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Welcome to... ...more about serving and clearing of tables by Ma. Antonieta Rojas Please let me add that I am Mexican, have always lived in Mexico, but attended a nun's boarding school in the States for four years when I was in high school. That gave me the opportunity of getting quite well acquainted with American table manners, which differ a bit from the ones in my country. e.g. in Mexico Both your hands must rest on the edge of the table while eating, NEVER REST YOUR LEFT HAND ON YOUR LAP AS I RECALL IT IS DONE IN THE STATES; and like that there are other differences as you mention in one of your articles. Each culture has different ways of doing things in many ways. I have also been fortunate enough to travel extensively and therefore I have been exposed to different cultures and have observed different ways of doing things. The part on which I disagree is in CLEARING THE PLATES FROM THE LEFT, although I agree with the part of "tall stemmed glasses and bottles on the right being on the way". By no means do I intend to be, although I might sound pompous. In México, among my family and my relations we DO observe etiquette at every meal, from breakfast to dinner. Children are brought up from the first time they sit at the table to observe good manners, always use cloth napkins, etc. Even the most informal table is set with a tablecloth, we observe the cutlery and glass settings. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IF YOU LEARN TO DO IT THE PROPER WAY YOU WILL ALWAYS DO IT NATURALLY and will NEVER be embarrassed when your presence is required at an invitation by not knowing what to do and when. Let me add that in my country we are not in the rush you are and families get together with aunts and uncles and grandparents almost twice a month and not only for Christmas or Thanksgiving. We do use paper napkins and place mats on the terrace on week ends, if we don't have guests, and by guests as mean my adult children. In Mexico we are very fortunate to have live-in maids whom we can train, not without effort on both sides, to wait on the table and help with the house chores, maids use a uniform when doing their work. I want to mention that all the above is observed at a middle class home. Ma. Antonieta Rojas getMoreInfo on serving and clearing
07/06/2008 10:12:38 AM |
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