How to take bread: with a fork or a hand?

From childhood, we are taught to treat bread with care and even respect, because it accompanies almost every meal. The expression “bread is the head of everything” has even become a shabby saying. But we were never taught how to handle bread according to the rules of etiquette, and yet such a simple and common item of the refectory table has certain rules for use.

The product should be served on the table on a common plate - a bread box, whether it be buns or fresh sliced ​​​​bread. From a common plate, it should be taken with special tongs. If there are none, you can replace the tongs with a napkin. It is permissible to take bread with clean hands, most importantly, you should not touch other pieces - this is unhygienic.

In no case should you take bread with a fork or knife, and even more so prick it. You need to choose such pieces of bread that you can eat without a trace, and if necessary, take more.

The selected piece should not be pulled immediately into the mouth. It must be put on a plate for bread - pie, it is located on the left side of the main plate. It may happen that in an institution or at home there will not be a pie plate on the table. Then you can put the bread on a serving plate or salad bowl, and break off small pieces on your plate. It is strictly forbidden to put bread on the table, but in a bistro it is permissible to put bakery products on a napkin, next to the main course.

To spread butter, you need to take a little butter from the butter dish with your knife and put it on the edge of your plate. Only after that you can smear it, holding the bread on a plate with two fingers, but not in weight or in the palm of your hand. It is no longer possible to climb into the butter dish with this knife for hygiene reasons.

Don't spread butter on a large piece of bread - take a piece that can be eaten in one bite. It is better then to cook the next piece in the same way, if the first one was not enough.

To prepare a sandwich while eating yourself, you need to put a slice of bread on a plate. Sausage, meat, fish, cheeses and vegetables for a sandwich should be put with a fork from a common plate into your own, and already there collect everything in a single dish. Ready-made sandwiches, sandwiches and toast should be eaten with a knife and fork, dividing them into small pieces. The same rule applies to burgers: no matter how many "floors" they have, do not try to open your mouth wide. It is necessary to divide the “floors” into parts that are comfortable for use.

Etiquette educators state that, as with all rules, there are exceptions to bread-eating etiquette. It is allowed to bite pastries, if it is accepted in national characteristics. For example, if dishes of Ukrainian or Russian cuisine are served, you can safely bite the bread without breaking it into small pieces.

These few simple rules will help you behave correctly in a status institution. To show your good side, the actions at the table must be natural.To do this, you can practice during home feasts.

For information on how to properly take bread at the table, see the following video.