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Any Americans/Europeans use their utensils without switching hands?

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entremet

entremet

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I remember seeing an episode of Good Eats that mentioned that Europeans traditionally don't switch utensils when eating--fork on the left and knife on the right all throughout the meal.

But is this still followed?

I couldn't imagine not switching my utensils when eating. I do it constantly.
 
Only barbarians eat without switching hands.
They gracelessly grip the utensiles with their primitive claws, without any appreciation or awareness of the delightful interplay of the sparkling silver dancing from left to right, right to left, in the light of the chandelier. The reflection of your lady's smiling teeth flashing along the blade of the knife, the prongs of the fork lighting up like a candelabra.
 
A knife fork would solve all the world's problems.

It would leave the world with several scarred faces though.
 
Me! Fork in right hand, knife in left. Can't stand the American zig-zag style of eating.

Though, most of the time, I'd rather eat with my hands. Utensils are so cumbersome.
 
I'm from Australia and use a fork in the right and knife in the left. My partner only recently noticed (2+ years into our relationship) and has been giving me a rough time ever since.
I figured if anyone would understand she would considering she's left handed but nope!
 
I don't understand. Why would you switch? What compels you to do so?

I do fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand, but I thought that was because I'm left-handed for most things.
 
I do because I'm civilized.


I'm left handed.

Zefah said:
I don't understand. Why would you switch? What compels you to do so?

I do fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand, but I thought that was because I'm left-handed for most things.
Click to expand...


Some people hold their knife with their right hand so they have to hold their fork with their left hand when eating. But when it comes to using the fork to eat, they have to switch to their right hand because they are right handed/not used to it.
 
youngwerther said:
Only barbarians eat without switching hands.
They gracelessly grip the utensiles with their primitive claws, without any appreciation or awareness of the delightful interplay of the sparkling silver dancing from left to right, right to left, in the light of the chandelier. The reflection of your ladies smiling teeth flashing along the blade of the knife, the prongs of the fork lighting up like a candelabra.
Click to expand...


Yes, it's one of those delightful Americanisms. Non-Americans also don't appreciate the joy of gracefully adding on sales tax and tip price to every single purchase because it's not included in the advertised price.
 
entrement said:
I remember seeing an episode of Good Eats that mentioned that Europeans traditionally don't switch utensils when eating--fork on the left and knife on the right all throughout the meal.

But is this still followed?

I couldn't imagine not switching my utensils when eating. I do it constantly.
Click to expand...

That's exactly how I and everyone around me does it. Frankly, someone would have to explain to me how anything else would make sense.

Germany here.
 
Knife in my left hand, always. No exceptions. Unless I'm cutting up meat, then the meat knife goes in my right hand, but only when preparing food.

I'm Swedish.
 
Fork left, knife right, never switch.

If any of you do business with international clients and have lunch/dinner meetings - study up. Several cultures consider it a sign of weakness if you switch.
 
Belgian here. That's how I can spot Americans in a restaurant from a mile away.

Also left hand on lap while shoveling away with their fork in their right hand.


I can't eat like that. Eating while using knife in my right hand and a fork in my left and using them both at the same time just seems a lot more practical.
 
I'm an Australian and the idea of switching hands is ludicrous to me. Knife in right hand, fork in left hand. There's no food in the world that is so uncontrollable that I require the extra dexterity in my right hand to keep it in place with the fork while I cut it.
 
LQX said:
All I need is a fork. If anything my fingers can do the job of a knife.
Click to expand...

I'm cracking up picturing you finger cutting you're steak lol.

On Topic: Knife in right.. Fork in left. I'd rather have more cutting power with my dominant hand.
 
I use a fork in my left hand and a knife in my right, and never switch. Don't know anyone who does. Seems incredibly unnecessary to me, have no idea what the point would be. I mean, just the thought of putting the knife down and switching the fork over to my other hand, and repeating the process for every damn bite, seems a bit insane. Why would you ever do such a thing? Or do you cut up all your food before you start eating, so the switch only happens once? Well, enjoy your cold food then!

