A silly question about Americans....

[carole]

I vaguely remember when in America many moons ago, that most Americans eat their meals only with their forks, I just saw a Programme last night that mentioned this, and said it started from way back when they kept their right hand free for their gun.

Now I am wondering is this true? here in NZ we use both our knife and fork for eating all our meals, how about you what do you do? enlighten me? or humour me? whichever

[dukedogsmom]

That's weird. I've never heard that. We're civilized here, too. We use both utensils.

[kittycats_delight]

Well, I am from Canada and I eat most all my meals with a fork and a knife. Unless it is something like a hamburger. though it is only in the last 5 years or so I started doing that. I guess once you get out and do some travelling in places other then North America you see the majority of us do not have a refined table etiquette.

[carole]

ok well that is funny, I do remember noticing it when i visited, maybe it depends what part of the states you are from, be interesting to see my replys eh val?

[Palomino21]

I am from Oklahoma. We usually eat with our forks, or a spoon just depends on what we are eating. However, foods, like steak, and so on we use both knife and fork.

[carole]

oh just for the record I don't see anything wrong with using just your fork , it is just something I noticed different from here,obviously for steak you would need both.

[caseysmom]

It depends on what I am eating...I would prefer just a fork but with steak you have to use a knife also and with soup you have to use a spoon.

[Edwina's Secretary]

It is true that we use our utensil differently than Europeans (and I would assume New Zealanders and Australians.) During WWI and WWII...spies working behind enemy lines had to be very careful as this could be a giveaway that they were Americans.

We use the fork with prongs up rather than down and hold it in the right hand (normally) rather than the left. The knife is used for cutting but rarely as an "assist" to loading the fork.

(Don't know how well I am explaining... )

I have never heard the gun story....but being from Al Capone's Chicago it gives me a giggle. I have always heard the reason we use our utensil different started as a part of the revolt against Great Britain. Wanting to do things different to show our independence.

And since, for those of us who are right-handed, having our fork in the right hand makes using a gun difficult....

Also, to cut our meat we switch the fork to the left hand (prongs down) and the knife in the right.

[k9krazee]

Something like steak I will use a fork and knife but if I can cut it easily with my fork I will.

[buckner]

Forks? People eat with forks? What are forks?

I usually don't use utensils, if I don't have to. In a restaurant, I'll use a fork and be "proper". If I'm at home, and it's not hot soup, fingers it is!

[Logan]

I love the responses! Carole, "this American" (me) sets the table with a fork, knife and teaspoon, always, and my family laughs at me for doing it since we rarely need the spoon, but that's the way my mom taught me to do it! LOL!!!!! So I do! Scott, Helen and I are all left handed, so we hold our fork with our left hand, but all 3 of us, strangely enough, use our right hand to cut with the knife. Maybe that's why we constantly fight our weight because we can cut and eat, constantly, without a break in between! LOL!!!

Good question! I wonder how many other American habits we have that would seem strange to people outside of our country.

[lizbud]

Originally posted by buckner
Forks? People eat with forks? What are forks?

I usually don't use utensils, if I don't have to. In a restaurant, I'll use a fork and be "proper". If I'm at home, and it's not hot soup, fingers it is!

So how do you eat mashed potatoes, peas , carrots, etc.?

[wolfsoul]

I'm in Canada, but I'm going to answer anyways lol.

The only thing I ever use both a fork and knife with is steak. Otherwise, what's the point of using the knife when the food doesn't need to be cut? When I'm at home though, and there's no company, I just eat the steak with my fingers. I'm a barbarian.

[equinelover23]

Oh boy! Forks are my favorite utensil! haha, I eat everything I can with my fork. I eat everything out of my soup with my fork, then drink the broth after. I use my fork for rice, mac and cheese, peas... pretty much everything, no matter how difficult it is.

Hehe, at school my friend always gets my whole lunch table our "utensil of the day.." Whatever utensil it is we have to eat our entire meal with it. Ok, I'm weird. I know.

[carole]

Yes this is turning into a fun thread, I am enjoying all your responses, in NZ it is custom to eat with both a fork and knife, the fork in your left hand and knife in your right, you scoop up food with the knife and put it on the fork and eat, hope I explained that enough lol, any other way would appear strange to us, I think the British do the same, correct me if I am wrong.

Of course we have finger eating foods, like burgers etc, that is normal to eat with your hands as are chips or fries and cakes,sandwiches etc, but main meals nearly always with a knife and fork.

I remember having meals in the states with the people I was staying with, and only getting a fork and wondering how the heck am I gonna manage to eat with that only,of course I was too polite and shy to ask for one.