Eating habits of Americans
Mar 19th 2008, 4:07 pm
#46
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Does anyone know when the standard British method of eating with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right hand came into general use? I wonder if you were a fly on the wall at an ordinary English family meal in 1880 or 1910 (or whenever,) you would see folks eating the standard American way? That is, using a fork or fingers as appropriate, and a knife only when needed.
Maybe the high-end silver-service type table setting (several utensils ranged to left and right of the plate) came in in the early nineteenth century, spread down through the middle classes late in the nineteenth century, and simply never made it to America?
Maybe the high-end silver-service type table setting (several utensils ranged to left and right of the plate) came in in the early nineteenth century, spread down through the middle classes late in the nineteenth century, and simply never made it to America?
Mar 19th 2008, 4:24 pm
#47
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,392
Re: Eating habits of Americans
We set the table with the required number of pieces of silver per plate. If we are serving soup, salad, entree, there would be a soup spoon, a salad fork and a dinner fork and knife. We don't normally serve coffee and dessert immediately following our meals (in our household). They do in my husband's sister's house in Canada so there is a teaspoon and dessert fork with our place settings.
Mar 19th 2008, 4:25 pm
#48
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 68,280
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Huh?
We set the table with the required number of pieces of silver per plate. If we are serving soup, salad, entree, there would be a soup spoon, a salad fork and a dinner fork and knife. We don't normally serve coffee and dessert immediately following our meals (in our household). They do in my husband's sister's house in Canada so there is a teaspoon and dessert fork with our place settings.
We set the table with the required number of pieces of silver per plate. If we are serving soup, salad, entree, there would be a soup spoon, a salad fork and a dinner fork and knife. We don't normally serve coffee and dessert immediately following our meals (in our household). They do in my husband's sister's house in Canada so there is a teaspoon and dessert fork with our place settings.
Mar 19th 2008, 4:31 pm
#49
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Huh?
We set the table with the required number of pieces of silver per plate. If we are serving soup, salad, entree, there would be a soup spoon, a salad fork and a dinner fork and knife. We don't normally serve coffee and dessert immediately following our meals (in our household). They do in my husband's sister's house in Canada so there is a teaspoon and dessert fork with our place settings.
We set the table with the required number of pieces of silver per plate. If we are serving soup, salad, entree, there would be a soup spoon, a salad fork and a dinner fork and knife. We don't normally serve coffee and dessert immediately following our meals (in our household). They do in my husband's sister's house in Canada so there is a teaspoon and dessert fork with our place settings.
I've removed the floor in the kitchen and installed a large fire pit which has a spit over it. At dinner time we all go wash our hands and sit in a circle around the pit and eat with our hands tearing off great chunks of meat.
We throw the bones to the jackals and wild dogs outside, then when all done we retire for a nice game of canasta or whist.
Americans are so uncivilised.
Mar 19th 2008, 4:37 pm
#50
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Grand Rapids MI
Posts: 448
Re: Eating habits of Americans
We grew up with one knife, one fork and one spoon at the table. Knife and fork for dinner, spoon for afters.
If we had soup it wasn't for a dinner meal, was mainly an eat off your lap lunch.
Then again we rarely ate at the table once I was competent enough to hold the plate while sitting on the sofa... only for Christmas dinner or whatever.
If we had soup it wasn't for a dinner meal, was mainly an eat off your lap lunch.
Then again we rarely ate at the table once I was competent enough to hold the plate while sitting on the sofa... only for Christmas dinner or whatever.
Mar 19th 2008, 4:54 pm
#52
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Re: Eating habits of Americans
How about the cake eating habits of the Brits!! Served on a napkin eaten with fingers!!!
Mar 19th 2008, 5:03 pm
#54
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,547
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Our new year's resolution has been to follow the more traditional English custom when it comes to eating as a family.
I've removed the floor in the kitchen and installed a large fire pit which has a spit over it. At dinner time we all go wash our hands and sit in a circle around the pit and eat with our hands tearing off great chunks of meat.
