I have noticed for some time now that there has been an increase in people who hold their knives and forks in some most peculiar fashion. From the outset, can we understand that we are referring to the majority of right-handed people. Without saying that I dismissed it, I didn’t’t pay too much heed, chalking it down to the individual. However, I can no longer assign this phenomenon to individuals, it is now reaching epidemic proportions, or in media terms, it is now ‘pandemic’.
Eating in a number of restaurants whilst on holiday I can honestly say that 8 out of 10 people were incapable of holding their knife and fork ‘correctly’. Lets establish now what I consider to be ‘correct’. Knife to be held in the right hand, handle to rest in the groove between the thumb and index finger, thumb gripping the handle with the index finger resting along the top of the blade (blunt side up).
The fork similarly positioned in the left hand with the index finger just in front of the handle and prongs (prong side down). It is the way that has been used throughout the western world for many generations. Two reasons: one, it’s the way that they have been designed to be used. Two, it is the most logical and comfortable way to use them.
Yeah but...
What we are seeing now is anything but the way they were designed to be used and certainly non logical or comfortable. The most common ‘misuse’ is to dispense with the knife altogether, using the fork in the right hand, prong side up as you might a spoon. There is a modification to this which involves the doubling up of the fork to include it being substituted for the knife. It involves pressing the fork, edge on, with considerable force on the target morsel of food. Anything tougher than a chip involves the frantic rocking from side to side and sawing backward and forward until the morsel is fatigued sufficiently to part company along the line of stress. A further variation involves the change of hold on the fork into one that mimics the holding of a dagger. The fork is then used to stab and transfer to the mouth, achieved by a turning of the wrist and a rising of the elbow into a fully horizontal position. This latter movement can only be achieved by years of practice and occasionally, luck. Sadly, it is all too often doomed to failure.
For the record, correct of positioning of peas to the top of the fork is impossible using this technique and before attempting the stabbing of peas, the novice is strongly advised to practice with the plate in the middle of the table as overspill is likely to occur.
Whilst we are into the ‘dagger’ position, we can jump straight into the deployment of the knife. Great care needs to be taken with the knife in the dagger position, especially if being held in the left hand because the natural instinct is to then use the fork in the fashion of a knife, thereby completely transposing the usage and positioning of both implements. It also involves a lot of stabbing and ripping of food (as opposed to piercing (that’s what the fork prongs are for), and cutting (that’s what the knife is for)).
"Ethel, pass me the remote!"
So how did this all come about? My theory is that there was a time before adults took guidance in all things from their children. That was a time when adults passed down to their offspring correct etiquette in the use of cutlery (amongst so many other things now forgotten in the passing of generations), alongside great pearls of wisdom like “Don’t eat with your mouth full”, and “ask before your leave the table” (that’s the thing we all used to sit around for meals before TV),
During that great age when families used to eat together, the same meal, in the same place, and at the same time. Mother would decide what meal she would prepare for the family. It was unheard of for children to insist on something different. Worse still were separate meals and separate eating places. How the hell do you teach children the correct use of cutlery when they are sat in front of the TV whilst Mum prepares Dad’s dinner in the kitchen?
It’s also what we eat. For children, so often it’s ‘convenience’ food. By the way, this instantly converts to ‘inconvenience’ food when it’s prepared separately from the main meal, so shove that in your paradox and eat it! Spaghetti hoops are a classic example of ‘convenience’ by virtue of to the avoidance of the use of the knife and the facilitation of the use of the right-handed fork, (by the way, who dreamed up alphabet spaghetti (“Don’t play with your food!”)). Other examples of food that encourage modified utensil usage include, burgers, KFC, pizza, anything on toast, chicken nuggets; in fact anything you can use your fingers to eat.
How do we get back from this position? You tell me! It’s pretty difficult now, given that those children who missed out on the passed down wisdom of parents are now parents themselves, with no memory of a different time, only bad habits to pass on. Perhaps it’s time the waiter’s offer of “Would Sir like me to demonstrate the use of the cutlery?” was taken up.
Loading ...
