Forks were first used in the Middle Ages, but eating with one was considered scandalous. In the 11th century, when a Greek princess died shortly after introducing forks at her wedding with a Venetian Doge (chief magistrate) Domenico Selvo, it was perceived as divine punishment.

While forks were a regular feature on the tables of nobles in Italy since the 11th century, and used in France in the 14th century, it was introduced in England only in 1611 by Thomas Coryat through his book Coryat’s Curdities Hastily Gobbled up in Five Months Travels in France, Savoy, Italy. Even then, he was mocked about promoting the use of forks and called “Furcifer”,meaning fork-bearer.

The upper classes of Spain were using forks in the 16th century, as could be told from a large assortment of forks that were recovered from the wreck of La Girona, which sank off the coast of Ireland in 1588. In 1630, Governor Winthrop of Massachusetts had the first and only fork in colonial America.

So what did people eat with before using forks? They used wooden spoons, knifes and, of course, their hands.

Forks, mostly being two-tined, were known as “split spoons”. Although there are examples of four- and five-tined forks from before the 1600s, the four-tined fork became popular only in the late 1800s.

In Thailand, it is still considered scandalous to bring the food to your mouth with a fork; you only use the fork to bring the food in your spoon to eat it.



What to do when

When do you start eating

Despite what mother told you, culinary experts say you do not always have to wait for everyone to begin, start eating hot food when it is served. For cold foods or buffets, wait for the host to announce dinner, and wait until the head guest starts dishing.



Foods you can eat by hand

1. Bread: break slices of bread, rolls and muffins in half or into small pieces by hand before buttering.

2. Bacon: if there’s fat on it, eat it with a knife and fork. If it is crisp, crumble it with a fork and eat with your fingers.

3. Finger meals: Follow the cue of your host. If finger meals are offered on a platter, place them on your plate before putting them into your mouth.

4. Foods meant to be eaten by hand: corn on the cob, spareribs, lobster, clams and oysters on the half shell, chicken wings, sandwiches, certain fruits, olives, celery, dry cakes and cookies.



Removing inedible items from your mouth:

1. Olive pits: drop delicately into your palm before putting them onto your plate.

2. Chicken bone: use your fork to return it to the plate.

3. Fish bones: remove with your fingers.

4. Bigger pieces: bigger bones or food you don’t appreciate you should, without anybody noticing, remove from your mouth and put into your napkin, so that you can keep it out of sight.



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What goes where on the table

Real easy, the etiquette experts tell us. The general rule with utensils is to start from the outside of your place setting, and work your way toward the service plate (the main meal plate): soup spoon first, then fish knife and fork, then service knife and fork.