Etiquette

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Some people may not be able to afford a sitter to go to the grocery store or want to leave their children home alone. And, if the whole family (mom, dad, kids, grandma) is there, well, that's fine with me - they are doing "something" together!
Exactly. There are other reasons the whole family may be shopping as well. We often go out as a family for the day and end up doing our shopping at the end just before heading home.
 
Some people may not be able to afford a sitter to go to the grocery store or want to leave their children home alone. And, if the whole family (mom, dad, kids, grandma) is there, well, that's fine with me - they are doing "something" together!

My issue isn't so much the numbers, but the lack of courtesy taking up the whole aisle.

Craig
 
It's the normal way to use a fork in GB. On my first trip to Europe, my husband and I were in a casual restaurant eating a hamburger (normal American "animal style") near Windsor Castle. I was enthralled watching two ladies at the next table eating their entire burgers with a knife and fork. The fork was upside down, and the knife was used to pack the food on the back of the fork. The fork never left the left hand, and the knife never left the right hand. There are certainly different "manners" in other parts of the world. I wonder if they thought we were Barbarians for eating our burgers American style, with catchup dripping down our chins? :rolleyes:

We may look barbaric but burgers just don't taste as good when eaten any other way....:LOL:
YouTube - How to eat a Hamburger Royal
 
So how are young children taught to eat in European countries?
Here in the US, from what I have seen and experienced myself, a parent generally cuts the food all up, so little Johnny only need concern himself with how to hold the fork "properly".
Is the plate prepared for children similarly in GB and such? If the meat is cut into bite sized pieces, do the children still use their weak hand, convex side up, even though their strong hand has nothing to do as far as cutting?
 
So how are young children taught to eat in European countries?
Here in the US, from what I have seen and experienced myself, a parent generally cuts the food all up, so little Johnny only need concern himself with how to hold the fork "properly".
Is the plate prepared for children similarly in GB and such? If the meat is cut into bite sized pieces, do the children still use their weak hand, convex side up, even though their strong hand has nothing to do as far as cutting?


You must have read my mind.:ROFLMAO:
 
So how are young children taught to eat in European countries?
Here in the US, from what I have seen and experienced myself, a parent generally cuts the food all up, so little Johnny only need concern himself with how to hold the fork "properly".
Is the plate prepared for children similarly in GB and such? If the meat is cut into bite sized pieces, do the children still use their weak hand, convex side up, even though their strong hand has nothing to do as far as cutting?

I don't remember that far back. I ate with proper table manners at age 3. I seem to remember being bribed into learning it with the promise of going to restaurants with my parents once I learned it.
 
I couldn't put an age on it that I was using proper table manners (for my area), but I do remember getting my food cut up for me when I was little. I couldn't even tell you if I was given a knife at age three, lol.
 
I couldn't put an age on it that I was using proper table manners (for my area), but I do remember getting my food cut up for me when I was little. I couldn't even tell you if I was given a knife at age three, lol.

I only remrmber the age because of an episode in a restaurant where I boggled the waiter. I politely asked him to exchange the teaspoon I had been given with my soup for a soup spoon. :LOL:
 
Right. No knives, no forks, just two chopsticks - both held in one hand with no regard to convex or concave sides.

And you drink the soup broth from the bowl. Never "spear" your food with the chopstick(s). There are soup spoons...but why bother if your host is slurping soup from the bowl?:rolleyes:
 
When I go out to my local favorite noodle shop I slurp, and so do most patrons there. My wife freaked out when I first took her to a noodle shop many years ago. Outside of those establishments I'm very conscience of myself and do not make noise eating certain kinds of food, especially foods which are meant to be slurped. :))
 
And you drink the soup broth from the bowl. Never "spear" your food with the chopstick(s). There are soup spoons...but why bother if your host is slurping soup from the bowl?:rolleyes:
One handed bowl drinking is a no-no.
I'm told that when drinking broth from the bowl, the bowl must be held with both hands, not just one. OK by me.
 
PattY1, when I say hold your cutlery like flags, I mean business end pointed to the ceiling, forefinger and thumb on the top. To cut, merely turn the cutlery business end down, thumb and forefinger are now pointed down, and go to town. I have seen many folks take the fork in a fist and stab business end down, pointing out the bottom of their fist. Does that make sense? I can't think how better to describe it.

My Mom was a Girl Guide Commissioner and told us as Guides one day we might have an opportunity to meet the Queen or some other royal and made sure we knew how to manage cutlery well.

Andy, Canadians switch hands as well. I tend to leave my fork in my left hand while cutting meat, or pushing food onto it, but switch when I'm eating salad or something else.

My Dad mentioned that one of the ways Germans caught a few North American spies during the War was to watch them eat. If they switched hands to after cutting their meat, they were busted! I don't know how true that is but it was a fun story.
 
Hold the knife as if you're holding a set of tongs.

Good description! These pix are as close as I can get to illustrating my point:

 

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