Atlanta and Company x How To Eat Your Favorite Foods!

One of my earliest memories of being held accountable for proper table and dining etiquette dates back to the ripe young age of nine and my fabulous (and greatly beloved) fourth grade teacher.  In between managing our homeroom, being hands-on with her students, and silencing the childish noise in French (yes, French), she made valuable use of our lunch periods by making social graces a priority.  That, coupled with ongoing reinforcements on the home front, left me especially fond of etiquette in its many varieties all these years later.

And so, several years ago, I created my How To Eat series here on DMRFF to share quick and fun dining tutorials for some of our best beloved foods.  The results?  Better dining finesse (a.k.a. confidence) and a higher etiquette I.Q.

And then the most wonderful thing happened...(drum roll, please) and last week I appeared on the long-standing and uber popular daytime show, Atlanta and Company, sharing some of my How To Eat wisdom on pasta, bacon and bread and butter.  (Can you say, awesome?!)

In case you missed it, you can watch me here.  And be sure to check the archives for even more foods in this fun series!

Happy Eating!

{Put an Egg on It}: Recipes, Cooking Techniques & More!

Herbed Baked Eggs

Welcome to the wonderful world of eggs!  Boiled. Baked. Scrambled. Poached. Frittatas. Omelets. (Okay, by now you get the picture.)  The incredible, edible egg is indeed one versatile and mouth-watering star ingredient fueling some of our most delicious dreams. 

I, for one, have taken to incorporating them into my diet more since the new year debuted (the boiled variety is a favorite for protein-fueled breakfasts and snacking).  But did you ever consider that when it comes to preparing them, technique is involved?  Well, there is.  And today's post is dedicated to all the egg-noshing, technique, and etiquette savvy, that I can muster.  If you're like me, you'll soon be saying, 'put an egg on it!'. 

Recipes ~

Herbed Baked Eggs are one of my absolute favorite ways to indulge.  Easy, yet elegant, they're even great for entertaining (think brunch).  For more ways to indulge, here are 44 (yes, 44) additional recipes to keep your egg recipe rotation in high gear.

Technique ~ 

What every good cook needs, but admittedly sometimes lacks, is the skill to pull off the runny, poached egg, light and fluffy omelet, and immaculate golden yolk that boiled eggs are made of.  If that's someone you know ;), then help is here.  These tips and tricks will have your egg game strong before you can say, 'what's for breakfast?'.

Etiquette ~ 

And once all the "work" is done, all that's left is the eating, right?  Well, before you do, make sure you know exactly how to eat them.  My quick and fun dining tutorial will equip you in no time.

Now... on to Happy Eating!

HOW TO EAT: Lobster

Photo: Saveur.com

I remember how "special" lobster was growing up.  In my world, it was the extra fancy, super special occasion, deep pockets, type of food that remained largely elusive until my early adult years, unless you count the time, during my college days, that Nikki Giovanni (yes, the Nikki Giovanni, poet extraordinaire) shared some of her lobster with me at the local Red Lobster before her speaking engagement at the University later that evening.  (I guess that falls in the super special occasion bucket.)

Beyond that indelible memory, however, it would be a while before my food passion would lead me to embrace lobster in all its glory.  I'd venture to say it's still a delicacy by most accounts, but these days it doesn't require a big ta-da or fancy restaurant to enjoy this seafood royalty.  Instead, lobster can be found amping up favorites like risotto, pot pies and mac and cheese, in lobster rolls, as a bisque, or simply boiled and served on its delicious lonesome (with melted butter, of course.)

However it comes, the best thing about lobster, without question, is eating it!  And our latest "how to eat" installment serves up another easy tutorial for enjoying every last bite of this crustacean, along with a couple of must-try recipes to bring lobster into your kitchen.

Happy Eating!

Eating Lobster:
First crack the claws with a nutcracker.  Then extract the meat with a seafood fork, dip it in butter or sauce, and eat.  Cut large pieces with a fork.  Pull off and clean the small claws, sucking on the ends as if you were drinking through a straw.  Stuffed lobster and hardshell crabs are eaten with a fork and knife.

