NationStates Jolt Archive

Strange things manners. At home in England it is bad manners to have jam for Breakfast (if you didn't know this then you should). That being said I can't immediatly think for another time that would be apppriate for eating Jam, maybe thats why all the Jam jars in the house are full. Liquid is served from the right (except soup) and taken away from left (except soup) while "solid" food is served from the left and taken from the right. Drinks are provided "ladies first" except port which is served to the head of the table and passed from left to right. Food is to be served to the oldest female guest of the heighst title (or military rank which supersides title at military dinners but not civil ones, or to clergy of the heighest order first). The first cutlery used can be found furthest away from the plate except spoons which are found above the plate. Butter must be placed onto a side plate before being added to bread (which is broken by hand and spread with a knife). Forks must never be inverted, peas must be crushed onto the tines lightly with a knife to prevent them rolling off. Cutlery must be placed in a Q shape on plate when you have finished eating, but as an upside down V shape if eating has stopped if you are taking a drink or talking. Bread may be eaten with soup but never dipped. Ladies, older people, orders of the clergy, higher military ranks, tiltles higher then your self may walk through a door before you. Napkins are placed on your lap, never below your chin...

I thought ocures, why?

Also, how do I know all this?

because if we didn't have these guidelines there would be anarchy

In America it's courtesy to eat cat for breakfast.

Hell, eat cat all day long.

In America it's courtesy to eat cat for breakfast.

Hell, eat cat all day long.
Yeah. It's always polite to eat the pussy.

[snip] Cutlery must be placed in a Q shape on plate when you have finished eating, but as an upside down V shape if eating has stopped if you are taking a drink or talking.
The other customs and rituals of table manners can be excused as being not terribly unusual, but this one takes the cake. I can't even imagine how to place cutlery into a Q shape...

The other customs and rituals of table manners can be excused as being not terribly unusual, but this one takes the cake. I can't even imagine how to place cutlery into a Q shape...
Think of the plate as the circle part of the Q and the cutlery as the little line sticking out of the lower right hand corner.

[snip] Cutlery must be placed in a Q shape on plate when you have finished eating, but as an upside down V shape if eating has stopped if you are taking a drink or talking.The other customs and rituals of table manners can be excused as being not terribly unusual, but this one takes the cake. I can't even imagine how to place cutlery into a Q shape... Actually, that's required in formal dinners in the United States too. And you can put cutlery into a Q shape. To do that, take two spoons, stand them upright, put a heavy book on them, then take a sledgehammer and.............

Think of the plate as the circle part of the Q and the cutlery as the little line sticking out of the lower right hand corner.
That makes sense, then. Thanks.

Actually, that's required in formal dinners in the United States too. And you can put cutlery into a Q shape. To do that, take two spoons, stand them upright, put a heavy book on them, then take a sledgehammer and.............
Or the easier method of inviting Yuri Geller to dine.

Yeah. It's always polite to eat the pussy.

Well now, that makes everything sound dirty :fluffle:

Manners get you no-where. Blunt rudeness is the way forward.

Manners get you no-where. Blunt rudeness is the way forward.
Or perhaps adding hy-phens to words is the way for-ward...

i hate people who have bad manners, i think it's disgraceful and there's no reason for it

Yeah. It's always polite to eat the pussy.
which goes well with the age-old custom of "ladies first"

It's bad manners to talk about manners on internet forums! *shame on you*

And all this before you get to complicated stuff like fish knifes. :( Also which side do the side dishes (which the bread is on) go?

Strange things manners. At home in England it is bad manners to have jam for Breakfast (if you didn't know this then you should). That being said I can't immediatly think for another time that would be apppriate for eating Jam, maybe thats why all the Jam jars in the house are full. Liquid is served from the right (except soup) and taken away from left (except soup) while "solid" food is served from the left and taken from the right. Drinks are provided "ladies first" except port which is served to the head of the table and passed from left to right. Food is to be served to the oldest female guest of the heighst title (or military rank which supersides title at military dinners but not civil ones, or to clergy of the heighest order first). The first cutlery used can be found furthest away from the plate except spoons which are found above the plate. Butter must be placed onto a side plate before being added to bread (which is broken by hand and spread with a knife). Forks must never be inverted, peas must be crushed onto the tines lightly with a knife to prevent them rolling off. Cutlery must be placed in a Q shape on plate when you have finished eating, but as an upside down V shape if eating has stopped if you are taking a drink or talking. Bread may be eaten with soup but never dipped. Ladies, older people, orders of the clergy, higher military ranks, tiltles higher then your self may walk through a door before you. Napkins are placed on your lap, never below your chin...

I thought ocures, why?

Also, how do I know all this?
this was the real reason for the american revolution. it was just all too complicated for us. well that and the pea crushing thing, what an abomination!

And all this before you get to complicated stuff like fish knifes. :( Also which side do the side dishes (which the bread is on) go?
side plate is always to your left

It's bad manners to talk about manners on internet forums! *shame on you*It's also bad manners to tell people they have bad manners indiscreetly when they're posting on internet forums. :D

I don't know most (if any) of these complex eatery rules, which may be the subconscious reason why i'm always very nervous eating at other peoples houses.