Everyone in Britain uses a knife with their fork without fail! I was there slicing everything with my fork and feeling like an American slob. My fingers help me out a great deal as well. They know where it's at!
People don't usually use knives in the US? I use a knife and fork the majority of the time. Just a fork for chips (UK chips!) just a spoon for soup, hands for sandwiches...and so on...so the logical choices!
A fork even for UK chips sounds mad to me! But, no, we use knives only when there's no way around it. From what I've observed! Other people may have been raised 'properly'.
When I was young I ate with a fork in my right hand and if something needed to be cut, the fork switched hands and I picked up the knife in my right hand, cut it, putdown the knife and switched the fork back to the right. Since I went to Europe as a young man I always now keep my fork in my left and a knife in my right from begining till end of a meal. Unless it's soup, then I just use a spoon.
What? ...I don't understand why there have to be so many rules with eating. Who cares? It's practicality, I just do what makes sense. I'm right-handed so I hold my fork with my right hand, and if I need a knife I switch hands to make it work. Why does everything have to be about rituals and made-up rules?
I don't know ,but my gramma that raised me knew 'em all.I had to sit up straight,wear shoes and a nice shirt and pants at the table,cut one bite at a time and after I cut it replace my knife on the side of the plate,place the bite in my mouth--chew for a while--swallow,napkin my mouth off---over and over. Now I just use a huge tablespoon for everything!(Not in public--I have all those manners at the ready for that)--------------------sorry gramma.
