Have you ever found yourself in the situation where you’re out for dinner in a nice restaurant or maybe at someone’s house, with a group of people you are less than totally comfortable with? Maybe they’re chatting to you in order to get to know you better, but in the process they’re looking at you a little more than is normal to watch a person just eating. This, in turn, puts pressure on you to do things correctly and not make an ass of yourself. So, to save you the bother of having to mentally calculate which glass might be yours the next time an occasion such as this presents itself, here is a nice little dinner guide, illustrated by the ever-funny Gemma Correll and written by Joanna Goddard, as seen on her blog, ‘A Cup of Jo’.
“If you’re a guest at a dinner party (pictured above), wait to start eating until the host or hostess takes his or her first bite (unless they absolutely insist that you start).”
“A funny tip that my grandparents used to tell us: The way to sit in your chair is to pretend a cat is in front of you, a mouse is behind.”
“Your wine and water glasses are to the RIGHT of your plate. Your bread plate is to the LEFT of your plate. If you remember that, you’ll never drink someone’s water or eat their bread again! (A genius tip from readers: To remember the order of the placesetting, think “BMW” — for bread, then meal, then water.)”
“Surprisingly, salt and pepper should be passed together, even if someone asks only for one. They’re considered “married!””
“Never intercept a pass. For example, don’t snag a roll out of the bread basket when it’s on the way to someone else. (You’ll just have to ask them to pass the basket right back!)”
“Scoop your soup with your spoon tilted *away* from you. And surprise! It’s fine to tilt the bowl slightly away from you to get the last drop of soup. But never blow on your soup or food. Even if it’s piping hot!”
“Always taste your food before putting on salt and pepper. It’s considered rude to assume the food is under-seasoned before tasting it.”
– This is something, as a chef, I can relate to, so TAKE HEED please!
“When you are finished with your meal, your knife and fork should be placed on your plate diagonally from upper left to lower right (11 to 5 if you imagine your plate as a clock face). This is a secret code to the waiter (or host) that you’re finished.”
• To read the full article, head over to Joanna’s website – A Cup of Jo
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