On Aug 12, 4:28*pm, "Default User" > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > On Aug 12, 1:56*pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> > > "Steve Pope" > wrote in message
>
> > ...
>
> > > > > wrote:
>
> > > > > Frequently, when I cook spaghetti (standard method; bring water
> > > > > to boil, break noodles,
>
> > > > WRONG.
>
> > > Okay. Why NOT break "noodles?"
>
> > That's what I'm wondering!
>
> They're too short to twirl very well. You have more strands, and fewer
> turns, so the whole thing tends to come unraveled. Now, if you wanted
> to eat them like egg noodles or something, I guess. But then why bother
> with spaghetti?
>
> Brian
>
> --
> If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
> won't shut up.
> -- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
twirling a small enough bite!

On Aug 12, 5:52*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > On Aug 12, 1:56 pm, "cybercat" > wrote:
> >> "Steve Pope" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> >>> > wrote:
> >>>> Frequently, when I cook spaghetti (standard method; bring water to
> >>>> boil, break noodles,
> >>> WRONG.
> >> Okay. Why NOT break "noodles?"
>
> > That's what I'm wondering!
>
> This is a good question. There are a few folks have trouble with the act
> of spooling spaghetti onto the fork. This is caused by several factors.
> Poor eyesight and lack of control of the wrist and arms mostly. Also
> they really love spaghetti - a lot! Their aim is to get a big ole ball
> going on that fork. You'll notice that these folks will typically have
> sauce all over themselves and a big grin on their puss. If you have one
> of these sauce-soaked, hideously grinning goofballs in your family or
> if, for God sake, you're one of them, please do everyone a favor and
> don't break that spaghetti in half! And always remember to wear a bib. I
> mean always... like 24/7.

Funny! I guess my sons were the grinning, sauce spattered reason I
broke them in half. It's hard to get a bib on a 10 year old!! LOL!

Steve Pope wrote:

> In my experience, other than just doing it out of habit like
> yourself, many people who break spaghetti in half do it to limit
> the longest possible dangling length of spaghetti from the
> fork to about four or five inches, which they then feel okay about
> slurping. Without breaking it in half, there might be eight
> or ten inches of spaghetti dangling off the fork, which demands
> an extended, sort of double slurp.
>
> Steve

Or a lesson on how to twirl it up on a fork like Italians do.
No slurping necessary, really.

merryb wrote:

> Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
> with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
> twirling a small enough bite!

Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.

On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:50:48 -0400, Goomba >
wrote:

>merryb wrote:
>
>> Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
>> with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
>> twirling a small enough bite!
>
>Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.

Spoons are for sissies! I learned to twirl as a kid and have spent a
lifetime perfecting the technique. I'll be ready for the spaghetti
olympics someday.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:02:51 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:

> I also cook my pasta a tad more
>than I used to - it occurred to me that I like it better that way so
>screw all that al dente stuff.

Food for thought: I went to a nutrition class today and the presenter
said the body treats al dente regular pasta like whole grain pasta....
the body needs to work harder to digest it.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

sf wrote:

> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:50:48 -0400, Goomba >
> wrote:
>
>>merryb wrote:
>>
>>> Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
>>> with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
>>> twirling a small enough bite!
>>
>>Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.
>
> Spoons are for sissies! I learned to twirl as a kid and have spent a
> lifetime perfecting the technique. I'll be ready for the spaghetti
> olympics someday.

I just buy shorter kinds of pasta.


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Need a new news feed? http://blinkynet.net/comp/newfeed.html

sf wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:02:51 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> I also cook my pasta a tad more
>> than I used to - it occurred to me that I like it better that way so
>> screw all that al dente stuff.
>
> Food for thought: I went to a nutrition class today and the presenter
> said the body treats al dente regular pasta like whole grain pasta....
> the body needs to work harder to digest it.
>
>

I think it's possible that what we perceive as a change in taste in food
is really a response to the body's nutritional needs at the time. I'm
also getting to like oatmeal for breakfast. Gaaaak!

Goomba > wrote in news:6ghrt9Fft59jU3
@mid.individual.net:

> merryb wrote:
>
>> Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
>> with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
>> twirling a small enough bite!
>
> Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.
>

That's how my mom taught us!

