asparagus with test tube tongs? dining etiquette revealed

How many moments have we looked down at our place settings and wondered, "Are all these forks really necessary?" Admittedly, the cucchiaino ("little spoon" in Italian) is adorable, and very practical when stirring in a bit of sugar in a small espresso cup. However, for the more obscure instruments at a place setting, like small test tube tongs intended for picking up single spears of asparagus (yes, it’s been done), what’s a person to do? Check out the following links for some top-notch tips on etiquette.

• Virginia Tech Dining Etiquette for Interviews
• Real Simple’s Eating Etiquette in Social Situations

Technorati tags: etiquette, which utensils to use, proper manners

Photo credit: Diego Cervo