Table Manners

1) The Soup Dish

Dinner usually begins with soup. The largest spoon at your place is the soup spoon. It will be beside your plate at the right-hand side.

2) The Fish Dish

If there is a fish dish, it will probably follow the soup. There may be a special fork for the fish.

3) The Meat dish

The main dish is usually served by the host himself, especially if it is a fowl(鸡禽)or a roast which need to be carved. He will often ask each guest what piece you likes, to lean or fat, dark（红肉） or light（白肉）.

4) Using Knife and Fork

If you have English and American friends you will notice a few differences in their customs of eating. For the main or meat dishes, the English keep the fork in the left hand, point curved downward. Americans carve the meat in the same position, then lay down the knife and taking the fork in the right hand…..

5) Helping Yourself and Refusing

If a servant passes food around, he will pass the dish in at your left hand so that you can conveniently serve yourself with your right hand. It is polite to take some of everything that is passed to you. But if there is something you may not like, you may quietly say: "No, thank you."

6) The Salad Dish

A salad is eaten with a fork only held in the right hand with points turned up. There is usually a special one for the salad, a little smaller than the meat fork.

7) Bread and Butter

Bread is taken in the fingers and laid on the side plate or the edge of the large plate, it is never take with a fork. Butter is taken from the butter dish with the butter knife and placed on the side plate.

8) Other Things on the Table

When there are things on the middle of the table, such as bread, butter, jelly(果冻), pickles（盐醋汁）, candies, you should not take any until the hostess suggested 。。。。。。