Etiquette Tuesday: Finger Food
©JohnnaKnowsGoodFood
As many of my Etiquette Tuesday posts are inspired by my own personal experiences, my readers send in the best stories that make me say “Hmm…”. This Etiquette Tuesday gets straight to the point: no eating with your fingers. As with all tips, there are exceptions. The exceptions in eating with your fingers are when there are passed hors d’oeuvre, your eating a cuisine where it is encouraged to eat with your fingers (*Ethiopian food) or the food is meant for the fingers i.e. BBQ ribs, sandwiches, etc. Other than these listed above, forks and knives are on the table for a reason.
My reader told me about a date he had been on where his guest proceeded to eat the fish, at Oceanaire, with her fingers. Wow. I cannot think of a fish on Oceanaire’s menu that would be proper for eating with your fingers. At Horace and Dickies this behavior would be encouraged, at Oceanaire you should think about using the utensils on the table. The thought may be tempting to pick up those fries at Bourbon Steak with that skirt steak but resist and come out on top in the end.
Eating with your fingers is bad etiquette. Point blank. There are the few instances where it is more appropriate for you to use your fingers but when in doubt use the fork/knife combo on the table. They put them there for a reason.
Category: Etiquette Tuesday
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
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Sheesh… I hope he takes her to Horace and Dickies next time, lol
Eating fish with her fingers at Oceanaire? For her sake I’m hoping maybe they were catfish fingers? lol
LOL @ L. Denise…exactly! @ichoosethesun, unfortunately they weren’t…he was like he could not believe she was actually doing this in front of him.