(Sweden)
 
Fork in left and knifey in right, never switching. I don't understand why you'd switch hands...is your off-hand too weak to lift up a morsel of steak? Is it because you use one hand exclusively for wiping your butt and don't want it getting close to your mouth?
 
While in Germany I adopted the continental style. Why? Foods were more geared to be cut and sliced.


In the US we really only use knives for big ass steaks or large piece of chicken breast. We use it to hack of pieces of meat. I found many foods in Germany/Austria/Hungary to be prepared in a way that allowed you to eat left handed and that required multiple cuts. Schnitzel, sausages, and much of the swabian cuisine was simple and didn't require much skill in cutting and then stabbing it and putting it in your mouth. In the US our food is usually a mixture of many ingredients threatening to seperate into their distinct components.

Also, in the US we like to keep one hand under the table and in many parts of the rest of the world hands on the table is encouraged.
 
I'm American, I don't switch hands, I don't know anyone who does. I've only ever heard about it on GAF.
 
From Wiki

American style

In the American style, also called the zig-zag method, the knife is initially held in the right hand and the fork in the left. Holding food to the plate with the fork tines-down, a single bite-sized piece is cut with the knife. The knife is then set down on the plate, the fork transferred from the left hand to the right hand, and the food is brought to the mouth for consumption. The fork is then transferred back to the left hand and the knife is picked up with the right.[3][7] In contrast to the European hidden handle grip, in the American style the fork is held much like a spoon or pen once it is transferred to the right hand to convey food to the mouth.
Click to expand...

The fucking fuck? That's the most idiotic thing I've read all day. And I've read a lot of stupid things.
 
entrement said:
I remember seeing an episode of Good Eats that mentioned that Europeans traditionally don't switch utensils when eating--fork on the left and knife on the right all throughout the meal.

But is this still followed?

I couldn't imagine not switching my utensils when eating. I do it constantly.
Click to expand...
I'm Canadian and have done it that way for as long as I can remember. Why switch?
 
I usually just use a fork. If I have to use a knife, then it stays in my left hand. I've never even heard of switching.
 
Fork in left, knife in right.

I'm European.

I literally don't understand what you mean by switching? You mean after each mouthful, you swap over the cutlery from one hand to the other? Why would you do that?

Edit: Just read Milchjon's post. WTF? You must have some seriously bad bad coordination with your left hand to need to do that. I assume it is to prevent you from accidentally poking a fork in your eye with your spacker left hand?
 
step 1: fork left, knife right
step 2: transfer fork to the right

problem solved.

It's funny that restaurants these days just give you the set, and usually on the right too. Yet we still learn (and become routined) in the 'left, right' way of putting them on the table. It has never made any sense to me.
 
Fork in the right hand, knife in the left always. I don't switch them while eating, I use them all the time that way. It feels more comfortable that way. I mostly use a fork so I use it with my right hand as I do a lot of things with my right hand. I am European, most people eat the opposite way with fork on the left and knife to the right.
 
Tristam said:
Some people find comfort in using their dominant hand for the operation of both fork and knife. I'm not sure why that's weird--inefficient, yes, but not weird.
Click to expand...

It's weird in its inefficiency. It also carries extra risk of dropping whatever's on your fork while switching, and the damn knife is in your way laying on the plate.

All minor stuff, but it still doesn't make any sense.
 
Zefah said:
I don't understand. Why would you switch? What compels you to do so?
Click to expand...
You cut a bite off your steak (or whatever), switch the fork back to your right (dominant) hand, then use the fork to eat a bite of something else on your plate.

You also put down your fork when you reach for your drink or napkin.
 
Tristam said:
Some people find comfort in using their dominant hand for the operation of both fork and knife. I'm not sure why that's weird--inefficient, yes, but not weird.
Click to expand...

It is weird. Once you've grabbed the food with the fork and cut it with the knife, it will already be in the perfect position to just lift it up to your mouth with the hand you're already holding the fork with. Why would you put the knife down and switch the fork over to the other hand before performing that extremely simple action? It's both weird and pointless.
 
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