Knife and Fork Etiquette

brianlux

European Method

While were on the subject, what about using a spoon to eat soup?  My first wife almost cancelled our wedding because we went out for lunch and I was spooning soup forward, toward me and she said, "Like a ship put out to sea, I dip my spoon away from me."  I nearly gagged.

PJ_Soul

brianlux said:

While were on the subject, what about using a spoon to eat soup?  My first wife almost cancelled our wedding because we went out for lunch and I was spooning soup forward, toward me and she said, "Like a ship put out to sea, I dip my spoon away from me."  I nearly gagged.

Wow, only dipping the spoon away from you is certainly proper... Like, dinner with the Queen proper, lol! The only thing I'm really a stickler about with this stuff is how people actually hold their knife and fork in their hands. I do think there is a right way and a wrong way (and polite way and a rude, trashy, monkey way). Oh, and also how and when people scoop or pierce, and how they do it. I.e., people should be turning the fork down towards the plate to pierce, with their index finger pointing down against the back of the fork for control, and should only scoop when absolutely necessary.

brianlux

European Method

PJ_Soul said:

brianlux said:

While were on the subject, what about using a spoon to eat soup?  My first wife almost cancelled our wedding because we went out for lunch and I was spooning soup forward, toward me and she said, "Like a ship put out to sea, I dip my spoon away from me."  I nearly gagged.

Wow, only dipping the spoon away from you is certainly proper... Like, dinner with the Queen proper, lol! The only thing I'm really a stickler about with this stuff is how people actually hold their knife and fork in their hands. I do think there is a right way and a wrong way (and polite way and a rude, trashy, monkey way). Oh, and also how and when people scoop or pierce, and how they do it. I.e., people should be turning the fork down towards the plate to pierce, with their index finger pointing down against the back of the fork, and should only scoop when absolutely necessary.

Not to mention the rudeness of grunting, groaning, loud belching and spitting out food... at least in our culture. 

Oh, and friggin cell phones at a meal in restaurant!

HesCalledDyer

Shovelers bother me.

Gern Blansten

American Method

brianlux said:

While were on the subject, what about using a spoon to eat soup?  My first wife almost cancelled our wedding because we went out for lunch and I was spooning soup forward, toward me and she said, "Like a ship put out to sea, I dip my spoon away from me."  I nearly gagged.

Never thought much about that but I like your method.

People slurping drives me nuts.  Eating ramen next to a stranger is difficult.

Gern Blansten

American Method

HughFreakingDillon said:

How does switching your fork between hands make it more refined? it's actually less efficient, making YOU the Neanderthal. LOL

I guess it is because you eat with one utensil instead of two.  To me it just doesn't seem proper or polite to clank two utensils on a plate.  I realize I am probably OCD about that....

mace1229

American Method

PJ_Soul said:

I use neither, really. While I'm generally right handed, I'm oddly ambidextrous when it comes to holding my knife and fork, and I get confused about which hand to use for what regularly. So I do switch back and forth, but probably more randomly than the supposed American way. I'm only doing it because I'm not sure which is best for me, lol. But FWIW, Europeans definitely don't look like cavemen when they eat, and I would say that Americans are far more likely to just hold their utensils like a gorilla, in a fist.

I've seen more and more grown men do that, hold it in a fist or some other weird fashion that I learned not to do when I was 3. That really weirds me out more than anything.

josevolution

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

oftenreading

Gern Blansten said:

brianlux said:

While were on the subject, what about using a spoon to eat soup?  My first wife almost cancelled our wedding because we went out for lunch and I was spooning soup forward, toward me and she said, "Like a ship put out to sea, I dip my spoon away from me."  I nearly gagged.

Never thought much about that but I like your method.

People slurping drives me nuts.  Eating ramen next to a stranger is difficult.

It’s really, really difficult to eat ramen neatly. Especially with chopsticks. 

Or maybe it’s just me. 

Gern Blansten

American Method

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

Yeah but then they grab large pieces of meat, etc and gnaw at it because they don't have a knife to cut it.  

PJNB

brianlux said:

European method when food requires cutting.  It wasn't something I was taught so much as intuitively got in the habit of doing because it makes sense.  But when I eat food that does not require cutting, the fork or spoon resides in my right hand. 

Same here. 

josevolution

Gern Blansten said:

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

Yeah but then they grab large pieces of meat, etc and gnaw at it because they don't have a knife to cut it.  

The only way to eat meat I say lol 😂 if you eat with me and I see you cutting your spaghetti or putting ice cubes in your red wine than I’d have to bite my hand or just walk out ...

PJ_Soul

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

I like using chopsticks, but it SUCKS when you're dealing with something bigger than comfortably bite sized.

