I have observed that not everyone uses knifes & forks the same way. Some people like me will only use the knife to cut through food items that can't easily be cut with the side of the fork. I chuckle to my self when I see someone furiously sawing through a string bean that could be easily severed with their fork. Meat loaf and most fish can easily be cut with the fork and eaten. Some folks just use their knife to push food around on their plate Their seems to be cultural differences in how utensils are used as well. What are your thoughts and observation?
There are two basic methods for eating with a knife and fork. The "American" involves having your fork in your left and your knife in your right when cutting your food, then putting the knife down and switching your fork to your right hand to eat, tines facing upwards. (If you're right-handed, that is.) With the "European" method, the fork remains in the left hand and the knife helps coax your food onto your fork. The tines remain facing downwards. https://www.thekitchn.com/survey-using-your-knife-and-fork-166188
I guess I'm a bit mixed up. I use my knife with my left hand and keep my fork in my right hand. I am right handed. Like @Lon Tanner I use my fork to cut most food.
I am ambidextrous, at least in some things, and I usually have fork in left hand, knife in right hand, and then continue to use the left had to hold the fork to eat that bite. However, if i do not use the knife, then I have the fork in my right hand, and eat that way. If it is finger-food, then I use my left hand, like for potato chips or something similar. When I write, I do it left-handed; but discovered when I was in school that I could write on the blackboard better with my right hand than I could with my left hand. For most other things, I am right handed, like knitting, scissors, or shooting a gun; but some things I can do with either hand, like painting with an airbrush, or a regular brush. I also put on makeup using either hand.
Holly, you might know about this more than I do....I remember reading that in the UK they could always tell the Americans because of the way they used their knife and fork. I go either or
yes this is absolutely true...because an American always ( obviously generalising here) cuts up their food then lays the knife down and just eats with a fork...Europeans, always hold the knife and fork through the meal...
depends if they're left or right handed lol...mostly I see them eating with their right hand with chopsticks, and they tend to hold the bowl close to their mouth...
I never use a knife when actually eating. Should something need to be cut up, I cut it up before I start eating. So I just use a fork. Or a spoon if that's appropriate. I have to spend my energy fending off an assertive tabby cat at times while eating.
I'm a barbarian so I don't hold with convention. I use a knife only when a knife is needed, and that's not too often. Yeah, if something does need cutting, I'll do the cutting first and then leave the knife sit. I use my right hand because I'm right-handed; otherwise, I'd probably use my left hand.
Being ambidextrous has both plusses and minuses. Early on, as a teen working under cars in tight places, when one arm and hand could not reach adequately, I simply switch the tool in use to the other. But, when "pigging out", I eat with both hands, a disastrous negative reason to be ambidextrous! Frank
If I know what I'm eating is going to need a knife to cut it into bite size pieces then I will use the knife. Otherwise I just use a fork for eating tender meats, fish, and sides...or a spoon for soups, gumbos, stews, etc. Here at our Home since there is just my Honey and me...we don't even sit at the dining table to eat...but usually are in our favorite livingroom seats eating while we watch TV or just chat with each other. I don't even know why we have a diningroom set anymore...as we sure don't need it for eating purposes.
I can eat the European way and the American way....I remember people commenting on how I used my fork and knife when I lived in Hungary. Now I just cut up what needs to be cut up in the kitchen, then I leave my knife there and take my food and fork or spoon or nothing into the room I practically live in (my recliner room) and eat while on my iPad. Pickles is there also drooling and waiting for his share.
Yep! The house has 4 bedrooms and the smallest one is on the other side of where the rest are, also near the kitchen so I made it my recliner room. It has my recliner, a TV and a corner desk with a computer on it. Never sit at the desk anymore though since getting my first iPad years ago. I have another desk with a computer in my den/office but never even go in there.