Rule #9: Bread BasketWhen receiving a bread basket before the first course, offer it to others and take the bread when it comes around the table again. Put the bread on your bread & butter (B&B) plate (to your left). When you are served the butter, put a pat or a scoop of it on the edge of your B&B...
Rule #7: Sit up straight Cavemen went extinct thousands of years ago, with the exception of the highly evolved Geiko Cavemen. But even the Geiko Cavemen know how to behave themselves in a fine dining situation. Rather than hunching over your food and shoveling heaps into your mouth, sit up straight, keep your elbows close to your sides, and lean...
Rule #6: No waving your cutlery Uncle Joe just made a remark that gets your riled, and though you are naturally animated when speaking, it's probably not the best idea to wave your cutlery in his direction. Worse case scenario - you stab your uncle. Best case scenario - you look like a fool. Just avoid waving it in the...
Rule #5: Elbows off the Table!I had a grandmother who upon seeing that we had our elbows on the table, would grab our wrists, lift our elbows off the table, and let them then go; banging hard onto the table and hitting our funny bones. "Elbows off the table". We learned quickly what was allowed, and what wasn't. Elbows certainly...
Rule #4: Do not lick ANYTHING Sure, it's tempting to lick your knife, your fingers, or even your plate when the food is just that good - but save yourself the embarrassment and the lacerated tongue by holding fast to the "No Lick Rule". Even if you have finger food, resist the urge to suck the left-over BBQ off of...
Mottahedeh Memos is proud to present 10 rules of Western Dining. Every day for the next two weeks we'll be posting a new rule. So check back daily! Rule #1: Chew with your mouth closed. No smacking lips, no chewing noises, no sight of food after it passes into your mouth. Chew with your mouth closed at all times. If...
I am in LOVE with flowers. If I could, I'd live in a garden. But unfortunately, I'm not a gnome, or a fairy, or a groundhog... so I have to resort to bringing them inside; and you should too! If you've ever been to a table-top show, a wedding, or a formal dinner - more than likely flowers were displayed...
Cutlery can be one of the most confusing aspects of setting a table - and one of the most nerve-racking parts of sitting at a formal setting. "So, does the fork go on the right or the left? I always forget which way the knife is supposed to face..." In restaurants where there are multiple courses being served, sometimes you...
