Mealtime-It Gets A Little Quirky
We all have them, those little quirks that rear themselves at mealtime with no explanation or foundation other than -It makes sense to me.
Eating habits are probably one of the hardest things to change but then again who really needs to? I’m not speaking of what we eat or like but rather HOW we eat what we like. It seems everyone has a reason that makes only sense to them. There is no right or wrong but each individual will defend their ritual, knife and fork in hand.
For example if I am eating a cheeseburger, (one of my favorite meals) I find it necessary to season it with salt and pepper, In doing so I must turn the burger over, naked patty side up and season the meat. Any other way would be seasoning the cheese! Of course it’s logical.
When attacking a cinnamon roll it would be barbaric to just take a bite. You need to gently unroll it from the outer edge tearing off a bit at a time to savor it correctly.
We can go on forever about the correct way to eat french fries with ketchup. There are those that must dip each bite into a pool of ketchup, whereas I am from the school of decorating the whole pile with a stream of condiment goodness. If you think these things are inherited, my Son independent as he is, is sure the correct method is to squeeze a pool of ketchup on the plate, then salt the pool, ensuring each bite gets the correct amount of both ketchup and salt without the salt falling off.
Breakfast cereal has it’s teams of followers as to which way to properly add sugar to the unsweetened type. There are those that insist you sugar the dry cereal then add milk. Their opponents scoff as they know the milk will just wash the sugar off and the correct way is to add sugar afterward.
A major battle occurs in some household as the subject of “foods touching each other” comes up. Some will refuse to eat any foods touching on the plate, yet they will eat taking a bit of each item on their fork at a time. I tend to eat one item at a time, except Nachos where I have to get a bit of everything on the chip. Others with no regard for the separatists will mix their vegetables and potatoes together. To them I say “Let them eat stew!”
Eating with utensils brings on a whole new dimension. It seems, we as Americans are in the minority when it comes to the proper technique regarding the use of a fork and knife. Most of us eat with our dominant hand (right or left) and also cut with the same hand. We tend to change hands while cutting, then put the knife down and then change hands holding the fork. Europeans tend to hold knife and fork simultaneously, seeming barbaric to some. Personally I only enjoy soup with a teaspoon never a soup spoon.
Laugh if you must but you know we all have those quirks the list is endless. Oreos- twist apart or leave together? Sandwiches- crust or no crust, cut in half or not? Pizza- Knife and fork? Folded and eaten from point to crust or vice-verse? Donuts- to dunk or not to dunk? The list goes on.
I’d love to hear about your quirks and the reasoning for them. Stand up for your Dining Principles! Feel free to add your own but for now I’ll be busy sopping up my basted eggs with my toast.
