Table Manners – Upstyling étiquette

One of my late mother’s pet hates was a lack of table manners. Ensuring that you do not start your meal until everyone is ready to commence, correctly holding and utilising your knife and fork, no talking with your mouth full, sauce bottles and takeaways should be dispensed into dishes….. not just dumped on the table….. and you do not get down from the table until everyone has finished ( I could go on but I think you would get the gist)…. In other words we were required to imagine the Queen was sat at the table…. Yes well I am yet to have ever seen the Queen at my table, but is amazing how some of those little traits rub off and for all those who are of the same mould, or feel the they may need a little help in cleaning up their act, here are a few little helpers to get you on your way.

Classy Takeaway

Be done with those greasy takeout boxes and plastic containers. Saturday night in front of the telly can take on a bit of class with relatively little effort with these metal style Chinese takeout boxes from Lunares Home. You don’t even have to empty the carton, it just slips right into the container.  They even come with their own matching chop sticks.

Ben and Jerrys Chic

A quick and easy desert of ice cream can now be glammed up with another Lunares top seller. The ice cream holder is designed to hold an entire pint ice cream carton so that it can be bought to the table with a whole lot of style and little effort. A clever loop on the side holds the scoop. Another bonus is that the pot keeps the ice cream colder, longer. You can also get them in smaller sizes for a little individual indulgence.

And for those that like to be colour co-ordinated with their gelato flavour…

You are never too young to learn…..

Save your child the embarrassment of trying to work out which knife and fork to use for each course, and the appropriate side for their beaker to be placed….with these kooky designs from Japanese design company Funfam.

The creator of Funfam, Tsuneyuki Fujoka, designed these place settings like jigsaw puzzles with very stylish and simple lines. The  Funfam place settings are made by hand from natural bamboo, a material that’s 100% ecological and easy for children to handle. In the European version (above), the child can choose his or her place setting according to the food he’s going to eat, a mini fork for a little appetiser and a spoon for soup – in the Japanese version (below), each type of food finds its own place in sweet little bowls for soup or rice, and in the tiny little plate for a salad. The place settings are packaged in plaited bamboo boxes, which are practical for carrying them. The mini sets also include little fabric bags so that the child can take their own plates and cutlery wherever they go….. not sure whether that would take off but you never know!

Never to late for teenagers either…………

Well if the European Table Manners setting above came a bit late for your teenagers do not fear… The late Walter Hoving (1897-1989), who was the former chairman of Tiffany’s of New York, penned “Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers as a result of his belief that the simple skill is sadly neglected. He believed that good table manners, which are often overlooked, should start early in life so they become used automatically. The book has recently been republished by Random House and is available for all good houses lacking in teenage etiquete via Amazon.

“It is customary for the young man to help the young lady on his right to be seated. When you both have been seated, don’t look around like a startled beetle {modern day version would be don’t pull out your iPhone and start Facebooking that you have just been sat next to a real stunner…. get in!!}. Turn directly to the young lady on your right and start talking.”

The book whilst written with the intention of a serious purpose, essentially has a humorous edge, which together with clever vintage illustrations by the late and highly acclaimed fashion illustrator Joe Eula (whose illustrations have been published in Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar), makes a good coffee table read. As for it’s relation to the modern day table texting teenager…. one critic does comment on whether there would be many teenagers who need to signal to the butler that they have finished with the finger bowl!

And just because you are outdoors…..

….don’t think that the etiquette dies with the picnic.  London based designer Demelza has created Snap and Dine has created the perfect kit to ensure that your manners remain to a high standard in any outdoor situation…

Snap and Dine

“Snap and Dine is a single use three-course table setting that integrates disposable cutlery with traditional silverware. The portable lunch setting expands the possibilities of eating outdoors in style whilst reinforcing the correct use of cutlery, which has been lost over time. This is achieved through the decorative qualities and formal setting which are both a visual references to fine dinning. This product is fun and interactive whilst raising the standards of current eating on the go habits.”

Quite how this would go down at the back yard Aussie BBQ with the lads after a few tinnies…. but if you are game to try!!

So now we have all finished the lesson on modern day ideas to help you keep your table manners in check….. you are excused and may get down from the table….

…..On with the colourful journey……….

#art #DemilZahil #design #etiquette #childrensdining #takeaway #humour #cooking #manners #icecream #books #Funfam #comedy #lunares #Tiffanys