Saerah

dsi1 > wrote in news:g811ql$abk$1
@registered.motzarella.org:

> sf wrote:
>> On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:02:51 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:
>>
>>> I also cook my pasta a tad more
>>> than I used to - it occurred to me that I like it better that way so
>>> screw all that al dente stuff.
>>
>> Food for thought: I went to a nutrition class today and the
presenter
>> said the body treats al dente regular pasta like whole grain
pasta....
>> the body needs to work harder to digest it.
>>
>>
>
> I think it's possible that what we perceive as a change in taste in
food
> is really a response to the body's nutritional needs at the time. I'm
> also getting to like oatmeal for breakfast. Gaaaak!
>

Oatmeal is awesome. I only eat it when it's cold (In the warmer months,
I have bran cereal with my yogurt), but it fills you up like nothing
else.

Saerah

sf wrote:
> On Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:02:51 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>> I also cook my pasta a tad more
>> than I used to - it occurred to me that I like it better that way so
>> screw all that al dente stuff.
>
> Food for thought: I went to a nutrition class today and the presenter
> said the body treats al dente regular pasta like whole grain pasta....
> the body needs to work harder to digest it.

Huh, that's an interesting little tidbit of information. Thanks, sf!

kili

"Janet Baraclough" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> The message >
> from sf contains these words:
>
>
>> Food for thought: I went to a nutrition class today and the presenter
>> said the body treats al dente regular pasta like whole grain pasta....
>> the body needs to work harder to digest it.
>
> Doesn't mean eating al-dente regular matches the colon and
> nutritional benefits of wholegrain , though.
>
>
> http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk...hole-grain.htm
>
> Janet

Except according to the Italian researchers, that's wrong. Al dente pasta
is easier to digest for some reason. I don't make it up, I just read the
books!

On Aug 13, 9:50*pm, Goomba > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
> > with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
> > twirling a small enough bite!
>
> Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.

True, but what's the big deal- it's just friggin pasta!

On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:36:07 -1000, dsi1 >
wrote:

>I'm also getting to like oatmeal for breakfast. Gaaaak!

It's not bad with some brown sugar mixed in.



--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:51:12 -0700, Blinky the Shark
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:50:48 -0400, Goomba >
>> wrote:
>>
>>>merryb wrote:
>>>
>>>> Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
>>>> with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
>>>> twirling a small enough bite!
>>>
>>>Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.
>>
>> Spoons are for sissies! I learned to twirl as a kid and have spent a
>> lifetime perfecting the technique. I'll be ready for the spaghetti
>> olympics someday.
>
>I just buy shorter kinds of pasta.

When push comes to shove, I'm a stabber too.




--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On 13 Aug 2008 17:49:59 GMT, "Default User" >
wrote:

> three quart sauce pot.

Which is still a pot I'd consider small unless it was pasta for one.
I've always used my 8qt pot or larger, but have discovered recently
that I can use my 4qt pot with no problem. The other thing I've done
is adjust my boil. It still boils, but not at the roaring boil that
causes foaming and a spill over.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

"merryb" > wrote in message
...
On Aug 13, 9:50 pm, Goomba > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > Quite true, but I've always done it because my kids were less messy
> > with the shorter strands. With long spag, they would have a hard time
> > twirling a small enough bite!
>
> Kids can learn to twirl against a spoon, if necessary.

>True, but what's the big deal- it's just friggin pasta!

Indeed.

My mother learned to cook sauce from an Italian woman in our Baltimore
neighborhood who had a huge family and was an incredible cook. She was
Sicilian. She put spoons down with the flatware, and some used them some did
not. It was a matter of preference, not "level of skill." People in their
right minds who are not petty imbeciles don't watch their guests eat.
Mothers and kids (and fathers etc.) have been cutting up spaghetti and
everything else forever.

cybercat wrote:
> Mothers and kids (and fathers etc.) have been cutting up spaghetti and
> everything else forever.

Not in Italy, I believe.

"Goomba" > wrote in message
...
> cybercat wrote:
>> Mothers and kids (and fathers etc.) have been cutting up spaghetti and
>> everything else forever.
>
> Not in Italy, I believe.

