Table manners, European style
By Carol Brown
@blitzfrick (2890)
United States
April 2, 2017 8:13pm CST
April 2, 2017
I am practicing table etiquette, European style. If I hadn't watched the Commentary section on a Fawlty Towers DVD, I wouldn't have known European table etiquette is different from American. Now that I think of it, I do remember Rick Steves mentioning that it's considered impolite to cut more than two bites of meat at a time when dining in Europe.
The biggest difference I've noticed is that in European style, the fork is kept in the left or non-dominant hand and the tines remain pointed down. I've just about mastered this task when cutting and eating meat, but what do Europeans do when confronted with peas on the plate?
Someday, I want to travel extensively in Europe, and I'd rather not be spotted as an uncouth American when dining out. Lord knows there are plenty of other ways it'll stick out without "bad" table manners too.
I think Europeans are so polite, no one will tell me that I'm behaving like an American buffoon.
Am I too worried? Should I just go make an American fool of myself, maybe provide some entertainment for the hosts? I didn't think about any of this when I visited Greece, years ago but now it seems to make a difference.
What would you do to prepare for an extended stay in a country not your own?
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6 people like this
9 responses
@LadyDuck (502251)
• Italy
3 Apr 17
We only eat the meat keeping the fork with the left hand. When we eat the vegetables, the fork passes to the right hand, if someone tells you to eat peas using a knife this is a BIG NO: It is considered very bad manner to use the knife to bring food to the mouth.
2 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Apr 17
@LadyDuck When eating salad, is it mannerly to cut it if the pieces are larger than bite-size? Or what is best?
2 people like this
@Mike197602 (15504)
• United Kingdom
3 Apr 17
The only thing I've noticed (from tv) is how the Americans use their fork way differently from how we do here
If you ate the American way I very much doubt anyone would say anything though
The only thing I'd do is learn the language a bit but if you're travelling around europe that'd mean quite a few languages.
If you ate the American way I very much doubt anyone would say anything though
The only thing I'd do is learn the language a bit but if you're travelling around europe that'd mean quite a few languages.2 people like this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Apr 17
I'm (sorta) working on Italian. The countries I plan to visit are Ireland, England, Greece and Italy, 3 months each.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Apr 17
@Mike197602 That may be the best advice, but I'd like to brush up on the little bit of Italian I've been studying, and on the Greek I learned back in the long ago. I visited Greece back then (early '90s) and while in Athens for only two and a half weeks, noticed that I had begun to pick up some of the language. When I returned home, I signed up for a modern-Greek language class. I loved it! But I'd want to revisit my Greek class materials before I go back.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
3 Apr 17
I've not pointed fork tines down since childhood - never saw the point of that one
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
4 Apr 17
@blitzfrick I switch hands with cutlery during the meal
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Apr 17
Do you use your fork with your non-dominant hand?
1 person likes this
@sallypup (69161)
• Centralia, Washington
3 Apr 17
@blitzfrick Oh yeah. He got to be the Family Story. Old Country way of being.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
6 Apr 17
I think that about myself too! But I'm practicing to be a bit more couth 
! I have plenty of room for improvement. I practiced yesterday at Starbucks, a rare treat.
! I have plenty of room for improvement. I practiced yesterday at Starbucks, a rare treat.
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
3 Apr 17
I live alone and nearly always eat alone. I surely won't want to use my "home alone" manners. I'm very bad about resting my elbows or forearms on the table. It's not the best habit, no it's really a no-no here in the USA. So along with conquering the left-hand fork, I will concentrate on those elbows!
@paigea (36143)
• Canada
3 Apr 17
@blitzfrick No, I wouldn't want to take my "home alone" manners out in public!
1 person likes this
