Knife and Fork "Etiquette"

[pookshollow]

This came up at the dinner table tonight. Both DH and I are the children of English parents. We use the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left hand to cut up our food, then use the fork in our left hand to put food in our mouth. If a knife is not required, the fork stays in the right hand.

We've both observed that Americans (and some Canadians) will cut up food with knife and fork, then put the knife down, switch the fork to the right hand to put food in their mouth. We're curious - where did this habit? custom? come from? It seems an awkward way to eat. Is it a regional thing?

[mduncn52]

Don't know. I eat the way you do.......but I'm left-handed!!

[Oggie]

All I know is that, even though I hold it in my right hand, the fork is supposed to be set on the left hand of the plate.

The main reason I switch the fork back to my right hand to eat after I cut stuff is because I got tired of sticking myself in my nose with my fork.

Usually, I just use my fingers. That makes eating soup a bit awkward.

And, the shrimp fork?

Why would shrimp need forks?

Don't they have those little pinchers?

[soulsurvivor]

DH eats like you do, but I'm left hand dominant with food utensils. It's not a pretty sight if I'm trying to prepare or eat food using only my right hand.

[Tobster]

The habit or custom which you are asking about is known as the zigzag method. I have read where it actually comes from the French. The French upper class, can you believe it? May explain why you see it in Canada and us Americans have always loved anything epicurean where the French are concerned. The zigzag method is not very efficient. One thing I have noticed about some of the non zigzagging Europeans, they seem to use both utensils simultaneous from plate to mouth, when the fork alone would suffice, not sure what you would call that method.

[MO_cows]

The fork-in-the-left-hand method is more efficient. But most people are right-handed and, my left hand is stupid. So I switch the fork to my right hand to take a bite. I have dined with English, Canadian and Australians who all kept the fork in their left hands.

[whiterock]

Your method is referred to as Continental, and in many ways is more efficient. I could never get the hang of loading the fork with the knife myself, although I have tried on a number of occasions. Works better with steak and potatoes for me, or something with a thick sauce.

[pheasantplucker]

I just toss everything in a blender, hit "puree" and give it about 30 seconds. Then I pour it into a big glass and gulp it down. I finish before anyone else at the table.

[Micheal]

I've never been able to figure out why people have to switch the fork into the other hand for any reason.
For me, the fork stays in my left hand, if'n I need to cut anything on my plate I use a knife held in my right hand. If there is no cutting to be done the right arm is rested in my lap - not on the table.......

[Grandmotherbear]

You know this was one method used to catch American spies in occupied Europe during WW2? Watching their utensil use, and, also, Americans turn their pie slice so the it is pointed at their stomach before commencing to eat it, where Europeans apparently leave it as it was placed and just dig in.

[mountainlaurel]

Originally Posted by Grandmotherbear

You know this was one method used to catch American spies in occupied Europe during WW2? Watching their utensil use, and, also, Americans turn their pie slice so the it is pointed at their stomach before commencing to eat it, where Europeans apparently leave it as it was placed and just dig in.

I didn't know that and it is interesting. Thank you. HAHA, they should use left handed people as spies, since we don't switch our fork to our right. But we Americans are also, at least around here, taught that the hand that isn't holding the fork, goes in the lap. Only one hand is needed. It can be an experience to chase your English peas around the plate with just a fork, but we got cracked on the head if we used are other hand.

[Ronney]

Originally Posted by Micheal

I've never been able to figure out why people have to switch the fork into the other hand for any reason.
For me, the fork stays in my left hand, if'n I need to cut anything on my plate I use a knife held in my right hand. If there is no cutting to be done the right arm is rested in my lap - not on the table.......

I'm a NZ'er of Welsh and Scotch parentage which is superfluous because I use cutlery like any other NZ'er and the same as Michael. The fork is laid to the left, the knife to the right and this is how they are used. It is considered incredibly bad manners to transfer the fork to the right hand and proceed to spear food on to it or turn it upside down and shovel food on to it and into the mouth. Which pretty much goes along with Mo_cows observations of the English, Canadians and Australians.

