I have noticed increasingly of late, just how generally bad, peoples manners are.
Even well educated people, who DO know better are speaking with their mouths full – absolutely disgusting, waving cutlery about and that’s if they are using any, of course, eating whilst using the phone, yawning whilst talking to somebody, cutting across conversations and a whole lot more.
This blog will hopefully put them right – please like and share far and wide.
TABLE MANNERS
Forks and spoons are the only items of cutlery to put in the mouth. Never put the knife into your mouth or indeed, lick it.
Elbows should be kept into your side, not unlike whilst riding a horse, and should never, ever be placed on the table.
Whilst eating, bring the fork or spoon to your mouth, do not stoop to the food, this is considered bad manners and is not elegant.
Never, ever speak with your mouth full, or even half full for that matter. Not only is this considered the height of bad manners, it is also very unpleasant for the person you are conversing with.
Whilst eating ensure you are not making any noises and you keep your mouth shut whilst chewing.
Do not gesticulate with cutlery, it is for eating off, not for making a statement.
Long pasta dishes are eaten with a fork and spoon, whereby you ‘collect’ the pasta and sauce with the fork and use the spoon to twist it into an edible form. Slurping up pasta is a definite no-no, as is any form of noise whilst eating, i.e. clattering cutlery on to your plate, or clunking cutlery against teeth.
Americans tend to cut up their food and then just use a fork, which I consider to be bad manners, albeit a more relaxed way of eating.
Bread should be broken, not cut. If you are given a side plate with a bread roll on simply ‘tear’ the roll in half. Never use a knife to cut the roll as this is considered bad manners.
Do not reach or stretch across another person to reach something, ask politely foe them to pass whatever it is you want. This, however, was considered impolite, but is more acceptable nowadays.
Try your food before adding condiments. As a cook I find it extremely bad manners for someone to add anything to your food before trying it first.
When you have finished eating, place your knife and fork at the 6.30 position on your plate. See photograph above, over heading.
This signals to the waiting staff you have finished, who will wait for everyone at that table to finish before commencing clearing the table.
If you are at a party where there are communal dips, it is forbidden to ‘double dip’. This is an extremely foul habit and one I have surprisingly seen at a variety of upper class soirees.
The best table manners are ones that go unnoticed.
Parr Excellance 