So I was reading through the latest offering from the Popcorn and Chainmail people, where they sporked The Sound of Music, and I came across this little line:
And would everyone please hold the fork in their left hand while eating? You know, like it’s done in Europe?
So question America, and the rest of the world, what hand do you hold your fork in?
right hand. And I'm right handed. Is that weird?
It depends. But I'm left-handed and it's always been more difficult for left-handed people in France – so I broadened my options.
If I'm using a knife and fork, I hold it the fork in my left and the knife in my right.
If I'm only using a fork (eating off my knees out of a bowl in front of the telly), I use it in my right or my left, depending on what action I'm talking (scooping, piercing, lifting etc).
I tend not to eat at the dinner table any more so bad habits have crept in.
I use chopsticks in my right.
Soupspoon in my right.
Dessertspoon in my right. Dessert-fork in my left.
The above may change if I'm on the computer while eating.
Er…so how many hands does NM actually have?
Eight. I blame Britain and Sellafield.
When I'm at home I hold my fork in my right hand. I think everybody does really!
Sorry, I'm a fork in the right hand kind of guy unless I'm cutting with the knife. I still end up eating with my right hand. I can live with my uncouthness!
What the fork kind of question is that? I always used to hold the fork in my left hand while cutting with my right, and would then lay the knife down and transfer the fork to my right, like every good American does. Until I realized that this was absolutely stupid. So, now I continue holding the fork in my left, and my knife in my right, and I'm done with dinner in half the time. It's a wonder. You guys are SO smart.
They won't let me use forks any more. Not since the last time.
Look at that, I get distracted by work (cataloging is very boring) and come back to many comments, don't worry I wasn't ignoring you. Well, not much anyways.
Obviously I should've been more specific with my question:
Upon a formal occasion (ie, not down the chipper) and while seated at a table, using both knife and fork, which hand do you hold the knife in? That's what I shoulda typed but then I'd have missed all these wonderful facts.
NM, you have 8 hands? Why haven't I seen them?
Carl, so after cutting whatever you are cutting, do you then transfer the fork from your left hand to your right?
This throwaway post is really more intriguing than anything requiring thought isn't it?
Have to say that when eating a meal that requires both knife and fork I always have the fork in my left hand. Knives need much more control and so need the authority of the right hand to keep them in order.
Formal meal, it's always fork left, knife right.
And I leave the other six at home with the Beloved so he can play with them while I'm gone.
No, I am really uncouth and usually cut more than one piece off, and then set my knife down and eat with the fork in my right hand…unless of course I have the remote in my right hand and then I just lean my head down in my plate pig-trough style.
Sounds like being uncouth is a lot of hassle there Carl?