Thread: The easy way to eat steak - Advice for our American friends.

Instead of putting the fork into the steak with the left hand, cutting a piece off with a knife in the right hand, then, taking out the fork, putting the knife down, transferring the fork to the right hand, stabbing it and putting it in your mouth; here is a far easier and more efficient way.

Once you have cut off a piece of steak, just transfer it to your mouth with the fork already in your left hand.
This way, there is no transferring of fork; putting down and picking up of the knife.
Try it. You'll find that it's really easy after a couple of goes.

^ Etiquette. It is also sensible: you cut with the dominant hand and use the fork to eat with it also. Likely too difficult for you? Neither do we pile a heap of mashed potatoes and peas on top of the meat on the fork bottom before the food goes past our lips. We also chew with our mouths closed.
However, when I dine with friends, I wait for them to start eating and, to be polite, follow their manner of table etiquette, whether English, American, Asian, Indian.
Manners, my dear. It's a sign of respect to follow your host's style. If it's a free for all at a restaurant, do as you please.

Eating with a knife and fork is one of the very few examples of Americans taking something from Europe and instead of improving it, made a right dog's dinner of it.

I think it probably has to do with the belief that using the left hand is a mark of the devil.

How do Canadians eat steak? European style, or US style?

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

^ Etiquette. It is also sensible: you cut with the dominant hand and use the fork to eat with it also. Likely too difficult for you? Neither do we pile a heap of mashed potatoes and peas on top of the meat on the fork bottom before the food goes past our lips. We also chew with our mouths closed.
However, when I dine with friends, I wait for them to start eating and, to be polite, follow their manner of table etiquette, whether English, American, Asian, Indian.
Manners, my dear. It's a sign of respect to follow your host's style. If it's a free for all at a restaurant, do as you please.

Tomayto, tomarto; potayto, potarto...

Eating utensil etiquette - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WTF are you talking about... Bored and taking pot shots at table manners... Have a red...

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

Neither do we pile a heap of mashed potatoes and peas on top of the meat on the fork bottom before the food goes past our lips. We also chew with our mouths closed.

So, you put meat in your mouth, then potatoes, then peas. All this with a closed mouth. Do you inhale your food?

I ate with a new acquaintance last week at a local pub. Aussie, he was. I have heard that they are a crude lot. But when I saw him pick up his peas with his fingers and eat them like peanuts, I laughed so hard I dropped a whole handful of mashed potatoes on the floor .......

^

Easiest way is just to stick the steak in a blender with a bunch of vegetables and some gravy, then just drink it.

Have noticed it also with americans . Was like looking at a scene from the late 1900's in some cowboy movie.

Frankly, Brits don't think a fork is necessary. Knives, well, we carry them for protection so we as well should use then at the dinner table. Spoons, well even Brits find some things too messy to eat without a spoon.

But a fork? A long standing axiom is that it is not necessary, and in fact, undesirable :

"An Englishman named Thomas Coryate brought the first forks to England after seeing them in Italy during his travels in 1608. The English ridiculed forks as being effeminate and unnecessary. "Why should a person need a fork when God had given him hands?"

I always thought the English style was borne of greediness and a need to shovel it in fast

Ever eaten with Americans? They just hoover it down. Must be those big portions.

Originally Posted by SEA Traveler

When eating at a restaurant, I do tend to execute the European mannerism though. I just prefer the international methods. Same as when I used to wear a neck tie. I never liked the Windsor knot. I always used the international knot. But to each their own.

What do you consider the "international knot"?

I always use the Windsor knot.

Forget the average Merkin the Russians have got the monopoly on disgusting table manners, it's like watching Grossburger from stir crazy

fuckin' animals they are!

Russians? The worst I saw was Indians at a breakfast buffet.

Originally Posted by Attilla the Hen

Instead of putting the fork into the steak with the left hand, cutting a piece off with a knife in the right hand, then, taking out the fork, putting the knife down, transferring the fork to the right hand, stabbing it and putting it in your mouth; here is a far easier and more efficient way.

Once you have cut off a piece of steak, just transfer it to your mouth with the fork already in your left hand.
This way, there is no transferring of fork; putting down and picking up of the knife.
Try it. You'll find that it's really easy after a couple of goes.

I'm lefty, so I just cut the meat and put it in my mouth, problem solved. I think you will also find that the switching the knife and fork is an older custom. If you eat with someone under the age of 40 they normally won't do what you are complaining about.

Originally Posted by sccrhound

If you eat with someone under the age of 40 they normally won't do what you are complaining about.

Not complaining, just find it very strange.

Perhaps we should start a thread on dental hygiene with pretty pictures and by-the-number instructions for the Brits...

^
Good idea.......go for it.

Originally Posted by Muadib

Perhaps we should start a thread on dental hygiene with pretty pictures and by-the-number instructions for the Brits...

Or even 'Interaction with Foreigners; an Idiots Guide' for our American cousins...

Originally Posted by graym

Originally Posted by Muadib

Perhaps we should start a thread on dental hygiene with pretty pictures and by-the-number instructions for the Brits...

Or even 'Interaction with Foreigners; an Idiots Guide' for our American cousins...

Or how about: "How to be polite to all people; or your way isn't the only way stupid."

Originally Posted by Deris

Originally Posted by graym

Originally Posted by Muadib

Perhaps we should start a thread on dental hygiene with pretty pictures and by-the-number instructions for the Brits...

Or even 'Interaction with Foreigners; an Idiots Guide' for our American cousins...

Or how about: "How to be polite to all people; or your way isn't the only way stupid."

That would have been George Dubya's bedtime read I imagine...

Originally Posted by graym

Originally Posted by Deris

Originally Posted by graym

Originally Posted by Muadib

Perhaps we should start a thread on dental hygiene with pretty pictures and by-the-number instructions for the Brits...

Or even 'Interaction with Foreigners; an Idiots Guide' for our American cousins...

Or how about: "How to be polite to all people; or your way isn't the only way stupid."

That would have been George Dubya's bedtime read I imagine...

That could be said about almost any political figure at almost any level of goverment in any country; and should be read by all.