Table etiquette

[docellis]

.

[cardsfansince82]

Theoretically you could cut with your left hand.

[haltz]

Why enforce roles on each of the forks? Sure those slender tines on the dinner fork may be made for holding onto meat, but maybe the salad fork wants it more.

LOL - awesome.

You can keep the fork in your left hand or switch. Just make sure if you use your right hand that you put the knife on the top right of your plate with the blade facing in or maddash will think you are signaling aggression. Personally I think it's a pain in the ass to switch hands and don't see the point.

[maddash]

Why enforce roles on each of the forks? Sure those slender tines on the dinner fork may be made for holding onto meat, but maybe the salad fork wants it more.

LOL - awesome.

You can keep the fork in your left hand or switch. Just make sure if you use your right hand that you put the knife on the top right of your plate with the blade facing in or maddash will think you are signaling aggression. Personally I think it's a pain in the ass to switch hands and don't see the point.

I'm actually pretty fascinated by etiquette, both Eurocentric and every other part of the world (particularly Asian cultures). I think as long as you extend the courtesy of respecting those around you - their space, their senses, their own customs - you'll be fine. Etiquette for the sake of displaying status doesn't really interest me (other than it's neat to study), but I think there's still some forms of etiquette out there that simply create environments where it's easier for people to get along.

This concept that etiquette needs to be turned on its head for the sake of leveling people's social status is a load of crap, IMO. There's still plenty of value in our old customs. Do some need to be reevaluated from time to time? Sure. But let's not throw the baby out with the bath water.

Why do you keep your napkin on your lap? [expletive] you, that's why.

[M1IRONMIKE]

Screw the fork and screw the napkin! I use my fingers and shirt!!!

[fulldeck]

I am left-handed and cut meat with my right hand while eating. I have been told that most knives are weighted or molded for right-handers. That doesn't keep me from cutting things up on a cutting board with my left hand though.

[cardinalkarp]

I'm left handed but for some reason I eat w/ my right hand.

[jim]

I'm left handed but for some reason I eat w/ my right hand.

And I'm right and eat left.

Although to be fair I do alot of things left handed, and can even print and write left handed ok. I wouldn't say I'm truly ambidexterous because I can't do everything equally with either hand, but there are things I do with my left hand better than my right and vice versa. I can not dribble a basketball worth a turd in my right hand for example.

[cardinalkarp]

I'm left handed but for some reason I eat w/ my right hand.

And I'm right and eat left.

Although to be fair I do alot of things left handed, and can even print and write left handed ok. I wouldn't say I'm truly ambidexterous because I can't do everything equally with either hand, but there are things I do with my left hand better than my right and vice versa. I can not dribble a basketball worth a turd in my right hand for example.

For some reason eating is the only thing I do w/ my right hand.

[Simbagal23]

Here's the one that drives me nuts. Why do we switch the fork back to our right hand once we've cut a piece of meat from some dead animal part? They do not do that in Europe. I've heard that Americans started doing it "in protest of the king" but it's just dumb. How true that is, I don't really know. It feels a lot more natural to just go ahead and eat with your left hand.

This is a hard habit to break, though. I've tried. When we visit my in-laws in Germany, none of them switch hands after they cut food. I've tried to follow suit.....and many times end up flinging food around on my plate. Of course, the 3 huge German biers I consumed prior to dinner may play a part!