We throw the bones to the jackals and wild dogs outside, then when all done we retire for a nice game of canasta or whist.
Americans are so uncivilised.
I've removed the floor in the kitchen and installed a large fire pit which has a spit over it. At dinner time we all go wash our hands and sit in a circle around the pit and eat with our hands tearing off great chunks of meat.
We throw the bones to the jackals and wild dogs outside, then when all done we retire for a nice game of canasta or whist.
Americans are so uncivilised.
(a) My wife and I are both home. We lay the table, put out lots of food, eat, drink, make conversation.. then tackle the major clean-up we've created.
(b) I'm home alone. I open a can of tuna and eat it with a teaspoon, over the sink. I'm done in 4 minutes, and all there is to wash is the spoon.
Mar 19th 2008, 5:07 pm
#55
Riding on silver wings
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,543
Re: Eating habits of Americans
I'm all about paper plates, eating with a spork if possible, and standing over the sink if I can't be arsed to sit at the dining table.
Mar 19th 2008, 5:11 pm
#56
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: Eating habits of Americans
We have two modes in my house.
(a) My wife and I are both home. We lay the table, put out lots of food, eat, drink, make conversation.. then tackle the major clean-up we've created.
(b) I'm home alone. I open a can of tuna and eat it with a teaspoon, over the sink. I'm done in 4 minutes, and all there is to wash is the spoon.
(a) My wife and I are both home. We lay the table, put out lots of food, eat, drink, make conversation.. then tackle the major clean-up we've created.
(b) I'm home alone. I open a can of tuna and eat it with a teaspoon, over the sink. I'm done in 4 minutes, and all there is to wash is the spoon.
Be sure to be near the garbage disposal switch, but stand very still.
(Just jog it - no need to be cruel)
Mar 19th 2008, 5:21 pm
#57
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 123
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Whatever. I see the English Police is out (which I fed up with in England, I found it to be way too pompous and arrogant IMHO)!!!!! And I am an American in America and I call it a napkin if I want!!!!!
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin!!!!!!!
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin!!!!!!!
Last edited by GMM2003; Mar 19th 2008 at 5:29 pm.
Mar 19th 2008, 5:37 pm
#58
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Why is it I've never seen an American eat with a knife and fork?
I first noticed this when I went on one of those 4 day cruises, everybody on board was American (except us of course) and so we dined all day every day in their company.
Since then it's become a bit of an obsession (yeh I know, sad or what?) but every time I eat out, I find myself looking to see if anyone uses a knife and fork.
Dunno about anyone else, but to me it doesn't look nice, even sweet little old ladies 'stabbing' at their food and struggling to get it on the fork.
So what's the deal?
I first noticed this when I went on one of those 4 day cruises, everybody on board was American (except us of course) and so we dined all day every day in their company.
Since then it's become a bit of an obsession (yeh I know, sad or what?) but every time I eat out, I find myself looking to see if anyone uses a knife and fork.
Dunno about anyone else, but to me it doesn't look nice, even sweet little old ladies 'stabbing' at their food and struggling to get it on the fork.
So what's the deal?
i guess the deal is that they are simply not taught to eat as we are, as least that's my husbands excuse and i have read up on it to check
they stab the meat/food and cut it up into bite size pieces then swop the fork over to their other hand and put their left hand on their lap. that's the way to do it and i guess it's case of 'when in rome' however i eat the brit way, much easier for one thing. tbh it does revolt me when i see how some peeps put the huge piece of meat in their mouth without even cutting it up and then proceeding to bite it off with their teeth
one of the reasons we don't eat out much here tbh. can't be doing with all the paper plates and table clothes and plastic cutlery
Mar 19th 2008, 5:37 pm
#59
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 15,019
Re: Eating habits of Americans
Whatever. I see the English Police is out (which I fed up with in England, I found it to be way too pompous and arrogant IMHO)!!!!! And I am an American in America and I call it a napkin if I want!!!!!
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin!!!!!!!
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,n apkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin,
napkin,napkin,napkin,napkin!!!!!!!
