Most Americans have no idea what I'm talking about. Do Europeans still use the proper untensils to eat example: salad fork, cocktail fork, soup spoon. I know most Americans use their salad fork for eating steak.
The reason why I'm asking is that my great grandmother was very proper. Also, I some some guest coming over from Holland.
2007-03-21 07:06:45 · 6 answers · asked by Apple 4 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
Ok, I know to eat proper. My great grandmother showed me as a child. I just want to make sure.
2007-03-21 07:15:16 · update #1
Yes, my great grandmother was Italian and German.
2007-03-21 07:20:07 · update #2
Whether anyone knew what you were asking or not, the question is thick. Europeans invented the proper utensils so of course they use them. Not every household sets a full reception table for ordinary meals which is why people use the salad fork for steak. It doesn't help that restaurants supply 2 forks, of almost indistinguishable in size, in a napkin. If you want to set a full service, then check in an etiquette book (or maybe your great grandmother taught you very well). Your guests will probably be expecting standard American cuisine, so you can simplify the setting to salad and dinner fork with knife and spoon. Add a soup spoon if you are going to serve both soup and salad but that brings the meal up from standard.
Bon appetit.
2007-03-21 07:15:58 · answer #1 · answered by St N 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the better resaurants they do, but at home you don't have to. Still it is nice to have a salad fork, soup spoon, dessert fork and spoon, if you have them, and it looks like you hav e made extra effort. But please don't stress about it or buy extra cutlery, just enjoy your guests. Just one thing though I would tell you, some peopel eat their hamburger with a knife and fork. They cut the hamburger with a knife and use the fork to transport it to the mouth. I do and it always draws attention and comment in the states. I have Dutch relatives they are a nice group of people. The coffee there is great and they seem to like to eat dessert...so be warned.
2007-03-21 14:22:06 · answer #2 · answered by beachloveric 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't always do it at home ( I have a German friend who is a bachelor, and he only eats from disposable plates), but they definitely do it in nicer restaurants and at formal dinner parties.
I used to live in Germany, and now it really bugs me that US restaurants make me keep my dirty salad fork or butter knife to use it with my meal. I know it's not a big deal, but there's plenty of silverware to go around, and I don't like traces of ranch dressing on my chicken.
2007-03-21 14:35:30 · answer #3 · answered by jimbell 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is very rare for any Europeans -- except a few in the much old generation and the aristocracy -- to use the full range of cutlery. That said, at top top restaurants, one would be expected to use the full range, if provided.
Work your way toward the plate from the outside: never fails!
2007-03-21 14:11:03 · answer #4 · answered by lazer 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In Sweden it might be appropriate to use those utensils on nicer dinner parties or so. But far as I know, in general, we just use the normal ones for most things, at least at home. At restaurants and stuff, most likely a bit more 'fancy' restaurants, they might prefer you to know about these utensils and use them. But generally, they're not very common here either.
2007-03-21 14:11:00 · answer #5 · answered by Emelie 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
im italian and i live in US and i always have my table with "proper utensilis even if its only for two.......make me feel good....
2007-03-21 14:13:52 · answer #6 · answered by semplicemente_io1999 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