. It makes no sense and I see no reason this would offend anyone.
I think this has been misconstrued over the years.
As I understand it, it's not considered bad manners to have your elbows on the table, UNLESS, your're using them as a pivot point to shove food down your gullet. As long as the elbow of the arm you're using to manipulate your fork/spoon is not in contact with the table when you put the food in your mouth, you're fine.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:50 am to upgrayedd
I thought it was so that you didn't appear to be huddled over your food as if on guard against someone stealing it.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 11:51 am to Jake88
The fact that people don't have more important things in this world to worry about than 'bad table manners' is just mind-boggling to me.
Signed,
Someone who eats with elbows on table, wearing a hat, etc.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 12:01 pm to LSU Piston
quote:
The fact that people don't have more important things in this world to worry about than 'bad table manners' is just mind-boggling to me.
It's simply a sign of mutual respect to those around you. Elbows and hats don't bother me too much but smacking while eating is, in my eyes, a big "frick you" to those around you.
Posted on 11/17/14 at 12:11 pm to Modern
Besides chewing with your mouth open/smacking, loudly burping or passing gas.. I don't give a shite what someone else does at the dinner table and I don't see any reason for anyone else to give a shite either.
This post was edited on 11/17/14 at 12:12 pm
Posted on 11/17/14 at 12:27 pm to Modern
Elbows on the table is silly unless you're eating with your elbows on the table and then it looks strange other than holding a sandwich.
I usually put my knife down after cutting and then switch to the fork. I was never "taught" that. I guess I just picked it up by watching my parents and family, I guess. On occasion, I go Euro style. Sort of depends on the dish. I like either. I don't care what other people do. "Shoveling" food sort of makes me nauseous, though. I'm a slow eater and I have a hard time understanding the "inhalers" of the world. I don't know how they enjoy the food.
Other people's kids are not my problem. I take care of my own. My nephew isn't two yet and he already insists on a napkin in his lap which can get annoying because it never stays there and we end up picking it up off the floor a lot. It's funny he has to have that napkin while he's picking up his green beans with his hands. He can't quite make the utensils work yet, but he tries. He'll pick up the green bean and try to push it onto the fork, but he eventually gives up. He's been to restaurants at least a few times a week since he was a few weeks old, including fine dining establishments. I hope his good manners remain during the "terrible twos".
I usually put my knife down after cutting and then switch to the fork. I was never "taught" that. I guess I just picked it up by watching my parents and family, I guess. On occasion, I go Euro style. Sort of depends on the dish. I like either. I don't care what other people do. "Shoveling" food sort of makes me nauseous, though. I'm a slow eater and I have a hard time understanding the "inhalers" of the world. I don't know how they enjoy the food.
Other people's kids are not my problem. I take care of my own. My nephew isn't two yet and he already insists on a napkin in his lap which can get annoying because it never stays there and we end up picking it up off the floor a lot. It's funny he has to have that napkin while he's picking up his green beans with his hands. He can't quite make the utensils work yet, but he tries. He'll pick up the green bean and try to push it onto the fork, but he eventually gives up. He's been to restaurants at least a few times a week since he was a few weeks old, including fine dining establishments. I hope his good manners remain during the "terrible twos".
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