Yeah, well we're not in Italy, toto.

Goomba > wrote:

> Or a lesson on how to twirl it up on a fork like Italians do.
> No slurping necessary, really.

Ah, but that was not always that way. Cooked pasta, which was called
macaroni (also spelt maccaruni, maccheroni, etc.), used to be sold in
the street by maccaronari (spellings differ here, too), being fast food
of the times. And, like today's fast food, it was eaten with hands.

<http://www.bridgemanart.com/search/view_image2.asp?image_id=179687>

<http://www.storiedinapoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/maccarunaro.gif>

<http://digilander.libero.it/nerina1/pag7.htm>

<http://www.taccuinistorici.it/ita/news/medioevale/cereali-paste/MACCHERONI-piaceri-nobili-e-plebei.html>

Victor

"Victor Sack" > wrote in message
...
> Goomba > wrote:
>
>> Or a lesson on how to twirl it up on a fork like Italians do.
>> No slurping necessary, really.
>
> Ah, but that was not always that way. Cooked pasta, which was called
> macaroni (also spelt maccaruni, maccheroni, etc.), used to be sold in
> the street by maccaronari (spellings differ here, too), being fast food
> of the times. And, like today's fast food, it was eaten with hands.
>
> <http://www.bridgemanart.com/search/view_image2.asp?image_id=179687>
>
> <http://www.storiedinapoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/maccarunaro.gif>
>
> <http://digilander.libero.it/nerina1/pag7.htm>
>
> <http://www.taccuinistorici.it/ita/news/medioevale/cereali-paste/MACCHERONI-piaceri-nobili-e-plebei.html>
>
> Victor


hahaha, I like you, Victor. Busting up the world of the anal retentive is
such a nice thing to do for the world.

cybercat wrote:
> "Victor Sack" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Goomba > wrote:
>>
>>> Or a lesson on how to twirl it up on a fork like Italians do.
>>> No slurping necessary, really.
>> Ah, but that was not always that way. Cooked pasta, which was called
>> macaroni (also spelt maccaruni, maccheroni, etc.), used to be sold in
>> the street by maccaronari (spellings differ here, too), being fast food
>> of the times. And, like today's fast food, it was eaten with hands.
>>
>> <http://www.bridgemanart.com/search/view_image2.asp?image_id=179687>
>>
>> <http://www.storiedinapoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/maccarunaro.gif>
>>
>> <http://digilander.libero.it/nerina1/pag7.htm>
>>
>> <http://www.taccuinistorici.it/ita/news/medioevale/cereali-paste/MACCHERONI-piaceri-nobili-e-plebei.html>
>>
>> Victor
>
>
> hahaha, I like you, Victor. Busting up the world of the anal retentive is
> such a nice thing to do for the world.
>
>
And consider if you eat it in that fashion it would be even more
important not to break it into small pieces.

sf wrote:
> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:36:07 -1000, dsi1 >
> wrote:
>
>> I'm also getting to like oatmeal for breakfast. Gaaaak!
>
> It's not bad with some brown sugar mixed in.
>
>
>

My informal survey of what old folks have for breakfast is interesting.
Most of them will have toast, oatmeal, coffee or tea, and papaya. The
papaya is an interesting choice. There might be cultural reasons and
certainly there's regional reasons for this being the fruit of choice
but papayas have a reputation as an aid to digestion. This breakfast
seems so universal over here the I suspect that a breakfast of high
carbs, low protein, and another item to promote digestion might be just
what humans need when they reach an advanced age. I don't care much for
papaya but it seems almost inevitable that I will if I live long enough. :-)

"George" > wrote >>
> And consider if you eat it in that fashion it would be even more important
> not to break it into small pieces.



You bet!

On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:21:06 -0400, "cybercat" >
wrote:

> People in their
>right minds who are not petty imbeciles don't watch their guests eat.

