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holding cutlery properly

post #1 of 14
3/20/09 at 12:42am
Thread Starter 
sooo i am always get ragged on for not holding my fork "properly" (who woulda thunk) - anyways you guys know what i mean... you can hold it the proper way or like a "shovel" my mother refers to it as ... what are your thoughts?
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post #2 of 14
3/20/09 at 1:10am
Proper way. Same with pens.
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post #3 of 14
3/20/09 at 1:14am
I hold the fork in my left hand and knife the right (I am right handed). When I am cutting with a fork and knife I grasp my fork with my thumb and index finger with the handle of the fork running along my palm, and I spear my food with the tines down. This is the European style of fork etiquette.
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post #4 of 14
3/20/09 at 10:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KenN View Post
I hold the fork in my left hand and knife the right (I am right handed). When I am cutting with a fork and knife I grasp my fork with my thumb and index finger with the handle of the fork running along my palm, and I spear my food with the tines down. This is the European style of fork etiquette.

Exactly.
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post #5 of 14
3/20/09 at 12:04pm
I find that most people who make comments about etiquette are usually the first to talk with food in their mouth, leave food on their face for longer than a few seconds, or talk obnoxiously loud during a group meal.

Personally, I practice what I feel is appropriate etiquette, and part of that is never commenting on someone else.
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post #6 of 14
3/20/09 at 1:36pm
I hold my fork improperly due to a physical malformity. For some reason I cannot turn my wrist fully over. What I mean is, hold both of your hands out in front of you, palms-down. Then turn them both facing palm-up. For some reason the furthest range-of-motion I have is palms facing each other (my thumb is facing the ceiling like a hand-shake). I have never been able to turn my wrists fully over. My father has the same problem. It has never affected me in sports (hockey, baseball, basketball, wrestling, etc). But I am unable to bring the fork to my mouth gracefully while holding it "properly". Oh well.
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post #7 of 14
3/20/09 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by IUtoSLU View Post
I hold my fork improperly due to a physical malformity. For some reason I cannot turn my wrist fully over. What I mean is, hold both of your hands out in front of you, palms-down. Then turn them both facing palm-up. For some reason the furthest range-of-motion I have is palms facing each other (my thumb is facing the ceiling like a hand-shake). I have never been able to turn my wrists fully over. My father has the same problem. It has never affected me in sports (hockey, baseball, basketball, wrestling, etc). But I am unable to bring the fork to my mouth gracefully while holding it "properly". Oh well.

Must suck for doing bicep curls. I guess you can do hammer curls instead.

Regarding fork etiquette, there is no proper hand to use. One style is American, the other European. Anyone who tells you only one is appropriate is lying to you.
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post #8 of 14
3/20/09 at 1:47pm
I can only do hammer curls. Also, I cannot do chin-ups.
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post #9 of 14
3/20/09 at 1:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by IUtoSLU View Post
I can only do hammer curls. Also, I cannot do chin-ups.

Interesting. I broke my left arm as a kid. Didn't do the rehab exercises as much as I should have, so my range of motion (same axis you are referring to) is limited in that arm. I can turn it to face the ceiling, but not quite all the way. Not an issue for anything - except it limits some of the stuff I can do on a guitar, unfortunately.
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post #10 of 14
3/20/09 at 7:38pm
I've never seriously attempted to learn the guitar. But the few times I've picked a friend's up, I've had real trouble reaching everything. Its safe to say that I would probably be physically unable to play the instrument.
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post #11 of 14
3/20/09 at 8:40pm
I cut with the knife in my right hand the fork in my left. I tend to get tired of switching hands to eat so I'll cut most of my food up first and then proceed to eat.

On a slightly related note, my father insists that if you are seated at a table eating french fries (like with a steak..., or even a sandwich) it is improper to eat them with your fingers. As a child I got many cuffs to ear and 'use the fork you aren't a street urchin. thats why its there on the table damn't!' upon grasping at french fries with fingers. What are your thoughts on this?
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post #12 of 14
3/20/09 at 9:07pm
Fries are finger-food in 99.9% of situations. If I was with the queen of England and she used a fork, then I would too.
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post #13 of 14
3/20/09 at 10:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by IUtoSLU View Post
Fries are finger-food in 99.9% of situations. If I was with the queen of England and she used a fork, then I would too.

Eating fries without a fork may be appropriate 99.9% of the time, but maybe ordering fries isn't always appropriate.

I don't really like how some people cut up all of their food before eating it. It doesn't bother me that much, but I don't understand why people can't use the knife in their other hand and cut one piece at a time. It's not surgery... just cut.
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post #14 of 14
3/21/09 at 1:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroStyles View Post
Regarding fork etiquette, there is no proper hand to use. One style is American, the other European. Anyone who tells you only one is appropriate is lying to you.

Correct. There is no proper method between European/Continental and American style, the European method is more suited for spearing your foods and eating in one motion, while the American style is more ritualized and the food is lifted (tines up).

I stab my at my food most of the time, but when eating certain foods (e.g. peas, mash, fish etc...) the American style is better.
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