Best Ever Lobster Roll

Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter

HOW TO EAT: Bacon

It's been a while since we shared our last "how to eat" installment, so I'm excited to bring another favorite to the dining and etiquette table.  

Everything is better with bacon, the saying goes.  And if that's your motto, then this latest tutorial is just for you.  Bacon is one edible that effortlessly finds its way into almost any meal--whether we're talking breakfast, lunch, dinner or even dessert, on occasion.  The smoky and somewhat salty bite adds its undeniable signature to everything from salads to burgers to seafood (think bacon-wrapped scallops) to popcorn and much more.  

So here's to that delectable bite...and to Happy Eating!

Eating Bacon
Eat with a fork and knife.  Only very crisp bacon may be eaten with your fingers.
Photo Credit

Stick a Fork In It! {The Right Fork for Every Course}

Dining in style = dining with confidence.  And nothing spawns confidence when dining quite like knowing your way around the table -- including the array of flatware that can loom ominous and downright confusing.  

As fork etiquette goes, however, not to fret.  This enchanting work from Julia Rothman lays it all out in splendid and colorful detail.  Armed with this piece as your reference, you'll never have to hesitate to stick a fork in it ever again!

Happy Eating!

HOW TO EAT: Shrimp

Similar to a painter's canvas that's open for interpretation, shrimp is a food that lends itself perfectly to the cook's tastes, easily taking on flavors, and can be enjoyed in seemingly endless preparations.  So, is there any wonder that questions about how to eat them exist?  Tail on? Tail off? With, or sans, knife and fork? By hand? And on and on they go.  

To help take the mystery out of proper noshing of this favorite ingredient, we're offering up the latest installment in our how to eat tutorials.  And to ensure you have the opportunity for lots of "practice", we're tossing in a couple of our favorite recipes for the best in shrimp eats. 

Enjoy and Happy Eating!  

Eating Shrimp

Cocktail shrimp are eaten with a seafood fork.  Eat large shrimp in two bites.  If the tails have been left on, hold the shrimp by the tail with your fingers.  Dip in sauce, bite off, and discard the tail.

Creole-Spiced Shrimp 

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi 

  

HOW TO EAT: Corn on the Cob

I think we can all agree that BBQ season is officially here!  And there's nothing that screams BBQ fare quite like corn on the cob.  Whether you enjoy it grilled, roasted, slathered in your favorite compound butter, or all on its natural, sweet lonesome, it's undeniably an all-around favorite for those casual, yet scrumptious, menus that we love to serve when the heat is on.

And in today's how to eat installment, we're putting this yummy bite front and center with a quick and fun tutorial on the best (and proper) way to devour your corn. 

Enjoy...and Happy Eating!

Eating Corn on the Cob

Butter and season several rows at a time, not the whole ear at once. Hold the ear firmly with both hands and eat.  Corn is served only at casual meals.
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HOW TO EAT: Tortillas

Photo: Cooking Channel

The thought of warm tortillas filled with all kinds of goodness always brings a smile to my face.  A staple in one of my favorite cuisines, Mexican, they serve as the perfect bed for almost anything you can dream up and pair well with favorite meats, as well as in vegetarian preparations.

With Cinco de Mayo celebrations preparing to kick-off,  I'm excited to share our latest "how to eat" tutorial on this delicious Mexican staple that yields itself to great recipes--and just in time for the party!     

Happy Eating!

Eating Tortillas

Place plain tortillas flat on your hand or plate.  Fill, roll up, and eat from the end.  Baked tortillas covered in cheese and sauces are eaten with a fork and knife.

HOW TO EAT: Eggs

The incredible, edible egg!  This small wonder is the base for some of our most beloved dishes and equally delectable all on its own.  Whether we're talking souffles, omelets, frittatas, poached, hard-boiled or deviled varieties, and more, it's true that eggs are all around superstars in the world of good eats.  