I *do* notice when people don't know how to use their knife and fork
properly. I also notice when they don't know how to set a table
properly.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

"George" > ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> cybercat wrote:
>> "Victor Sack" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Goomba > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Or a lesson on how to twirl it up on a fork like Italians do.
>>>> No slurping necessary, really.
>>> Ah, but that was not always that way. Cooked pasta, which was called
>>> macaroni (also spelt maccaruni, maccheroni, etc.), used to be sold in
>>> the street by maccaronari (spellings differ here, too), being fast food
>>> of the times. And, like today's fast food, it was eaten with hands.
>>>
>>> <http://www.bridgemanart.com/search/view_image2.asp?image_id=179687>
>>>
>>> <http://www.storiedinapoli.it/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/maccarunaro.gif>
>>>
>>> <http://digilander.libero.it/nerina1/pag7.htm>
>>>
>>> <http://www.taccuinistorici.it/ita/news/medioevale/cereali-paste/MACCHERONI-piaceri-nobili-e-plebei.html>
>>>
>>> Victor
>>
>>
>> hahaha, I like you, Victor. Busting up the world of the anal retentive is
>> such a nice thing to do for the world.
> And consider if you eat it in that fashion it would be even more important
> not to break it into small pieces.

But the vendors would gradually shorten the spaghetti without reducing the
price until what you got was a single orzo.

<sf> ha scritto nel messaggio
...
> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:21:06 -0400, "cybercat" >
> wrote:
>
>> People in their
>>right minds who are not petty imbeciles don't watch their guests eat.
>
> I *do* notice when people don't know how to use their knife and fork
> properly. I also notice when they don't know how to set a table
> properly.

I have been in restaurants when I literally could not eat because someone at
the table next was so disgusting. Manners are develped to avoid that. I'd
rather someone smoked near me than ate like an animal.

"Giusi" > wrote in message
...
> <sf> ha scritto nel messaggio
> ...
>> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:21:06 -0400, "cybercat" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> People in their
>>>right minds who are not petty imbeciles don't watch their guests eat.
>>
>> I *do* notice when people don't know how to use their knife and fork
>> properly. I also notice when they don't know how to set a table
>> properly.
>
> I have been in restaurants when I literally could not eat because someone
> at the table next was so disgusting. Manners are develped to avoid that.
> I'd rather someone smoked near me than ate like an animal.

I have never experienced these disgusting eaters. I vaguely remember being
amazed when kids in school talked with their mouths full or sat there with a
face full of gravy throughout the meal and didn't use their napkin once.

As an adult, I think I must be more interested in the conversation of my
companion(s) than how people are eating at other tables.

<sf> wrote in message ...
> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:21:06 -0400, "cybercat" >
> wrote:
>
>> People in their
>>right minds who are not petty imbeciles don't watch their guests eat.
>
> I *do* notice when people don't know how to use their knife and fork
> properly. I also notice when they don't know how to set a table
> properly.
>

Okay. So, how do they not use their knife and fork properly? My mother
taught us to use the fork "curve up" and to cut our food into manageable
bites, then park our knives across the edge of the plate. Yet in Paris I saw
people using their forks "curve down" and stabbing at things. Or are you
talking about not using a salad fork for salad, etc? Or maybe getting a glob
of mashed potatoes on your fork then coating it in peas? Do tell.

On Aug 14, 3:27*pm, dsi1 > wrote:
> sf wrote:
> > On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:36:07 -1000, dsi1 >
> > wrote:
>
> >> I'm also getting to like oatmeal for breakfast. Gaaaak!
>
> > It's not bad with some brown sugar mixed in. *
>
> My informal survey of what old folks have for breakfast is interesting.
> * Most of them will have toast, oatmeal, coffee or tea, and papaya. The
> papaya is an interesting choice. There might be cultural reasons and
> certainly there's regional reasons for this being the fruit of choice
> but papayas have a reputation as an aid to digestion. This breakfast
> seems so universal over here the I suspect that a breakfast of high
> carbs, low protein, and another item to promote digestion might be just
> what humans need when they reach an advanced age. I don't care much for
> papaya but it seems almost inevitable that I will if I live long enough. :-)

My favorite universal breakfast was a bowl of steaming rice w/ a raw
egg cracked in it, plus some meat and vegetables. Ever since I have
not been able to understand why I am stuck w/ waffles, egg mcmuffins,
etc in the States. The part I hate most is breakfast is always sticky
sweet here, and in the early morning that's just nauseating.

wrote:

>
> My favorite universal breakfast was a bowl of steaming rice w/ a raw
> egg cracked in it, plus some meat and vegetables. Ever since I have
> not been able to understand why I am stuck w/ waffles, egg mcmuffins,
> etc in the States. The part I hate most is breakfast is always sticky
> sweet here, and in the early morning that's just nauseating.


