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This is inspired by the Oprah thread. I thought we could have some fun with it.
Curious, in Jamaica did boys learn dining and tea etiquette in school or was it just the girls? Is it still taught?
There are two styles of eating, Continental (European) and American. In the Continental style, which is more practical, the knife (for right handed folks) is kept in the right hand and the fork in the left, with no switching unlike the zigzag practice of the American style where the fork is changed from the left hand to the right after cutting food.
The left hand is usually kept off the table and in your lap during American style dining, except when it's being used to hold the fork during the cutting of food.
In the Continental style the fork is held in the left hand with the tines down; the back of the fork up and the left index finger is placed on the back of the fork, low, for stability. This works for meat and other foods that can be pierced. For other foods (mashed potatoes, etc.) the fork is held in the same manner and the food is placed on the back of the fork and transferred to your mouth.
Both knife and fork are held while you chew although you can rest them on the plate.
The Continental, which most people consider old world is actually newer! It was introduced by the British around 1880, but Americans were trying to instill manners on their frontiersmen. The new dining methods were rejected as disruptive in the middle of this teaching process. American society felt it would diminish respect for the strict rules that were being established to remove the barbarian image.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Survey</span>
Do you eat Continental or American style or do you put dung de knife and fork and nyam wid you hand..
..hey come it isn't hand dem?
What style were you originally taught at home and school?
Were you taught tea service at school?
Taught: Apparently I was taught Continental at home but...
Eat: I eat American style.
Tea: Yes I was taught tea service and how to set a tea table.
I am trying to switch back to Continental.
Curious, in Jamaica did boys learn dining and tea etiquette in school or was it just the girls? Is it still taught?
There are two styles of eating, Continental (European) and American. In the Continental style, which is more practical, the knife (for right handed folks) is kept in the right hand and the fork in the left, with no switching unlike the zigzag practice of the American style where the fork is changed from the left hand to the right after cutting food.
The left hand is usually kept off the table and in your lap during American style dining, except when it's being used to hold the fork during the cutting of food.
In the Continental style the fork is held in the left hand with the tines down; the back of the fork up and the left index finger is placed on the back of the fork, low, for stability. This works for meat and other foods that can be pierced. For other foods (mashed potatoes, etc.) the fork is held in the same manner and the food is placed on the back of the fork and transferred to your mouth.
Both knife and fork are held while you chew although you can rest them on the plate.
The Continental, which most people consider old world is actually newer! It was introduced by the British around 1880, but Americans were trying to instill manners on their frontiersmen. The new dining methods were rejected as disruptive in the middle of this teaching process. American society felt it would diminish respect for the strict rules that were being established to remove the barbarian image.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Survey</span>
Do you eat Continental or American style or do you put dung de knife and fork and nyam wid you hand..
..hey come it isn't hand dem? What style were you originally taught at home and school?
Were you taught tea service at school?
Taught: Apparently I was taught Continental at home but...
Eat: I eat American style.
Tea: Yes I was taught tea service and how to set a tea table.
I am trying to switch back to Continental.
) but they may not be in English. The American lady did not handle the fork with much finesse when she lifted it. Also, it did look sloppy to use the mash potatoes to stick things together. 
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