While vacationing recently, I enjoyed eggs almost every morning for breakfast, so you could say I've had "eggs on the brain" for the last little while, and I'm excited to feature them in our latest "how to eat" series.  In addition to our dining tutorial, you can up your egg game by diving into Bon Appetit's Egg Primer for great recipes, tips, videos and more on the fabulous egg!

Happy Eating!

Eating Eggs:

Eat hard-cooked eggs with a fork.  To eat soft-cooked eggs served in an egg cup, slice off the cap with a knife and eat directly from the shell with a spoon.  Soft-cooked eggs may also be scooped out of the shell into a small dish and eaten with a spoon. 
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HOW TO EAT: Potatoes

Potatoes are undisputed comfort food.  Whether you're enjoying them baked, mashed (somehow everything seems better with a bowl of luscious, mashed potatoes), roasted, fried--my personal favorite--or any other way you want 'em, there's so much to love.  

Potatoes bring heft to dishes like soups and stews, pair well with most poultry and meat, and can even stand on their own as main courses.  Beyond their yumminess factor, potatoes also offer up healthy doses of nutrition, such as the Vitamin A and beta-carotene laden sweet potato.  And the affordability of potatoes make them a staple in almost every kitchen.

So with all this goodness surrounding them, I'm excited to feature these versatile spuds in today's installment of our "how to eat" series.  Enjoy the tutorial and let me know your favorite way to enjoy potatoes.

Happy Eating!

Eating Potatoes:

Eat baked potatoes from the skin with a fork, and then eat the skin with a fork and knife.  Add butter by taking some from your butter plate with your dinner knife.  Do not mash potatoes on your plate.  French fries are halved and eaten with a fork.  Eat chips and shoestring potatoes with your fingers.  

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HOW TO EAT: Sandwiches

There are sandwiches to suit almost any occasion--whether you're hosting a tea party or rooting on your favorite sports team or something in between.  And no matter the occasion, you'll want to know how to eat 'em!  

Here enters our latest "how to eat" installment; a simple, quick tutorial that will have you at your sandwich savvy best.

Happy Eating!

Eating Sandwiches

Tea-type sandwiches and canapes are eaten with the fingers.  (A canape is an appetizer consisting of a piece of bread or toast or a cracker topped with a savory spread.)  Club sandwiches may be eaten with a fork and knife or cut into fourths and eaten with the fingers.  Open faced sandwiches should be eaten with a fork and knife.

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HOW TO DRINK: Water

With the resolutions for healthier living and eating that abound this time of the year, water is sure to be the beverage of choice for those on a serious mission.  And with the upside-only benefits that this liquid powerhouse brings to the table, is it any wonder?  Probably not.  What may be of wonder, however, is that there is a proper way to drink it.

With water (hopefully) on everyone's minds--and in everyone's mouths--more and more lately, I thought now would be the perfect time to introduce it into our "how to eat" series, although today's installment is more accurately titled "how to drink".  

So before your next refill, learn more about this precious resource--how to drink it, that is.

Happy (Water) Drinking!

Drinking Water

Blot your mouth before taking a drink.  Do not drink water while food is in your mouth, roll water around your mouth, or swallow loudly.  If you have taken too hot a mouthful of food, sip a bit of water.  Do not forcefully drain an entire glassful. Hold a tumbler-type glass near the bottom, a small stem glass by the stem, and large goblets at the bottom of the bowl.

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HOW TO EAT: Sauces

I'm an undisputed sauce girl!  And when I come across a sauce that I like, "more is more" is the mantra that applies.  Sauces done right carry the perfect nuance of flavor and can elevate dishes single-handedly.  Whether it's salty fish sauce, tangy hot sauce, smoky barbecue sauce, decadent gravy, or any other scrumptious, sauce-y concoction, when you indulge, it's the best thing ever.  At least for me, anyway.

My latest tutorial in our "how-to-eat" series gives us the simple rules of the road for enjoying all things saucy. 

Happy Eating!

Eating Sauces

Sauces may be poured over or beside meat.  A forkful of food at a time may be dipped into the sauce.