Is there any reason you can't eat what you want either at home or away?
Rice isn't rocket science. Neither are eggs: boiled, poached,
scrambled, fried, etc. are easy enough to make and only take a few
minutes. English muffins, toast, or bagels aren't sweet unless you put
jam on them.

Oatmeal or cream of wheat or rice can be sweet or not, to your taste.

We never eat waffles or egg Mcmuffins. Is someone holding you captive?

gloria p

Gloria P > wrote:

wrote:

>> My favorite universal breakfast was a bowl of steaming rice w/ a raw
>> egg cracked in it, plus some meat and vegetables. Ever since I have
>> not been able to understand why I am stuck w/ waffles, egg mcmuffins,
>> etc in the States. The part I hate most is breakfast is always sticky
>> sweet here, and in the early morning that's just nauseating.


>Is there any reason you can't eat what you want either at home or away?
>Rice isn't rocket science. Neither are eggs: boiled, poached,
>scrambled, fried, etc. are easy enough to make and only take a few
>minutes. English muffins, toast, or bagels aren't sweet unless you put
>jam on them.

I hypothesize a person could be in a situation where they hope
to eat the so-called "continental" breakfast at an American hotel.
There, you are indeed limited to overly-sweetened rolls, muffins,
breakfast cereals etc.

Steve

wrote:
> On Aug 14, 3:27 pm, dsi1 > wrote:
>> sf wrote:
>>> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:36:07 -1000, dsi1 >
>>> wrote:
>>>> I'm also getting to like oatmeal for breakfast. Gaaaak!
>>> It's not bad with some brown sugar mixed in.
>> My informal survey of what old folks have for breakfast is interesting.
>> Most of them will have toast, oatmeal, coffee or tea, and papaya. The
>> papaya is an interesting choice. There might be cultural reasons and
>> certainly there's regional reasons for this being the fruit of choice
>> but papayas have a reputation as an aid to digestion. This breakfast
>> seems so universal over here the I suspect that a breakfast of high
>> carbs, low protein, and another item to promote digestion might be just
>> what humans need when they reach an advanced age. I don't care much for
>> papaya but it seems almost inevitable that I will if I live long enough. :-)
>
> My favorite universal breakfast was a bowl of steaming rice w/ a raw
> egg cracked in it, plus some meat and vegetables. Ever since I have
> not been able to understand why I am stuck w/ waffles, egg mcmuffins,
> etc in the States. The part I hate most is breakfast is always sticky
> sweet here, and in the early morning that's just nauseating.

Interesting breakfast - sorta like a Japan breakfast, except you're
missing the miso soup. I had scrambled eggs in a tortilla this morning.

You are correct that Americans seem to want to have dessert for
breakfast. I have no idea how this came about but that fact probably
comes as a shock for most folks not from here. On the other hand, some
American folks may find a raw egg in rice to be shocking! :-)

Due to my type II diabetes, having sweet things for breakfast tends to
not appeal to me.

Michael "Dog3" wrote:
> Gloria P >

>> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> My favorite universal breakfast was a bowl of steaming rice w/ a raw
>>> egg cracked in it, plus some meat and vegetables. Ever since I have
>>> not been able to understand why I am stuck w/ waffles, egg
>>> mcmuffins, etc in the States. The part I hate most is breakfast is
>>> always sticky sweet here, and in the early morning that's just
>>> nauseating.
>>
>>
>> Is there any reason you can't eat what you want either at home or
>> away? Rice isn't rocket science. Neither are eggs: boiled, poached,
>> scrambled, fried, etc. are easy enough to make and only take a few
>> minutes. English muffins, toast, or bagels aren't sweet unless you
>> put jam on them.
>>
>> Oatmeal or cream of wheat or rice can be sweet or not, to your taste.
>>
>> We never eat waffles or egg Mcmuffins. Is someone holding you
>> captive?
>
> Sweets for breakfast... bleh... I just can't get into anything sweet
> until at least noon or later, unless it's fresh fruit. I wonder
> where this person is eating since it consists of waffles, Egg
> McMuffins or sticky sweet?

