Galateo: the irony of good manners
How many times our mother told us “do not speak with your mouth full!”? Lots of time definitely! To not mention: “do not put your elbow on the table”, “do not play with forks” and “do not make the airplane with the food”. Growing up, instead, she said you “Put that mobile phone away, we are eating”.
The education at table should be compulsory and even if our mother told us all that times to sit properly, to drink without making noise and to not fill our plate as if we haven’t seen food for a week, we discovered that our mother mopped up her plate with the bread as well (forbidden by the Galateo)
Generally, friends and family forgive us the lack of good manners even if the basic rules should be followed in any case. Galateo foresees that while you are sitting at the table you cannot speak about death, misfortune and diseases. And which is the favourite subject of your grandma or the news?
Leaving aside the main rules that we all have to know, like do not talk with the mouth full of food, do not bite with the mouth open, do not put your elbows on the table, do not play with food. Now, let’s go on the next stage.
You have to know that…
Put the napkin on the knees and do not try to emulate those terrible scenes where the people use their napkin as a bib, it is not polite. If you use the excuse that you don’t want to stain your shirt, Galateo states that it is because you didn’t make the previous phase in the right way. Unless you are careless or clumsy, before staining you should cut the food in small dishes and eat one bite a time. You have to sit properly and bring the food to the mouth, bending the head towards the dish.
If you are guests at your friend’s place, remind that is good custom that is the owner to start eating, and do not go smoking till the meal is over and the mobile has to be in the silent mode buried in your pocket or purse.
Chat with the tablemate without screaming or sharing ordinary topics, on the contrary using your mobile phone will make you impolite, rude and antisocial.
During a buffet, remind that it is not a race of who is able to put more food in the dish, nor you shouldn’t use the excuse of “I won’t make a second round”, placing the bread in your pockets. In these occasions it is preferable to go slowly and in order, first of all with the starters, the first courses and so on.
Cutlery shouldn’t be left in the towel, but leave them on the dish perpendicularly, if you have finished. If you are eating, place them on the side of the dish horizontally. That type of food that has wastes remind you don’t have to spit them on the hand or in the towel but take it off the mouth with a fork. (The scene wouldn’t be pleasant in any case)
Generally, the bread is served before the rest of the dishes and always generally, everyone crunches breadsticks before eating. Galateo and mum disapprove this practice “if you eat bread and breadsticks, then you don’t eat anymore”.
Generally, the bread is served before the rest of the dishes and always generally, everyone crunches breadsticks before eating. Galateo and mum disapprove this practice “if you eat bread and breadsticks, then you don’t eat anymore”.
At the end of a meal do not unhook the first button of your trousers or the belt! NEVER!
Enjoy your meal! (oh no, the Galateo doesn’t allow it!)
