Originally Posted by RoadWarriorFromLP (Post 6082323)

It dates back to the Revolutionary War. It was much easier to attack the bloody Redcoats by keeping our forks in the right hand, as most of our glorious freedom fighters were naturally right-handed.

Early attempts to drive out the British by using spoons and cloth napkins failed, and it was the forks that turned the tide. Keeping our forks in the right hand reminds us of our stupendous victory against the Limey invasion force.

On the Fourth of July, we savor our victory by eating our burgers and hot dogs with our hands. This is not done merely for convenience, but remains a potent symbol of our freedom to relax and enjoy our sacred barbeque and fireworks free of the need for the defensive utensils that we used to push out our oppressors.

God Bless America, and may He forever defend our right to eat in peace, and without implements of destruction. Amen.

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy (Post 8548273)

I'm sure most Americans find this far too time consuming and prefer to just, shovel in one item at a time in rapid succession.

Originally Posted by AmerLisa (Post 8548356)

Too time consuming? I would think the opposite is true, at least we don't have to put the whole nine yards on our forks to shovel into our mouths!:D

Originally Posted by Sally Redux (Post 8548391)

I didn't know you weren't meant to put different foods on your fork.

This is all very complicated.

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy (Post 8548273)

I'm sure most Americans find this far too time consuming and prefer to just, shovel in one item at a time in rapid succession.

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 8548265)

..... mixing their foods on the same fork at one time and then shoveling it into their mouths. Now that seems like poor manners. .....

Originally Posted by srefre (Post 8548897)

The order of things fascinates me to.

In the UK, it's more of a 2 implement, cut as you go set up.

In the US, its a cut everything, discard knife, use fork process.

Anyone know the history of this? Perhaps Henry Ford had some involvement? :)

Originally Posted by cindyabs (Post 8549187)

Henry Ford, well we were using cutlery before he came along. :lol:

Originally Posted by mikehope (Post 8548261)

I remember when I first had a meal with the American in laws and they were all staring at me eating, my wife later told me its because of how I use my knife and fork and I mix things together on the fork.
I thought that everyone ate that way till I really watched how most people use cutlery over here.
I was then thinking of the scene in "Kate and Leopold" where they are dining together, made sense of hop they were watching him eat.

Originally Posted by rebs (Post 8548429)

Neither did I :eek: And apparently, more than one food type on a fork inevitably leads to shovelling :rofl::rofl:

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy (Post 8548389)

No, dear, we make a delicate selection of items on our plate and in a gentlemanly manner pop it in our mouths.

I've seen ghastly folk over here pop a half steak in their mouths and barely chew!

Originally Posted by ironporer (Post 8549379)

Thank God the French invented 'proper' eating utensils, otherwise we'd all be drinking our gruel straight from the bowl and eating the odd fowl with our fingers...like Brits did for centuries.:p

http://neoneocon.com/wp-content/uplo...henryviii2.jpg

I suppose The Brits invented the arbitrary and seemingly ridiculous rules of usage for these utensils as a way of holding up their noses in superiority at the rest of the world.;)

Originally Posted by dbj1000 (Post 8549443)

Wielding one's fork like an ice pick just doesn't go well with a Chanel cocktail dress...

Originally Posted by kimilseung (Post 8548741)

but that logic would force you to dismantle your burger and eat all the bits individualy, it would be a right mess.

Originally Posted by dbj1000 (Post 8549443)

OK. So it's all a cultural construct, and there's no "right way" to eat...

...but given my British cultural conditioning, I still find American table manners shocking. I sat across the table from an elegantly dressed lady at a formal banquet earlier this week, and watched her eat like a toddler.

It was made much worse by her decision to use both knife and fork throughout the meal, apparently in deference to the formality of the occasion. My guess is that she'd never tried this before, and it did not turn out well.

Wielding one's fork like an ice pick just doesn't go well with a Chanel cocktail dress...

[I'm suck a f***ing snob!]

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 8549476)

Not a problem here, dear. If I owned a Chanel on this income, I couldn't afford the food.

:ohmy:

Originally Posted by sir_eccles (Post 8548303)

Then there is the whole "swapping the knife" thing.

Originally Posted by mikehope (Post 8548261)

its because of how I use my knife and fork and I mix things together on the fork.

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 8549481)

hehehehe I don't eat a burger with a knife and fork but pick it up in my hands. Thus no problem!:thumbsup:

Originally Posted by AmerLisa (Post 8549500)

My MIL is the only person I know that got huffy because the restaurant we were at (and it was nothing special to be sure) didn't give her a fork and a knife to eat her hamburger. She made some very rude comments about not everyone eating with their hands.....:rolleyes:

Originally Posted by kimilseung (Post 8549535)

Is it time to start complaining about having to use dirty knives and forks?
that you are not given clean ones for each course. If so, let me be the first.

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 8549538)

Lucky here as we only eat one course so never have to worry about things like that. Less to wash up after the meal is through. :thumbup:

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 8549481)

hehehehe I don't eat a burger with a knife and fork but pick it up in my hands. Thus no problem!:thumbsup:

Originally Posted by kimilseung (Post 8549535)

Is it time to start complaining about having to use dirty knives and forks?
that you are not given clean ones for each course. If so, let me be the first.

Originally Posted by Trixie_b (Post 8549576)

The reuse of knives and forks bothers me.

Also, in resturants here, if one person finishes a meal before their companion, the plate is whipped away while the other person is still eating.

Originally Posted by Rete (Post 8549583)

Again a difference of opinion. I prefer that they remove my finished plate as soon as I'm done with it. I can then sit back and enjoy speaking with the rest of my dinner companions while others are still enjoying their appetitzer or whatever. However, if it is just two diners, then I would prefer they wait until both are finished or have indicated that the plates should be removed.

Originally Posted by MrEmjoy (Post 8549612)

Even with more than two I feel uncomfortable when they take a plate away its just a way of hurrying you along.

Appetizers are another matter though. At the end of the meal I dislike it very much!

Originally Posted by Trixie_b (Post 8549576)

The reuse of knives and forks bothers me.

Also, in resturants here, if one person finishes a meal before their companion, the plate is whipped away while the other person is still eating.

:oI can't remember if this happens in the UK :o

When it happens I just feel that it's rude, is that because all plates are left on the table in the UK until the last person has finished? or is it my imagination?