In Western food, the placement of the knife and fork also has a meaning, your dining wishes can be conveyed through the placement of the knife and fork:
1, I have not yet finished the meal:
The plate is not empty, such as you want to continue to eat, the knife and fork are separated from the open, approximately triangular, so that the waiter will not be taken away from your plate.
2. I have finished my meal:
You can place your knife and fork parallel to the same side of your plate. At this point, even if you still have something on your plate, the waiter will understand that you have finished your meal and will take your plate away at the appropriate time.
3, please give me a new meal:
The plate is empty, but you still want to eat, put the knife and fork open, about the figure of eight, then the waiter will give you a new meal.
Note: This only applies at parties where additional dishes are permitted, or when serving a dish that is likely to be added. You don't have to put the cutlery in this way if there is only one plate per course.
Standard use of knives and forks in Western cuisine
1. When eating, the plate is in the center, then the knife and spoon are placed on the right side of the plate, and the fork on the left. Generally people who write with their right hand, when drinking western food, it is natural to use the right hand to take the knife or spoon, the left hand to take the fork, and the cup is also served with the right hand.
2, in the table on the knife and fork, generally up to no more than three pairs. For a set menu of more than three courses, a new knife and fork must be placed with the food after the knife and fork are used up.
3, the knife and fork is from the outside to the inside in order to use that is to say in advance according to the order of use from the outside to the inside in order to place.
4, eating, generally are the left and right hands cooperate with each other, that is, a knife and a fork used in pairs. With some exceptions, when drinking soup, the spoon is simply placed on the right side - held in the right hand. Raw oysters are also generally eaten with an oyster fork held in the right hand.
5. There are different sizes of knives and forks, and their sizes vary according to the purpose for which they are used. When eating meat, use a large-sized knife, whether or not you want to cut it with a knife. When eating salads, sweets or some appetizers, use a medium-sized knife. The fork or spoon generally varies with the size of the knife. For soup, use a large spoon, while for coffee and ice cream, a small is appropriate.
6. It is taboo to use one's own cutlery to serve food to others.
7. You should not import food by sticking a fork in it, but shovel it up. Of course nowadays this rule has become not so strict. The British take the fork in the left hand, with the tines pointing down, and stick the meat up and send it in, and if it is a burnt vegetable, use a table knife to pluck the vegetable onto the fork and send it in, and the Americans cut the meat in the same way, and then put down the table knife in the right hand, and switch to the table fork, with the tines pointing up, and stick it underneath the meat, and, without using a table knife, shovel up the meat and send it in, and eat the burnt vegetables shoveling them up in this way as well.
8, such as eating a dish does not need to use a knife, you can also use your right hand to hold the fork, for example, the Italians eat spaghetti, only use a fork, do not need other utensils, then use your right hand to hold the fork is simple and convenient. If there are no large pieces of meat to be cut, such as a vegetarian plate, but only vegetables and side dishes that do not need to be cut, then it is reasonable to use the right hand to hold the fork to eat.
9. For safety reasons, don't gesticulate while holding a knife or fork in your hand. When speaking or talking, it is only polite to put the knife and fork on the plate. This is also a kind of respect for the person next to you.
10, fork and spoon can be, but the knife can not be put in the center, whether it has food on it or not. Aside from being a requirement of etiquette, knives are also dangerous.