Sometimes, you don’t need a fork.  Recently, I was facilitating a “hands on” etiquette dinner for a corporate client.  There was a pesky fly in the conference room where the four-course dinner, complete with wine, was being served.

The fly made himself known by flying frenetically about each china and silverware-bedecked place setting.  Everyone was annoyed at the presence of the pest, especially in the cold November of the Mid-West.

At last, the fly took a landing…right in the company president’s soup!  It was one of those kamikaze-like landings; a direct and calculated hit.  At first the group was aghast, and then everyone just roared!  Fortunately, Mr. Company President had a sense of humor and laughed himself right into the next course.

Usually I mention that if you don’t like something being served to you from a pre-ordered menu, eat around it and make as little mention of your dietary dislikes as possible.  Obviously in this case, the rules changed.

For the rest of us who can anticipate that we will not have to wrestle with “live” food, it pays to which fork, or knife, or spoon to use.  Follow the rules you learned once upon a time that dictated that you start from the outside and move inward to select the proper utensils.  And the dessert fork or spoon is at the topside of your plate.

A quick scenario would suggest that you remember food has four letters and the direction, L-E-F-T, has four letters.  Thus, your bread plate and your salad plate will be on your left.

Drink and the direction, R-I-G-H-T, have five letters.  So, you’ll find your water, wine glass, and coffee cup/saucer on your right. 

Left-handers, beware: as you enjoy your beverages, place them back to the right of your place setting so as not to confuse your neighbor.

Oscar Wilde once said, “The world was my oyster, but I used the wrong fork!” Now, you can put your best fork forward.  And also, have the ‘tines’ of your life while you’re at it.

Bon Appetit!  Lynne