GOOD FORM AT THE TABLE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4313, 23 March 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

GOOD FORM AT THE TABLE

No man-'who' was' not a'gentleman at heart over wasreidce the world" began’,' a gentleman.-in manner.-' ■ r - - ■ If you make a blunder'atn table take aslittle notice of it a a possible.' Jf another, makes a blunder.- heljr'bird'lb forget. ' I. remember'breading: Bettnewhere' &' story of a dignitary,- 7 very high-in the diplomatic keiKdce', who-, was 'entertaining at-;dinner one . evening- some -dashing youngr officers and a shy, gather; gauche, young, guest, .unused to .tha. maimers of .high society, .It was in - Indii.-so a bowl office 1 was in.front, of each pla'te. Anxious dubious what to do. the unknown to the horror of the others, dropped the ice ill bis soup; his host immediately took, some

ice and. followed hia’guest’s example, as a means of setting the unknown, at his ease, and as a mild rebuke to the sneers and glances Of ridicule passing between his other guests. Soup is taken from a tablespoon—not a dessertspoon—and from the side of the spoon as noiselessly as possible. In raising the spoon to one’s month in eacicg soup, it is quite unnecessary to raise one’s elbow also. Soup and fish are never served twice. Bread is laid to the left Hand, and is always broken with the fingers. Do not cut your piece with a knife, nor stick a fork in the bread, previous to eating it. Contrary from the old-fashioned courtesy of waiting until everyone was served before commencing one’s' food, tho correct thing now is to begin eating as soon as helped. This modern plan certainly saves time, also x* atience . f° r It is .very exasperating to see one’s dinner getting gradually colder while waiting for others to commence. When toast is served under asparagus, or any other vegetable, it is not eaten. The toast serves merely as a medium for draining the superfluous water from the vegetable. During the process of mastication the mouth should be kept firmly closed. Any disposition to project the tongue when about to take a mouthful of food should be checked., It is a very ugly as well as repulsive habit, and one that is quickly acquired by children and young people if allowed to go unnoticed. Curry is always eaten with a spoon and fork. Sweetbreads and other entrees, also savories, are eaten with the fork. A golden rule is never to use knife or spoon when a fork will suffice. Jellies, blancmanges, creams, are all eaten with a fork. Fruit tarts with fork and spoon, on account of the juice. When oysters are served oh a shell, they are conveyed to the mouth with a fish knife and fork. Fish rissoles are eaten with a fish fork.

Watercress is taken up by the fingers and eaten in this way. The fingers are also used for asparagus and sometimes cooked celery, but it is not a pretty mode of eating, and many ladies prefer to eat them with a knife and fork, the same as any other vegetable. Grapes are taken singly, and conveyed to the mouth with the fingers. Tho palm of the hand should be curved into a kind of cup, to conceal the ejectment of the stones and skins, which are afterwards placed on the plate. Nuts are cracked with nut crackers, walnuts being peeled with a silver knife, Brazil nuts or filberts are held on the ferk, and scraped with the knife.