Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Team Room-Manners

I have been helping our pastor's wife, Pastor Deven and our children's pastor's wife, Pastor Ashley with the young ladies Tea Room at our church. We meet once a month and we have lunch and tea after church. It is a mentorship program for girls ages 8-12. They learn what God says about beauty and modesty. They learn Bible verses and earn great rewards. They also learn table and conversation manners which I have been blessed to teach. (I love to teach.) This has been so much fun for me. I hope I get to do it again in the fall.

I thought I would share with you all my lesson from January. You just might learn something.

The Tea Room Table Manners January

"Mabel, Mabel if you're able, keep your elbows off the table!"

“Please Pass the Jelly”:
It is correct to reach for anything on the table that is close to you and does not require that you reach across your neighbor or leaning far across the table yourself. Simply ask that the person nearest it, “Would you please pass the jelly, Maryann.”
It is polite to ask the host if for an accompaniment if it is not on the table. Just don’t ask for something unusual.

The Silverware
You should always start with the silver farthest from the plate. Start outside and work your way in.

Using the Knife and Fork
The American method is you may cut with the knife in your right hand and hold food with a fork in your left and then switch fork to right hand to eat. This is “zigzag”
The European method is leaving the fork in your left hand after you have cut your meat. Therefore eating with your left hand. Either way is suitable.
A knife is a great pusher when you don’t have a piece of bread. It is held in the left hand.

Types of Foods:
Bread and butter: cut bread in small size pieces; place a small amount of butter on the edge. This can be eaten with your fingers.
Spaghetti: Use a large spoon, knife and fork. The fork is used to spear a few stands of spaghetti, the tips are placed against the bowl of the spoon, which is held in the left hand and the fork is twirled, wrapping the spaghetti around itself as it turns. If no spoon is provided, the tips of the fork may be rested against the curve of the plate.

The following foods can be eaten with fingers:
Apples Watermelons
Cherry tomatoes Raw cherries and plums
Bananas (if in peeling) Olives
Sandwiches Pizza Tacos

General tip: Never do anything unless the host/hostess does it first. Don’t know how to eat something, watch the host/hostess. “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”.

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"I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write." -John Calvin