American Dining & Entertaining Etiquette

Should you serve red wine at a cocktail hour? Is food passed clockwise or counterclockwise during a meal? Which hand should you use to hold a fish knife? (Do you know what a fish knife is?) Host Ruth Kern grew up during a time when Sunday dinner was eaten in the dining room, according to specific dos and don'ts. In this etiquette video, Kern instructs viewers in table manners related to cutlery, napkins, and serving and eating protocol, covering everything from the proper way to hold a knife, to where to place your left hand while sipping wine. Although the idea of proper etiquette is nothing new (the earliest known written rules for social behavior date back to 2000 B.C. in Egypt), serious adherence to the rules slid somewhat after the 1960s when baby boomers began to question all forms of authority (even Emily Post); today, however, etiquette seems to be back on the social menu, typified in the popularity, for example, of Miss Manners. A solid introduction to dining etiquette, this is recommended. [Note: also available on VHS at the same price are: American Etiquette for a Formal Party and An Etiquette Afternoon.] Aud: P. (J. Asala)