Description of some types of forks: dining, salad, dessert, fish. How to use forks correctly for eating meat, fish dishes, salads and desserts. Rules of etiquette.
The fork appeared in the everyday life of Europeans in the 15th century. Before that, both kings and slaves ate food with spoons, knives and their own hands. The first forks were flat, two-pronged and rather uncomfortable. Gradually acquiring a modern shape, the cutlery with cloves began to "overgrow" with many modifications: forks appeared for desserts, fish, salads and other dishes.
Dining fork
A dinner fork is a regular four-pronged fork that is intended for use in main courses. Served with a table knife. The dinner fork is taken in the left hand, the knife in the right. In order to separate the meat from the main piece, the fork is turned over with the curved side up and stuck into the meat at a slight angle. Cut a piece with a knife and send it with a fork into the mouth. To take a side dish from a plate, turn the fork over with the curved side down and use it like a spoon, helping yourself with a knife.
Fish fork
The fish fork is smaller than the dinner fork. It has four or three flat teeth. Sometimes two pairs of teeth are separated in the middle by a shallow notch. In good restaurants, a fish knife is served with the fish; if it is not available, two forks are used to eat the fish. If you are served a whole piece of fish, press it against a plate with one fork, and use the other fork to separate the fish meat from the bones. After eating this piece, flip the piece over to the other side and repeat the process. Ideally, a neat fish skeleton should remain on the plate after you finish eating.
Salad fork
The salad fork has four prongs and a wide base. This shape was given to the fork specifically so that with its help it was possible to use different types of salads. A salad knife is served with a salad fork. They use a salad fork in the same way as a dining one: turn it over with the curved side up and stick it into large pieces or leaves, cutting them off with a knife. When serving finely sliced salad, use the fork as a spoon.
Dessert fork
The dessert fork is the smallest fork with two or three shortened prongs. There are dessert forks for pies, cakes and pastries, and special two-pronged forks for fruits. If the dessert knife is not served, then the dessert fork is held in the right hand: the pieces of dessert are separated with the edge of the fork, pricked and sent to the mouth. During the buffet table, a baking fork is used: a device with a wide, pointed extreme tooth. These cut pieces of baked goods with a prong like a knife, holding a plate of dessert in one hand.
