The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-04-27
SOCIAL ETIQUETTE.
Small but Significant Points In Good Man.
ners at the Table.

Small but Significant Points In Good Man
ners at the Table.
SIT is said that Cardinal Richelieu detected
an adventurer who was passing himself of
for nobleman by his helping himself tc
olives with a fork because it was the custom
then, as it now is, to help ones self from the
dish with the fingers if an olive fork is not
provided" With the foregoing Good House
keeping prefaces some advice on small mat
tars of table etiquette, among which are the
following points: Forks for the olive dish
alone are now manufactured and are very
generally used, but after the olive has reached
the plate it Is always carried to the mouth
with the fingers. OF course we are not refer
ring to the stuffed olives bottled in oil.
Those who are very particular, hold the
large end of spear Of asparagus with a fork,
while with the tipend of a knife they daintily
separate the tender green tops from the
white ends, which is then put aside Others
take the white end between the fingers and
carry it to the mouth. Both are correct, but
the former is much more daintily and easily
done
The etiquette of eating a soft boiled egg
has been the subject of more than one clever
essay. The English custom is to eat it di-
rectly from the shell, when of course a small
egg cup and egg spoon are necessary. The
American way is to break the egg into a cup
or glass by striking the shell in the center and
turning the contents into the glass. In this
case it is usually eaten with a teaspoon, as an
egg spoon, unless extra large, would be too
small and we have seen the egg held by q
corner of the napkin, but this is not only tire
some but difficult to do nicely, without soiling
the napkin.
Celery is always taken from the dish and
carried to the mouth by the fingers If indi-
vidual salts are not provided, it is etiquette
to use one-half of the butter plate for salt. If
salt shakers are used, hold the celery in the
left hand just over the rim of your plate and
gently sprinkle it with salt, and the old GUS
tom of putting a spoonful of salt on the cloth
is still in practice. When corn is served on
the cob it must be taken in the fingers, only
managed very daintily. We have seen pretty
little doylies for the purpose of holding it, but
it is a question if that is not carrying table
linen too far.
Lettuce, when served without dressing, is
usually pulled to pieces with the fingers.
Watercress is also taken with the fingers,
and the prettiest way of serving it is to OBJ
tain long, low sided basket or dish, in the
bottom of which lay folded napkin, then
heap the cress SO as to fill the basket, and
you have not only an enjoyable but very
ornamental dish for the breakfast table.
When a slice of lemon is served with fish or
meat it is much more correct to take the
slice in the fingers, double the ends together
and gently squeeze the juice over the article
than to use a knife for that purpose, as is
sometimes done.
1t is always proper to help ones self to
bread, cheese and lump sugar with the fin
gers, if tongs are not provided. Never use
your own knife, fork or spoon to take from
the dish.