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"I was born and raised in New England, and it was always the custom to eat with the fork in the right hand , but change hands when you cut your meat, with knife in your right hand, fork in your left. Then place the knife at the top of your plate, switch hands, and then eat with the fork in your right hand.
I was just on a cruise with People from United Kingdom and I was the only one eating the way I was raised to eat. Everyone was fascinated!
When we ever saw someone eating with the fork in the left hand and knife in the right and never changing hands, we were taught, that that was bad manners.
My question is: Where did the traditional way of eating satrt?? Which way???"
Polly
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The American way or zig-zag way of eating was the original method of eating in France and England before 1732. In 1732 a nobleman in King Louis XV's court decided that the noblemen should eat differently than the townspeople and he came up with the Continental style of eating. When America was settled in the 1700's, the people settling it wanted nothing to do with the ways of the Kings (England followed everything that France did etiquette-wise) and they continued the practice of eating the way that this lady learned.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutedly correct description.
ReplyDeleteand it is now known as the american or continental ways.
AZ Etiquette Australia/Kenvale College.edu.au
Cutting with the knife in the right hand and fork in the left is the same in both countries, as agreed. However, when an American holds the fork in the left hand with the palm up, as if going to stab and kill whatever is being cut up, is SUCH bad etiquette and quite unbelievable to witness--not all Americans do that, of course--but it happens often. Also, I've seen Americans have a piece of meat, or other morsel, attached to the end of the fork and proceed to bite from it and not place the whole piece in the mouth--quite horrible to watch. I have come around somewhat, as a Brit, to cutting my food into small pieces and then using only my fork when I'm in a not-so-fancy restaurant, as one would when eating a bowl of salad, but in someone's house or out for a special meal, I retain the knife in my right hand and my fork in my left...but in this country, it feels a bit of a show to do it.
ReplyDeleteI was brought up in England and told that I should always have my knife in my right hand and my fork in the left. The fork should always have the prongs pointing downwards. My grandmother (born in 1890!) was really particular about this! Imagine how hard it was to eat peas with your fork that way! So, now I live and work in a foreign country and have come into contact with so many different eating ways. I don't think we can critise other's habits, just observe and learn about their culture.
ReplyDeleteI have eaten like this lady all of my life, my family having come from England all the way back to the 1700's. Since I am a native Virginian, I think they followed the English! Always worked for me, with the fork prongs down, too!
ReplyDeleteI am originally from England. My family uses the British or Continental style. I was told the Americans changed the manner in which they held their cutlery, so they would have a hand free for their 'weapon'. This was entirely practical, in the days of the settling of America.
ReplyDeleteI'm not British but I live and work in UK.My work involves a lot of traveling (and eating out)I wouldn't say I came from a posh background but my parents put quite a lot of attention teaching us good manners.Holding knife in right hand and fork in left for me was obvious and when i went out for dinner in Japan with 8 other people(British,French,Spanish)I was the only one holding cutlery correctly,I was shocked.My good manners didn't allow me to correct anyone;)Obviously I felt embarrassed enough...Maybe even in their eyes I looked as if I didn't know any manners but well,I know I have them...I wish I never felt embarrassed for anyone who didn't know basic savoir-vivre rules.
ReplyDeletethe correct way to use knifes and forks is the knife and fork should always be in your lefty or right hand
ReplyDeleteonly time you put the knife down is when eating foods like a salad or something that really does not need cutting ..seeing people using a fork like a shovel makes me mad and reminds me of pigs at the troff
The American method is considered "correct" in North America only. It is considered juvenile and inelegant everywhere else.
ReplyDeleteMaster both methods if you are American so that you can blend in and not be the butt of comments behind your back when not in North America
im american and cut with my right and stab with my left never switch hands unless its soup then i use a spoon with my left or right
ReplyDeleteI grew up with the American method but traveled extensively on several continents in the following years. I have dined with diplomats, soldiers, businessmen, and peasants. Proper eating styles cannot be grouped into only one Continental style and one American style. I have seen many variations of the Continental style at many formal of events. They the way that an east African diplomat will plaster his mashed potatoes and gravy behind the meat on his fork would raise many an eybrow in London. In Thailand, the main eating utensil is a large spoon. It is held in the right hand in place of the Continentals knife and is used to both cut up and scoop up food. The fork serves primarily to hold the food to be cut with the spoon and to assist the spoon in scooping. The Thais will use the fork to eat noodles but only if the chopsticks preferred for this task are not available.
ReplyDeleteUnless it is messy or noisy, the way other people eat doesn't bother me. But that is because I am from the USA. What nauseates me is when people put on airs and criticize American eaters as uncultured. But maybe those stiff upper lips just make the nose point a little higher.
WELL SAID ANONYMOUS!
ReplyDelete"What nauseates me is when people put on airs and criticize American eaters as uncultured"
The basic goal when eating is to transport the food to the mouth as unobtrusively as possible -either the American or the European method.
BOTH ARE CORRECT AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE WORLD OF ETIQUETTE!
So if we embarrass anyone who doesn't like the way we Americans eat - don't eat with us!
I was raised by a Cypriot father who lived in Scotland and German mother of French origin. They always taught me to hold my fork in my left hand and knife in my right hand and crossing them on my plate when pausing during a meal. At the end of the meal they advised me to put my knife and fork on top of the plate in a straight manner - fork on the left and knife parallel. Above all, they insisted I did not speak with my mouth full. Other people do not want to witness half-masticated food. I do not think this is putting on airs or graces - it is just good manners!
ReplyDeleteSo, would the Queen of England eat with the knife in her right hand and the fork in her left (fork prongs pointing downwards)? I'm not criticizing...it just seems unlikely, but then again I grew up eating the "American" way.
ReplyDeleteToo often people maintain a deathlike grip of the fork (tines up) with the left hand. For some reason, this procedure is usually accompanied by poor posture; the person hunches forward with their chin only inches from the plate. Horrible to watch. Otherwise, I don't care what implement is in what hand as long as there is grace and elegance in how it's done. I don't like seeing what is in one's mouth or hearing it being chewed or slurped. The American way seems a little inefficient (I am American), but the continental way looks a little sloppy.
ReplyDelete