American table manners

SField · May 18, 2011

Originally Posted by LawrenceMD

Although I'm left handed - I use my right hand to do incisions with scalpels and my right hand to suture. The way we learned is being handed off half sutured things and having a consultant look over while you work. So you had to finish sutures right handed because the partially finished sutures' orientation forced you to. The few times I assisted a surgical consultant who was purely left handed it was disorienting.

I know the formal ways of eating, but adjust accordingly. If you're at a ******* barbecue then eat with your hands and enjoy yourself. If you're amongst close friends/family then go head a break all the rules you want.

But if you're at a formal setting then by all means use your knowledge and do it properly.

I just hate when I'm corrected by people who think they are doing something right when in fact they're flat out wrong or there are no rules mandating so - like being told that eating with a fork with my left hand is rude.

+1 on setting. Everyone should adjust for that.

SField · May 18, 2011

Originally Posted by iammatt

It is how I learned as a child, and I never felt any need to change. I can't say that there is any logic, just habit.

FWIW, a huge percentage of Americans I see hold their utensils like they were clubs. That grosses me out, not whether they switch hands. My guess is that a large percentage of people here do as well, since my take is that the average manners here are probably middle of the road when compared to others in their various cultures.

Eww yes. Anyone that visibly grips their utensils... god. Women are the worst offenders. If my frail grandmother can barely touch her knife and fork and effectively cut anything that you should be able to as well.

I hate high elbows, pronated wrists and knuckles that aren't almost flat.

Piobaire · May 18, 2011

As far as "efficient" over this whole topic...I've noticed that naturally thin people tend to be the least "efficient" eaters. They tend to touch their food a dozen or more times to get one bite to their mouth whereas the "efficient" eater gets it on the fork in one, maybe two motions.

Fuuma · May 18, 2011

Originally Posted by iammatt

It is how I learned as a child, and I never felt any need to change. I can't say that there is any logic, just habit.

FWIW, a huge percentage of Americans I see hold their utensils like they were clubs. That grosses me out, not whether they switch hands. My guess is that a large percentage of people here do as well, since my take is that the average manners here are probably middle of the road when compared to others in their various cultures.

I have execrable manners, like stick something with a knife and put it in your mouth bad. I also slurp soup and throw food everywhere. I don't wear lipstick though...

Allen · May 18, 2011

Originally Posted by SField

I was basically told as a kid that all these "rules" are actually to make eating easier

Funny, I always thought that eating was made easier by doing what would never bee seen as polite. Let me tell you how I envision "easy eating":
You tactfully take the silverware off the table. You grab the steak with the right hand and insert it in your mouth. Then you bite. Take your left hand and enjoy your grilled vegetables. Now that's efortless grace

patrickBOOTH · May 18, 2011

Originally Posted by Piobaire

As far as "efficient" over this whole topic...I've noticed that naturally thin people tend to be the least "efficient" eaters. They tend to touch their food a dozen or more times to get one bite to their mouth whereas the "efficient" eater gets it on the fork in one, maybe two motions.

Very true. A good weight loss technique is probably to force yourself to switch hands. I am sure if you are really overweight you are most likely eating finger food anyway...

blazer · Nov 25, 2011

As long as one chews with their mouth closed and doesn't talk with it full, then american or european should not matter.

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American table manners

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