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HOW TO EAT: Chicken, Duck and Turkey

If ever there was a season for all things poultry, this is it.  And I, for one, couldn't be more thrilled!  Whether you're talking fried chicken, roasted turkey, Peking duck, or any other variation of these beloved eats, there is an excitement when they're on the menu.

Seasonally timed for your holiday meals, soirees--and beyond (think left overs), comes the latest installation in our "how to eat" series. 

Happy (Poultry) Eating!

Eating Chicken, Duck and Turkey
Eat with a fork and knife.  Fried chicken is only eaten with the fingers at a picnic or a casual family gathering.



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HOW TO EAT: Pasta

If you've ever been guilty of cutting your noodles down to size or even using a spoon to assist in eating that universal delicacy known as pasta, then today's "how to eat" tutorial is just for you.

Beloved the world over, there are likely no shortages of ways people like to eat their pasta, and today we'll get you going in the right direction for some yummy--and proper--noshing.

Happy Eating!

Eating Pasta:

To eat spaghetti (or other long noodles), use your fork and separate a few strands.  Hold the tip of the prongs against the plate and twirl the fork around to gather the strands onto it.  Don't stir and don't use a spoon.  Even in Italy the use of a spoon is frowned upon except at very informal, family-style meals.  Small-sized pasta such as tortellini, ziti, and penne are eaten with a fork.



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HOW TO EAT: Bread and Butter

Today I'm serving up another tutorial in our "how to eat" series.  This time it's for our beloved--or dare I say irresistible temptation--bread and butter.  Just thinking of this satiating duo brings a smile to my face and, no doubt, yours, too.  So whenever and however you choose to indulge, here's the "how to".  Happy Eating!

Eating Bread and Butter
Do not pull the roll in half.  Break off only one bite of your bread or roll at a time, then butter it with your butter spreader and eat.  Do the buttering on your plate, not in your hand.  When butter is passed, take a portion onto your butter plate with the butter server.  If pats are used, pick them up with a fork and place on your plate.

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HOW TO EAT: Oysters and Clams

Photo: France Ruffenach

Today's "how to eat" installation was inspired by a request from a DMRFF reader.  I love hearing from you, my readers--and fellow eaters--and once again am excited to share a tutorial on eating.  This time on fresh oysters and clams.


Enjoy & Happy Eating!


Eating (Fresh) Oysters and Clams:
Use an oyster fork for oysters and clams served on the half-shell.  Hold the shell with one hand and remove the oyster or clam whole with the fork.  Dip it in the sauce, and eat it in one mouthful.  Large oysters may be cut in half.
  

HOW TO EAT: Watermelon

Juicy, sweet, refreshing (and figure-friendly).  Add these tags and more to the yumminess that we call watermelon.  As versatile as it is delectable, watermelon is one of my favorite fruits for everything from salads to drinks to plain 'ole snacking.


As the Labor Day weekend kicks off, you may already be thinking what I'm thinking:  bring on the melon!  So to give a boost to your eating on this front, check out my latest "how to eat" tutorial.


And as always, Happy Eating!




Eating Watermelon:

Eat with a fork unless cubed.  Eat with a spoon when cut into small pieces and served in a dish.  Use a fork and knife when served with the rind attached.  Drop seeds into your cupped hand and place them on the side of your plate.

HOW TO EAT: Artichokes

Social graces and dining are common bedfellows.  Admittedly, the dining "do's and don'ts" are not always obvious.  Everything from which fork goes with which course to "how to" eat ______ can confront the conscious eater.  Which is why I'm excited to introduce the "How To Eat" series here on DMRFF.

The series will offer a quick snapshot of some of our favorite foods--and provide mini tutorials on the proper way to eat them, as advised in The Little Book of Etiquette.

First up on the menu are our beloved artichokes.

Happy Eating!




Eating An Artichoke:
Eat with your fingers.  Remove each leaf separately, dip the soft end in sauce, and then pull it through your teeth to remove the edible portion.  Discard the remainder of the leaf on the side of your plate.  Secure the heart with a fork and scrape the thistle away with a knife.  Then cut the heart into pieces and eat with a fork.

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