manners MATTER
More
Table
Talk
BY KAREN LA CORTE
T
hank you for all your positive feedback on my articles! My last article had epic responses
from you readers. In our fast-paced lifestyle, it’s good to know that basic manners still
hold an important place for you. Last issue I wrote about Basic Table Settings. There are
many variations to the examples that I gave depending on formality and space on your table.
Along with a proper table setting, there are two styles of eating.
The Europeans eat their food with the
left hand. The fork is in the left hand and
the knife in the right, a piece of food
such as meat is cut and placed in the
mouth without changing the fork from its
upside-down position. This is also called
the Continental Style. The American Style
suggests that you place the knife on the
right edge of your plate with blades
facing in, after the food is cut, then
transferring the fork to the right hand, fork
tines up in the process. In either style, cut
your food into only ONE bite-sized piece
at a time. Left-handed folks should use
the knife and fork in a way that is most
comfortable for them. Once used, your
utensils, including the handles, should not
touch the table again. Always rest forks,
knives, and spoons on the side of your
plate or in the bowl.
Resting Position
Karen La Corte is an
etiquette and manners
expert trained and certi-
fied by the Emily Post
Institute in Vermont. She
has been teaching eti-
quette and manners to
children and adults for
over thirty years. She is
also a certified image
and fashion consultant.
Karen is happy to answer
any personal etiquette or
image questions you may
have by emailing her at
karen@marxtowing.com
Kids often ask me
what to do with
your utensils if you
should leave the
table at a restau-
rant. This is most
important if you
don’t want the
waiter to assume you are finished with
your meal, therefore removing your plate.
One young man said, “Mrs. LaCorte,
should I take my fork with me to the bath-
room?” I was always taught to place my
fork upside down at an angle. A more
formal resting position is to place your
utensils in a V pattern on your plate if you
need to be excused. Fork tines down if
eating Continental Style, fork tines up if
eating American Style. Fork would be
placed to the left of the plate, knife to the
right with the sharp edge facing in. Once
again in a V pattern. Another variation to
the Resting Position is that your fork and
knife can be crossed like an X.
Finished Position
When the course is finished, rest your
fork, tines up or down, and knife, blade
in, with the handles resting at five
o’clock, and tips pointing to ten o’clock
on your plate. If eating only with a fork,
88
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
MARCH/APRIL 2017
place the fork tines
up, diagonally on the
plate in the manner I
just mentioned.
Foods You Can Eat
With Your Fingers
Appetizers,
Artichokes (use your
knife and fork when you get to the heart),
Asparagus (unless covered in sauce), Bacon
(very crisp), Bread, Cookies, Corn on the
cobb, Potato chips, French fries, Hamburger
sandwiches (please halve or quarter),
Canapes, Crudité’s, Olives, Pickles, Nuts,
Deviled Eggs, Cheese and crackers, Shrimp
with a tail, Cakes (such as petit fours), small
fruits and berries on the stem (strawberries
with the hulls on) (cherries with stems, or
grapes in bunches), other fruits – apples &
pears are quartered first, apricot, peach
or plum expelling pit in cupped hand then
putting the pit on your plate, Sushi, Chicken
wings, Pizza.
If you are in a restaurant or a formal
situation, you need to use your discretion
with finger food. A lamb lollipop is great to
eat with your fingers as a passed appetizer,
but would certainly be eaten with a fork and
knife as an entrée.
When you leave the table, napkins are
placed, crumpled, on the left side of the
plate. If you are leaving the table temporarily,
the napkin may be placed to the left of the
plate loosely folded or placed on your chair.
A very popular question I get from women
is where to put your purse. Never put your
purse on the table (or gloves, sunglasses,
etc.) Your purse should be placed on your
lap, a spare chair, or on the floor.
A light lipstick repair may be done at the
table, but all major repairs should be done
in the privacy of the powder room. Coats,
wraps and shawls can be checked in with
the maître d, given to the waiter to hang, or
taken to the table with you and placed on a
free chair or the back of yours.
This manner of eating is only a suggestion.
It is nice to know if you are dining out in
a fine restaurant for business or a social
occasion. No matter which style of eating
you prefer, just be consistent. So, what is
your style? American or Continental?
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