To many, the mysterious world of table etiquette is one that remains largely unexplored. Beyond taking off our hats, keeping our elbows off the table, and avoiding political conversations, most of us never learn the subtleties that make up proper dining behavior. After all, a spoon’s a spoon and a plate’s a plate, right?
Sometimes, though, there is a method to the madness. Dip into proper etiquette and you may find new ways to not only make your meal more refined, but more fulfilling as well. Case in point, eating bread and butter. If done properly, your table’s butter supply will stay clean of cross contamination and each bite of bread you devour will be perfectly coated in creamy knobs of butter. If done improperly, your host will end up with a pile of crumb-stricken, germ-coated butter and your own bread will be a smashed, poorly buttered slice of disappointment.
If you refuse to heed the instructions above and eat your bread like a proper gentleman, at least do something amusing with your rolls, like, say, making them dance.
1: Transfer bread/roll from the serving tray onto your bread plate, which is to the upper left of your dinner plate. If there isn’t a separate plate, put the bread on your dinner plate.
2: Transfer a part of butter (~1 tbsp) to your bread plate or to the edge of your dinner plate with the serving knife.
3: Break off a bite-sized piece of bread and hold it in your fingers while you add butter with your individual knife. Repeat until all the bread is consumed.
Like this illustrated guide? Then you’re going to love our book The Illustrated Art of Manliness! Pick up a copy on Amazon.
