eating americans

[DaSwede]

...or perhaps I should have said "Americans eating" - but I want to get your attention, don't I. Well here's my thing. A silly question, but I've been wondering for years: It seems that Americans hold their fork in their right hand and sort of harpoon their food with it, and during that 'phase' the knife rests on the table. But for cutting a bite up they hold the knife in their right hand and the fork in the left (I'm just assuming right-handedness here), then dispose of the knife and change hands for the fork... It seems hellishly impractical, and I've been trying to catch (while watching films) the whole 'procedure.' But guess what, the director invariably cuts (not the meat, no) after one bite has been 1) cut and 2) harpooned. So what I'm wondering is this: Do they keep on doing this throughout the meal, cutting, placing the knife on the table, changing hands for the fork, picking the knife up again... Or do they cut everything up in advance?? Sorry you Americans for calling you 'they', I made that choice merely because this is a UK site - but I would really love to hear from you, too! Thanks in advance, more personal thanks Sunday or Monday.

[crisgal]

when my brother lived there for a while, he told me that you cut up most if not all of the food that needs cutting and then you can enjoy your meal, using just one hand. he carried on doing it for a while after he got back here, but did look a bit of a baby. Although in theory I can see the sense, I don't think I could be bothered!

by the way, I love your question - this is the type of serious debate this site should encourage.

[Blyss]

I agree totally , i have an american red neck husband who is left handed , and the way he eats with a fork always annoys me !
Its like they think a fork is a shovel for food , when I say no its for holding the food and piling on top he looks to me like Im a fool !!!
thank you so much for bringing this topic to light .

[Clanad]

...And your point is? I've tried the 'European' method of holding the fork in the left had (assuming right handedness) tines pointed down knife in right hand... liked to starved to death! How do you kinda fold the food onto the fork with the knife? Very elegant I suppose, but not very practical...

[Clanad]

By the way... I'm reminded of an old WW II spy film where the American master spy was caught because someone in the SS saw him eating and deduced he was not a European because of the way he handled the silverware... Can't remember the name of the movie...

[tictactoe]

"I eat my peas with honey,
I've done so, all my life
It makes the peas taste funny,
But at least they stay on the knife!!"

[heathfield]

Well, Clanad, seems we both spent our time in the 50s watching B movies! I remember that one with the spy being picked up in a restaurant in France. But I've no problem with the American style of eating - it makes sense to cut your food into bite-sized chunks. The way we each handle a fork is down to the table etiquette that was invented for the Victorian nouveaux riche.

[Clanad]

Now, Zee vs. Zed is a more compelling question when comparing British/European modes to American and equally as mysterious, no?

[heathfield]

Seems the US is several hundred years behind the times when it comes to 'zed v zee '. For details, see...

[Clanad]

Interesting, heathfield, but the operative sentence is "That name (zee) was brought to America by English immigrants perhaps not on the Mayflower, but very early indeed in American history". It would appear that it's ya'lls fault, no?

[DaSwede]

Thank you all! Have you ever made the observation that trying to predict which AB posts will elicit interest and which posts won't is just about as difficult as trying to predict hit songs... In my book you've definitely got a hit there, tictactoe...

Clanad, I'm not sure if you're asking my point or Blyss's, but personally I didn't have any point, I'm just naturally (unnaturally?) curious - and I do agree with you that it's impossible to survive in Europe if you stick to your manners and hold the fork tines down. Elegant? I think 'foppish' may be the word you're looking for... Me I'm a spinner - tines down for pinning things down while cutting, tines up for 'shoveling' (sorry, blyss, I do do that...) It's the changing hands or not that puzzles me. So, crisgal, thanks for explaining how it's actually done.

Haven't seen 'your' movie, Clanad and heathfield but I like the idea, almost a bit Hitchcock or Sherlock. (Or am I just thinking about Gregory Peck and the fork marks on the table cloth in Spellbound...)