Every activity has proper manners, rules. Like this, taking food had also its own ways and manners. Having foods using fork, spoon and knife is one of the most practiced ideas in the European and American countries. In Indian subcontinent people use hands and in Japan, China, Korea people use chopsticks generally to take food. Now a days using of forks, spoons and knives are increasing in these areas too. So, know the correct use of these is mandatory indeed.
Use of fork and knife: There are two types of systems for using spoon and knife while taking food- Continental or European and American. Both systems are almost same with some little differences. Both systems has a similar method that is press the food with fork in your left hand and cut with knife in your right hand. Let us know the proper usage.
While eating
- Continental System: Place the knife on the plate in such way that the sharp part of the knife remains towards you. Replace the fork from left hand to right hand. Then take food with your right hand. Always keep in mind that the spines of the fork should face upwards.
- Continental System: Keep the knife in your right hand and near the plate. Take your food with your left hand using fork.
During break
- American System: Place the sharp face of the knife on the plate and towards you. Spines of the fork should face upwards on the plate. Try to keep the fork and knife side by side.
- Continental System: Keep the sharp face of the knife towards the plate.Then keep the fork spines downwards on the knife. It will look like a cross (X).
After finishing foods
- American System: Place the fork and knife parallel on the plate. Then keep the sharp part of the knife towards the plateand the fork spines upwards.
- Continental System: Like American system keep both fork and knife parallel on the plate. Keep the sharp part of the knife towards the plate and fork spines downwards.
Some more usage of fork and knife
The usages we knew are common. Now let us know some more and interesting use of fork and knife.
- Make a Cross: It means you are taking a break now. You will eat again after a while.
- Make a Plus Mark: If you place the fork and knife in such way that these make a plus mark (+) it means you are ready to take more foods.
- Keep the Fork and Knife Side by Side: It means you have finished your food already.
- Keep Fork and Knife Side by Side Making a Cross: It means you like the food very much.
Proper use of spoon: Spoons are generally used to eat foods like soup, ice- cream etc. Hold the spoon in your right hand while taking food. The process is same in every country.
Right usage of fork, spoon and knife indeed expresses your etiquette of taking food to others.
