The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-08-18
By L. LAMAR
MATTHEWS
QUESTIONS OF
ETIQUETTE
About Table slannerS
Mrs. Cornelius BeeclEman-

TEAR MRS. BEEcK1LAN:
~ u it not proper to eat q
club sandwich with the fingers
instead Of with . fork and knife7
was always under the impres.
sion that sandwiches should
always be eaten with the fingers,
IL possible. A few weeks ago l
went out and ordered club sand
witches. Three Of the members Of
our party ate their sandwiches
with fork and knife, but l
thought it better form to eat 1t
with the fingers. apd did so.
These sandwiches were not the
three-Iayer ones, but regular sand
witches served on platters. took
half my sandwich on my plate,
cut It in half, and took the quar-.
ter up in my fingers. 4 later
found out that some comment
was made in regard to my table
manners.
Please tell me whether or not
was wrong.
r SEE that you are a newcomer
to my column. for IL you had
read 1t before you would know
that have always recon-
nended- indeed, urged. pleaded.
besouRht that we eat our club
sandwiches with q knife and fork,
never with the fingers. am
sorry that your table manners
were criticized. for that 10 mot
pleasant. but / must confess that
/ am glad that your companions
were such careful and punctilious
eaters that they used the table
utensils that prevented their fin
gers. and therefore their napkins,
from becoming soiled.
For your future help, dear
friend, let US talk over together
the fundamental idea that should
dictate our choice Sas to how we
eat certain things. 1t Is this-n
there is any moisture, it Is better.
if possible. not to use the fingers
in eating that food. Now OF all
''Roo-y'' foods club sandwich is
one OF the most moist. It needs
4 knife and fork-even the sim
plest Of club sandwiches.
/ recommend that You recon
struct your ideas of eating and
Ah0hS ~ a AAA0 " AGS at ACoSb -
fork whenever there IL a question
Of choice. In other words. choose
as q last resort the use OF your
fingers. That is. we must use our
fingers to eat artichoke to eat
olives. although both are moist
foods. There Is no other alter
native. Also we must eat sand.
witches served at tea or canapes
a.. -.
fingers, even II they are moist.
Again, there Il no alternative.
But mainly there Is an alterna.
tive. and we simply do not make
the correct choice. For instance.
when those club sandwiches were
served. apparently the correct
utensils were placed for eating
them. since the others used those
utensils. Train yourself so that
when you see knife and fork
placed with moist foods. you au.
tomaticallN pick uD the knife and
fork. And, let me urge you
again, just az automatically to
avoid using your fingers. You
will-write me IL this doesn't
come .true-also be delighted at
the increased faith you will have
in your table manners. There
IL nothing 10 terrifying to cne's
table manners .as the growth away
from the use Of fingers to the
sure choice and use OF the fork
and the knife and fork.
Don't you think that this IL q
great lessen to learn? You don't
know how I dislike to say that
you were in the wrong. but ] am
sure that you won't mind. since
1t IL Just between us-and / don't
aven know your name. And I
have explained fully at times
about these questions or manners,
particularly Of table manners,
and thereby not lay ourselves
open to unpleasank criticisnn.