BTW, Just randomly FYI, I saw something about how to properly eat sushi the other day (it was a video with a top Japanese sushi chef), and I bet we're all doing it wrong, one way or another. You are NOT supposed to eat sushi rolls that have the seaweed on the outside (i.e. tuna roll, kapa roll, etc) with chopsticks. You are supposed to just pick those up with your hand. But the rolls with the rice on the outside should be eaten with chopsticks. Also, you are not supposed to pair the ginger with any of your food, as I know many do (I don't, as I hate raw ginger). That is meant solely as a pallet cleanser, and should be eaten only between different kinds of sushi. Finally, it is apparently a faux pas to mix some wasabi in with your soy sauce... In fact, they say nobody should ever add wasabi to any rolls or nigiri either, because both should already have the perfect amount on it. The extra wasabi on the side is meant for sashimi only. Finally, you're supposed to dip nigiri fish side down in the soy sauce. You're not supposed to soak up the sauce with the rice side, as it absorbs too much.

pjhawks

European Method

I'm American but I use European method.  Are there really people who use the American method? they cut their meat, put the knife down and switch their forks to the right hand then eat?  then repeat with each cut?  or do they cut everything at once?  

mace1229

American Method

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

Serious question. How long does it take an Asian baby to learn to use chopsticks? Forms seem pretty straight forward to use, but man my kids still struggle! I can;t imagine if they only had chopsticks to use.

PJ_Soul

mace1229 said:

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

Serious question. How long does it take an Asian baby to learn to use chopsticks? Forms seem pretty straight forward to use, but man my kids still struggle! I can;t imagine if they only had chopsticks to use.

Since those Asian babies don't have an alternative and use them several times every day instead of just once in a while, they learn it just as fast as western babies learn to use a knife and fork. Much faster probably, because they're Asian, and Asians tend to be more disciplined with their children, expecting more of them from a younger age.

rgambs

American Method

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

Nahhhhh, chopsticks are the worst!  
They are entirely worthless for at least 50% of food dishes.  

Spoons for life, stabbers can go to hell!

F Me In The Brain

American Method

PJ_Soul said:

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

I like using chopsticks, but it SUCKS when you're dealing with something bigger than comfortably bite sized.

BTW, Just randomly FYI, I saw something about how to properly eat sushi the other day (it was a video with a top Japanese sushi chef), and I bet we're all doing it wrong, one way or another. You are NOT supposed to eat sushi rolls that have the seaweed on the outside (i.e. tuna roll, kapa roll, etc) with chopsticks. You are supposed to just pick those up with your hand. But the rolls with the rice on the outside should be eaten with chopsticks. Also, you are not supposed to pair the ginger with any of your food, as I know many do (I don't, as I hate raw ginger). That is meant solely as a pallet cleanser, and should be eaten only between different kinds of sushi. Finally, it is apparently a faux pas to mix some wasabi in with your soy sauce... In fact, they say nobody should ever add wasabi to any rolls or nigiri either, because both should already have the perfect amount on it. The extra wasabi on the side is meant for sashimi only. Finally, you're supposed to dip nigiri fish side down in the soy sauce. You're not supposed to soak up the sauce with the rice side, as it absorbs too much.

You would lose this bet.

Since you venture down my path (the path of the sushi snob) I would add that you should not be eating sushi rolls at a high end place with any top chef.  Certainly not any with the nori on the outside.  I can concede a good hand roll can be eaten, however.

Eat the sashimi....or if you are set on it, the nigiri.  Also, if the chef suggests nigiri, go with it.  

Seriously.  Eat the sashimi.

I have never seen anyone adding the ginger to their food.  What a great way to fucking ruin the taste.  Must be at a 19.99 all you can eat shithole place to do that.  I would laugh and probably take a picture of the bear eating outside of the zoo if I saw that.

The reason for not putting the rice into the soy sauce is because it is offensive.  Proper sushi chefs pride themselves on the complex preparation of their rice.  To watch some dope slop it through the soy sauce and completely ruin the texture and taste is offensive.

Best rules?  Learn these, find a good place, and then visit the same chef over and over.  Share with them what you love and what you like less.  Do what they tell you.  If you are in the right type of place they will always take care of you.

josevolution

lol funny stuff up above just messing I eat with chopsticks when eating Chinese or Japanese , for everything else it’s fork & knife & spoons ..but man I’m confused as to which hand 🖐 I use for cutting 😂 do I really switch to eat after cutting 🤨

josevolution

mace1229 said:

josevolution said:

That’s why Japanese & Chinese folk got it right , 🥢 fuck forks & knives 

Serious question. How long does it take an Asian baby to learn to use chopsticks? Forms seem pretty straight forward to use, but man my kids still struggle! I can;t imagine if they only had chopsticks to use.

lol how would I know I’m a taco eating animal no hands needed for those lol