Table manners ( was Re: [Sca-cooks] Tableware)

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

On 27 Mar 2002, at 7:00, Laura C. Minnick wrote:

> The number of 'don't do this, don't do that' this listed makes me
> really wonder sometimes. Don't wipe your hands on the cat- duh- you'd
> get fur all over yourself. Don't take food out of your mouth and put
> it back in the serving dish. Gross. (Does seem to indicate that the
> serving dish remained on the table though.) Don't dip your meat into
> the salt. Don't spit on the floor behind you. Don't fart or belch,
> don't let your privy members hang out- good grief, is this a frat
> party? Geez!

I've been studying the books of manners lately, because I'll be
teaching a class on table manners at a local schola next month.  I
found that most of the instructions sounded rather familiar: elbows
off the table, wash your hands before you come to dinner, don't
pick your teeth, don't talk with your mouth full.

As for the prohibitions of gross behavior, keep in mind that most of
these books were written for young people.  You know that children
and teenagers can sometimes get rather... casual and creative with
their eating habits.  The instructions I've seen regarding animals are
not to let a cat on the table, and not to stroke the cat or dog while
you are at the table.  That's a command that many a modern pet-
owning parent has had to issue.


Brighid ni Chiarain *** mka Robin Carroll-Mann
Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
rcmann4 at earthlink.net