They need to find a diner, or just have an omelette or something.
What they describe sounds like leftover chinese food, maybe they
should just have that. If all they can find are waffles and egg mcmuffins,
they aren't trying very hard.

nancy

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:50:41 -0400, "cybercat" >
wrote:

>
><sf> wrote in message ...
>> On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:21:06 -0400, "cybercat" >
>> wrote:
>>
>>> People in their
>>>right minds who are not petty imbeciles don't watch their guests eat.
>>
>> I *do* notice when people don't know how to use their knife and fork
>> properly. I also notice when they don't know how to set a table
>> properly.
>>
>
>Okay. So, how do they not use their knife and fork properly? My mother
>taught us to use the fork "curve up" and to cut our food into manageable
>bites, then park our knives across the edge of the plate. Yet in Paris I saw
>people using their forks "curve down" and stabbing at things. Or are you
>talking about not using a salad fork for salad, etc? Or maybe getting a glob
>of mashed potatoes on your fork then coating it in peas? Do tell.
>

I'm talking about "clubbing" eating utensils. There's a right way to
hold your knife. Most people who weren't brought up eating with their
hands in front of the TV know how it's done. Next thing I'll probably
hear is that it's ok to wrap them up in a paper napkin and plop them
to one side of the plate, just like they do at all the fine dining
restaurants.

http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/pro...ners-etiquette



--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:12:23 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:

>You are correct that Americans seem to want to have dessert for
>breakfast.

That was my impression about Paris.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West

<sf> wrote in message news
> On Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:12:23 -1000, dsi1 > wrote:
>
>>You are correct that Americans seem to want to have dessert for
>>breakfast.
>
> That was my impression about Paris.
>

Good point. I've never eaten sweets for breakfast. My mother did, but I
attributed that to her love of baked goods and German heritage.

<sf> wrote
>>
>>Okay. So, how do they not use their knife and fork properly? My mother
>>taught us to use the fork "curve up" and to cut our food into manageable
>>bites, then park our knives across the edge of the plate. Yet in Paris I
>>saw
>>people using their forks "curve down" and stabbing at things. Or are you
>>talking about not using a salad fork for salad, etc? Or maybe getting a
>>glob
>>of mashed potatoes on your fork then coating it in peas? Do tell.
>>
>
> I'm talking about "clubbing" eating utensils. There's a right way to
> hold your knife. Most people who weren't brought up eating with their
> hands in front of the TV know how it's done. Next thing I'll probably
> hear is that it's ok to wrap them up in a paper napkin and plop them
> to one side of the plate, just like they do at all the fine dining
> restaurants.
>
> http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/pro...ners-etiquette
>
>

Since it was *you* who posted this link, I actually watched this thing all
the way through. The "Last Supper" theme is hilarious! Nothing came as a
surprise except what they call the proper way to eat soup--spooning it away
from yourself. I seem to recall something about that from long ago, but I
don't eat soup that way. The rest was either stuff my mother taught us or
common sense. As an example of the latter, I have never been told not to
butter a whole piece of bread in formal dining, but for some reason do
indeed break off small bits of bread and butter them a bit at a time. As for
"clubbing" eating utensils, I have never seen that.

Giusi wrote:

> I have been in restaurants when I literally could not eat because someone
at
> the table next was so disgusting. Manners are develped to avoid that.
I'd
> rather someone smoked near me than ate like an animal.
>


I've run into that at Olde Kuntry Boo - fays in rural areas of America...

I've also seen peeps make pigs of themselves at any number of buffet
brunches, etc...which is one reason why I eschew buffets, salad bars, etc.
anymore.


--
Best
Greg

On Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:28:42 -0400, "cybercat" >
wrote:

>As for "clubbing" eating utensils, I have never seen that.

Unfortunately, I have.


--
I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number of carats in a diamond.

Mae West