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Silverware: American or Continental

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by AlamoCity, Apr 23, 2014.

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  1. AlamoCity

    AlamoCity
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    How do you hold your silverware when eating?

    There are two predominant forms, as described by Wikipedia :lol::

    • American- the knife is initially held in the right hand and the fork in the left. Holding food to the plate with the fork tines-down, a single bite-sized piece is cut with the knife. The knife is then set down on the plate, the fork transferred from the left hand to the right hand, and the food is brought to the mouth for consumption. The fork is then transferred back to the left hand and the knife is picked up with the right."
    • Continental-" is to hold the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right. Once a bite-sized piece of food has been cut, it is conducted straight to the mouth by the left hand. The tines remain pointing down."

    _____________

    I grew up using the Continental method but sometimes find myself eating a bit too quickly because of its efficiency and use the American style when I want to take my time, especially when with friends.

    (Though I have been known to eat a steak with just my hands and teeth when home alone :lol:slight_smile:
     
    #1 AlamoCity, Apr 23, 2014
  2. PatrickUK

    PatrickUK
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    Oh, I'm very continental :slight_smile:
     
    #2 PatrickUK, Apr 23, 2014
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2014
  3. Hexagon

    Hexagon
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    Wow, there are more ways of doing this than one????

    Based on the descriptions, continental, assuming the food requires cutting. If not, fork in the right hand.
     
    #3 Hexagon, Apr 23, 2014
  4. AlamoCity

    AlamoCity
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    Haha, "Continental" style is also known as "European."

    Most people use stainless daily. We only use sterling for special occasions or when I am cooking (if I'm putting several hours into a meal, the silverware and bone china are getting used :lol:slight_smile:. It's only a hassle when cleaning and polishing, though with silver, the more you use and wash it, the less you have to polish it.
     
    #4 AlamoCity, Apr 23, 2014
  5. PatrickUK

    PatrickUK
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    :icon_redf was my ignorance actually. I didn't realise silverware was the general term that means the same as cutlery over here. I thought you were all really posh in the US and used silver at all times. :icon_bigg
    Quite right that you should roll out the finery sometimes though.. if you have it!
     
    #5 PatrickUK, Apr 23, 2014
  6. Hexagon

    Hexagon
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    Also, my cutlery is 100% steel
     
    #6 Hexagon, Apr 23, 2014
  7. AlamoCity

    AlamoCity
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    I think many in the US use "silverware, "flatware" and "cutlery" interchangeably, regardless if the utensils are made of 92.5% silver/7.5% copper, 18% chromium/10% nickel stainless steel, or 100% polystyrene :lol:.
     
    #7 AlamoCity, Apr 23, 2014
  8. Miiaaaaa

    Miiaaaaa
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    Continental!

    People actually eat the other way? :S
     
    #8 Miiaaaaa, Apr 23, 2014
  9. OGS

    OGS
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    I do both depending on what I'm eating (how much I'm going to use the knife). I think the reason they both feel natural to me is because my father ate American and my mother ate Continental.
     
    #9 OGS, Apr 23, 2014
  10. anthonythegamer

    anthonythegamer Guest

    Whenever I go out to Denny's, I eat continental.
     
    #10 anthonythegamer, Apr 23, 2014
  11. kem

    kem
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    Continental. I should probably try out the American style some time, I have a habit of eating my food too quickly.

    I've only ever been in a really formal dinner once. I was staying in Portugal and my host family was rather wealthy... Like, "mom drives a convertible, the kids are in an expensive private school and dad likes to play golf at the country club" kind of rich.
    Too bad I was unfortunately shy and plebeian at the time, I really hate the impression I made back then...
     
    #11 kem, Apr 23, 2014
  12. Kat 5

    Kat 5
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    'Merican, but I'd much rather eat with chopsticks. Given that I can cut the stuff up beforehand.
     
    #12 Kat 5, Apr 23, 2014
  13. Robert

    Robert Guest

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    I'm a bit of a maverick and just do as I please. Yeah, I'm that cool.
     
    #13 Robert, Apr 23, 2014
  14. BMC77

    BMC77
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    American.

    As Miss Manners (etiquette columnist) once told me--and all her other Gentle Readers--the American system is much more etiquette refined than the European system. Why? Because it's so much less practical. :lol:
     
    #14 BMC77, Apr 23, 2014
  15. Yosia

    Yosia
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    The American way seems really silly, why would you swap hands pointlessly? :confused:
    I eat it continetally ^.^
     
    #15 Yosia, Apr 23, 2014
  16. BMC77

    BMC77
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    Actually, one of my grandmothers DID use her sterling silver a lot. I am under the impression it might have even been daily. Unconfirmed story: the only time she used stainless was when serving eggs. (Eggs will cause tarnish problems on silver.)

    But...recall that she was a different generation: born nearly 100 years ago. (Wow! Is it that long? I can remember when she was only 60-something...)
     
    #16 BMC77, Apr 23, 2014
  17. Robert

    Robert Guest

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    This made me smile.

    Thanks.
     
    #17 Robert, Apr 23, 2014
  18. jargon

    jargon
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    American, I'm ashamed to say.

    I've tried to train myself to eat European-style in the past, but its just too deeply engrained a habit for me to break. :icon_redf
     
    #18 jargon, Apr 23, 2014
  19. Tightrope

    Tightrope
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    I had to read the American version twice.

    I use the American way to eat a piece of steak or whatever. And it's because I always use the right hand to eat, so it's easier for me to transfer to the right hand than it is to use my left hand.

    Just for fun, a right handed person should try writing with their left hand sometimes, even if just a signature. The results can be disastrous!
     
    #19 Tightrope, Apr 23, 2014
  20. resu

    resu
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    When in Rome... I use the American style almost always except if I'm eating Indian food at home. In that case, it's almost always with hands or just a fork. I also like to use chopsticks for East Asian food, and I've gotten pretty good at eating pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) with the soup spoon in the left hand and chopsticks with the right.
     
    #20 resu, Apr 23, 2014
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