North vs South

[33girl]

OK, a couple posts back, someone said something about eating spaghetti with a fork being bad manners. What else on God's green earth would one eat spaghetti with? A pair of pliers?

I know we've had the "ma'am" discussion before. I am one of those people who's immensely offended by it. The only time I ever use that word is jokingly, to friends. As far as calling people Miss Firstname, I only recall one incidence of that in my life. It was a lady in my church who lived to be 100 and we called her "Miss Rose" since she had the same first name as her nephew's wife - therefore there were two Rose Lastnames. And I don't think people called her "Miss Rose" when they were conversing with her.

At one of my retail jobs, the company and therefore the people training us (this was a new store setup) were all from Tennessee. They were very big on the "Southern hospitality" thing and their version of customer service. Well - I have to say when they were on the sales floor, it did nothing but drive customers away. They were just too obsequious and cloying and the customers were annoyed because they wouldn't leave them alone. We like anyone who's serviing us to have manners and be polite, but that doesn't mean the same thing here as it does there. We want help when we want it, but when we say we don't - we mean that too.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by 33girl

OK, a couple posts back, someone said something about eating spaghetti with a fork being bad manners. What else on God's green earth would one eat spaghetti with? A pair of pliers?

It was me. The proper way according to some people (on another message board) is using a fork to twirl the spaghetti and then placing it on a spoon. In some restaurants, they even have a special spoon for spaghetti. I don't use it of course.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

It was me. The proper way according to some people (on another message board) is using a fork to twirl the spaghetti and then placing it on a spoon. In some restaurants, they even have a special spoon for spaghetti. I don't use it of course.

If anything, the "twirl it against the spoon" thing is what's rude. Only peasants use a spoon in Italy. (Direct quote from Emily Post, BTW) And I've NEVER heard of actually putting it on a spoon and eating it with a spoon!! If you can't manage to twirl spaghetti without hitting everyone with sauce, cut it with your fork. Or order penne pasta instead.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by 33girl

If anything, the "twirl it against the spoon" thing is what's rude. Only peasants use a spoon in Italy. (Direct quote from Emily Post, BTW) And I've NEVER heard of actually putting it on a spoon and eating it with a spoon!! If you can't manage to twirl spaghetti without hitting everyone with sauce, cut it with your fork. Or order penne pasta instead.

I have been verbally harrassed for not using a spoon to twirl my pasta before, lol This individual, whose state I will not name to protect those from there who are no doubt normal and decent people, went on and on about how all of us horrible and undignified Southerners just shouldn't even eat Italian food since we disgrace it by not handling it appropriately (???).