Friday, July 27, 2012

The Proper Usage Of Cutlery

By Linda George


There is a level of artistry attached to table setting and the use of cutlery. There is a certain way of using cutlery that not everybody is aware of. Setting up a table also has to be done in accordance with certain fundamental principles. Usually, when you use the term cutlery, the first thing that comes to your mind is the knife and fork. How do you properly place these items on the table? The spoons and the knife should be placed on the right of the plate. The forks, on the other hand, must be placed on the left side. If you find that the left side has two forks, then you must choose the one furthest from you.

For example, you can consider a situation, where they have placed two spoons on the right and two forks on the left side of your plate. You will have to make use of the respective spoons for the dishes, say, for soup and for salads. The salad fork will have to be placed on the farthest side of the plate. The other fork will be used for the next item in queue.

The spoon to be used for the soup will be the further one away on the right side of the plate. The other spoon will be used for the next food item that will be served in the hotel. The butter knife, on the other hand, will be placed on the bread plate, naturally. You will often find the steak knives placed the closest to the plate.

You also have to learn how to use the fork properly. Sometimes, you will be put in an embarrassing situation, if you do not how to use the cutlery items in the correct way. When using the fork, make sure it is not loaded with too much food. It could potentially lead to a lot of mess and even stain your clothes and the tablecloth. When you are attending large parties, you surely need to know the eating etiquette and part of this will be covered if you know how to use the cutlery.

You should also know how to hold the knife properly. It must not be held in between the index finger of your hand and the thumb. The index finger needs to be placed above the knife. Meanwhile, the knife handle should reach the end of your palm. While holding a knife with your right hand to cut some meat, your left hand should be holding a fork. The knife will be able to cut the meat better this way. Do the same thing when you are eating something like pizza. You should not do any back and forth movements when slicing pizza.

When you spot a small fork placed on the outer side of the table, you can expect that the first dish to be served is salad. These are only a few of the basics of cutlery usage. However, they will serve you very well indeed, especially in large and prestigious gatherings, where table manners and etiquette are important.




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