And don't start me on elbows on the table........


Cheers,
Ronnie

[Kwings]

Whats so awkward about eating with my dominant hand? Seems to me the awkward part would be explaining to the doctor how i poked myself in the eye with the fork while trying to use it left handed. :smiley-laughing013:

I too have a stupid left hand.

[Laura Zone 10]

Originally Posted by pookshollow

This came up at the dinner table tonight. Both DH and I are the children of English parents. We use the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left hand to cut up our food, then use the fork in our left hand to put food in our mouth. If a knife is not required, the fork stays in the right hand.

That is the way I eat. I was not 'formally trained'....

We've both observed that Americans (and some Canadians) will cut up food with knife and fork, then put the knife down, switch the fork to the right hand to put food in their mouth. We're curious - where did this habit? custom? come from? It seems an awkward way to eat. Is it a regional thing?

Honestly, I have never observed this....and I have worked in restaurants for almost 30 years....But I will watch for it today.
Maybe their table is set wrong?

The way I set the table at work is this:

Imagine dinner plate is on the table.
On the right, right next to the dinner plate is the Steak Knife.
To the right of the steak knife, is the Salad Knife.
To the left of the plate is the dinner fork.
To the left of the dinner fork, is the salad fork.
Above the plate, is the desert fork, tines facing right.
Above the desert fork is the tea spoon, spoon facing left.

The way the silver ware is set, you are working your way in.
The salad fork and knife are on the outside, because you will eat your salad first. The teaspoon is on top, so you can stir you sugar into your ice tea.
Then you move to the main course, where you need your steak knife and dinner fork. Then the last piece of flatware will be your desert fork, as it is the last course.

HTH

[countrysunshine]

I wonder if part of it may be that for a while we were strongly discouraged from using our left hands. I am slightly ambidextrious. When I was in early elementary school I got in trouble for eating with the fork in my left hand.

I always hold the fork in my right hand. I use the knife in my left hand if I need one. However, food does not go to one's mouth while the knife is in the hand. That is very bad manners the way I was raised. Only one utensil is required for eating and the knife never leaves the surface of the plate. Other than if we have steak or pork chops I don't even put a knife on the table.

I have a feeling that if I ever had a meal with someone that ate like you are describing I wouldn't be able to eat. I would be to busy wondering why they did that.

Somehow when my sons left home they all changed how they held the fork and spoon. THey grasp it from the top which I hate. I think it makes them look like ex-cons. They think that is the most effecient way to handle the untensil.

[Old John]

I use my fork and Knife, in the same manner as Pookshollow, mostly. I'm right handed but, I think I learned to eat this way in an Etiquette class in school.
On the other hand, if everything on the plate is served in small pieces, I use my knife to push the pieces, or vegetable, peas, corn & such, onto my fork.
Actually, I'm ambidextrous enough that I can easily eat with either hand, managing my utensils almost equally well.
My DSW uses her utensils, in the other manner, cutting everything up first. And, she thinks I'm strange, about eating.

[hoggie]

Originally Posted by pookshollow

This came up at the dinner table tonight. Both DH and I are the children of English parents. We use the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left hand to cut up our food, then use the fork in our left hand to put food in our mouth. If a knife is not required, the fork stays in the right hand.

We've both observed that Americans (and some Canadians) will cut up food with knife and fork, then put the knife down, switch the fork to the right hand to put food in their mouth. We're curious - where did this habit? custom? come from? It seems an awkward way to eat. Is it a regional thing?

Yep - same here, EXCEPT if the person is left handed I would lay the table the other way around.

[catahoula]

Don't get me wrong, I understand the concept of cost effective, I understand fuel efficiency and time efficiency, but efficient eating strategy, really. I thought eating was supposed to be done somewhat slowly. Now I have yet another thing to over analyze.

[Ardie/WI]

Originally Posted by mduncn52

Don't know. I eat the way you do.......but I'm left-handed!!

Ditto!

[ronbre]

I tend to cut up all my meat in the kitchen and then take my plate to where I'm eating and eat it with the fork, knife is no longer with me..