How Do I Eat That?

 

In my decades as an etiquette specialist, I’ve received countless questions about table manners and how to eat certain food.  So I’ve included information about this subject in a number of my books.  What follows is one small portion of Dining Etiquette: Essential Guide for Table Manners, Business Meals, Sushi, Wine, and Tea Etiquette.

Apples:

Quarter apples with a fruit knife or steak knife; the core is cut away from each piece and pieces are eaten with the fingers.  If you choose to remove the skin, pare each piece separately.

Artichoke:

Eat artichokes with the fingers one leaf at a time.  Dip leaves into the sauce provided.  Eat the fleshy part of the leaf, scraping it off between your teeth.  Place the leaf on the side of your plate.  Remove the choke, the small leaves with sharp points, with your spoon and add to the eaten leaves.  Cut the heart into sections using a fork and knife, and dip with the fork into the sauce to eat.

Asparagus:

At a formal dinner, use a fork and knife, cutting one bite at a time.  Individual tongs may be used at a very formal dinner.  In casual settings, asparagus is a finger food if firm and not in a sauce.

Bananas:

At a formal meal, peel the banana with fork and knife, eating one bite at a time.  However, a whole banana would not be served at a formal meal.  Thus, you would eat each smaller piece with a fork and knife.  For informal meals, use your hands.

Note

More than likely, a banana would not be served at a formal meal. 

Barbecued Meats:

Barbeque is informal.  Hot dogs, hamburgers, ribs and small chicken pieces are treated as finger food. To eat steak, fish, and large chicken pieces, use a fork and steak knife, cutting one bite at a time.  Add sauce to your plate, if desired.

Berries:

In a formal setting, a strawberry fork may be used—just spear.  If they have a stem, it is finger food.  Ladle the sauce or cream onto your fruit plate before dipping.

Bread and Butter:

Break off a small piece of bread, place butter onto the bread plate using a butter knife.  Use your knife to spread butter onto bread.

Caviar:

Caviar is finger food.  Use the caviar spoon, usually small and round, and place a small amount on your plate or triangular toast that is usually served with caviar.  If condiments are served, such as chopped onion, place a small amount on top of the caviar.

Cheese:

Spread soft cheeses such as Brie with the knife provided onto crackers or bread.  With firmer cheeses, use the knife to slice a piece and place it onto your plate.

Cherry Tomatoes:

Cherry tomatoes are finger foods unless it is served in a salad or other entrée.  Break the skin in your mouth before chewing.   If they are served in a salad or other dish, cut and eat using the fork.  Prick the skin to allow the juice to run first to avoid a messy juice explosion.

Chicken:

Never eat chicken with the fingers in a formal dining situation.  In an informal setting, you can eat the smaller pieces with your fingers unless it is in a sauce.  Larger pieces, such as chicken breasts must be cut using a place or steak knife.

Clams and Oysters:

While holding the shell in one hand and fork in the other, spear the clam, dip it in the sauce and eat it in one bite.  You may suck the clam or oyster off the shell at an informal setting.

Condiments:

Place the condiments on to your plate before adding to a food item.

Corn on the Cob:

This is an informal food and is never served at a formal event.  Eat with your fingers.

Crackers for Soup:

Place crackers for soup onto the bread plate.  Break up into pieces and scatter into the soup.

Grapes:

Snap off a cluster, place on your plate, and eat one at a time with fingers.

Lobster:

Pull the meat out with a cocktail fork and dip it into melted butter or any sauce that is provided.  Eat the tail meat by pulling out one piece at a time.  If you pull out a particularly large piece, cut it with your dinner knife or fork before dipping.

Place the empty shell pieces onto a separate waste bowl or plate.

Melon:

At informal meals, melon is considered a finger food; however, it should be eaten with a fork and knife at other times.

Mussels:

Spear mussel, dip in sauce, and eat it.

Oranges or Another Citrus:

In formal meals, cut off top and bottom, and slice off peel.  Eat segments with fingers or fork and knife.  For informal meals, peel with your hands.

Papaya:

Cut papaya in half; take out seeds with a spoon, placing seeds on the side of the plate.  Eat with a fork or spoon.

Peas:

Scoop onto your fork or push using bread or your knife.  Never guide with your finger.

Pizza:

Eat with a fork and knife unless the slices are firm.

Salad:

It is always best to use both a fork and knife.

Shish Kabob:

Hold the shish kabob in one hand and use the dinner fork to remove the pieces with the other.  Place the stick on the side of the plate.  Eat with a fork and knife.

Shrimp:

Small shrimp may be dipped into the cocktail sauce using the cocktail fork.  Eat large shrimp with fork and knife and place sauce on the plate.

Snails/Escargot:

Pick up one at a time using tongs and remove with a cocktail fork—dip into butter.

Soups:

Eat clear soup with a small, round spoon, never filling more than 75% full.  Eat from the side of the spoon, never placing the entire spoon into your mouth.

A cream soup is served with a medium round spoon, chunky soups with a large round spoon, and an oval spoon is used for all types of soup and some desserts.

A cup with handle may be picked up and drunk. Never pick up a bowl to drink the soup and never slurp.  Place the spoon on the side of the plate when finished.

Spaghetti:

Never cut pasta with fork and knife.  Use a fork and twirl until the strands are firmly wrapped around the fork.  If there are strands dangling from the fork, take the bite allowing the strands to fall to the plate, use the fork to guide the strands.

Sushi:

Sushi may be eaten with the fingers or chopsticks.

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