Different cultures have different ways of dining. In Africa, people eat with their hands (typically their right hand). In America, we typically eat with our fork "right side up" in our right hand, the knife is often forgotten about, and eating food with our hands (such as pizza, french fries, etc...) or scooping food into our fork (such as those wayward peas) with our fingers is not unheard of. If we need to cut something that is uncutable with a fork (typically this is only steak or something else equally tough), we switch the fork to the left, cut, put the knife down, and switch the fork back to the right. In countries with a British influence, the fork is "upside down" and never leaves the left hand, the knife is always in the right hand, and you never use your hands for anything.

When I went to Australia in 1999, I remember that one of the families I stayed with was amazed by the way that I ate. They held their utensils in the "proper British way" that I thought was strange. (After all, how do you get peas on the back of a fork? That simply made no sense to me.) After watching me eat chicken at dinner one night, the father asked me if forks in America had sharp edges for cutting. I could not understand why such tender chicken required a knife.

My first week in England, a lady from here took it upon herself to show me how to eat proper British food. I decided I didn't want to look silly all the time, so I began eating meals in nicer restaurants with my fork in my left hand and my knife in my right. At first I felt silly, but eventually it became more normal and most proper meals were eaten like this. In fact, this was very obvious at Christmas when my parents, brother, and Stephanie were all here and we were eating Christmas dinner. Scott, Stephanie, and I were all eating like British people. My family was eating like Americans.

Still, I was sure that I would continue to hold on to my American roots. After all, some foods were meant to be eaten with hands and fingers, specifically pizza, fries, and burgers. Well, friends, I have to confess that I have conformed. My downfall began because if you order pizza at most restaurants here, they are not sliced, thus giving you no choice to to use a knife and fork. Fine. But I have recently noticed that I ALWAYS use a knife and fork when eating pizza, including frozen pizza at home or American chain pizza places (Papa Johns, Pizza Hut, Dominoes). This was not a conscious decision. In fact, I met Scott for lunch today at Pizza Hut for the pizza buffet and did not notice until about half way through the meal that I had utensils in my hand.

*sigh*

Please do not hold this against me! I continue to eat burgers and fries with my hands, but I fear that if I remain in England much longer I might be a lost cause.

Labels: Cheryl