Polite or overbaord?

By Anonymous -
      

Finger food!
When I went to Copenhagen to study abroad my Junior spring semester, I was told about all kind of Danish traditions, customs, and fashion trends. One thing that I found was that at almost every gathering the host would provide some kind of food or drink. This is certainly not uncommon in the States, however, rather than things being store bought they were homemade. Having homemade treats to share with everyone seemed to makes everyone more comfortable. In "The Deepest Sense" Constance Classen discusses the medieval traditions of eating together. "Eating as a group not only made the most efficient use of food and fuel resources, it also strengthened social bonds" (2) As in the medieval tradition, if a large group of people were gathering the food would be made so that you could eat with your hands as you walked around or sat on couches. I really like the way Classen described how eating with your hands "indicated that no artificial barriers or niggling suspicions separated oneself from one’s food and one’s fellows" (2) Although I loved this aspect of Danish hosting, it was not until I went out to dinner that I realized the Danish love for forks and knives.
The Burger
How I felt
    My friend and I went to a burger restaurant, albeit a relatively nice one, and not a soul in there was eating their burger with their hands. As an American I was not only surprised but a little disappointed. Burgers were meant to be eaten with your hands! That is why there are two slices of bread! “'God in his wisdom has provided man with natural forks— his fingers' (Giblin 1987: 46). (7)" In an attempt to blend in, when our order came, we eat our very large delicious gourmet burgers with a fork and knife. Not only did I feel like I was missing out on the opportunity to interact with my food, but I was also not able to get all of the layers of the burger on my fork at one time. Imagine my dismay when I could not even enjoy the burger as it was meant to be enjoyed! I will admit that about halfway through the burger I threw caution and culture to the wind and at the rest of my burger with my hands. I truly believe that it tasted better that way. It also made my dinner with my friend feel far less formal.
    Throughout the rest of the semester, no matter what was put on my plate at the table, most of the time I ate it with a fork and knife. It took time to get used to eating sandwiches with utensils but I managed. I never really thought about how the usage of utensils changed the social atmosphere but I can completely identify with it. I think we need to have more finger food in life and bring us all a little closer together and feel less like we have to stand on ceremony all of the time.

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