Etiquette Boss: Eat foods correctly

Baked potatoes: Do not cut baked potatoes open at the table. They can be cut in the kitchen and served open on the plate; if not, open with a fork and your fingers. Butter is added with a fork instead of a knife. However, if the potato is to be eaten with the skin, cut with knife and fork before eating.

Pits, seeds or bones removal: Any stone or seed, in such foods as stewed prunes or cherries, which are eaten with a spoon, should be returned to the plate on the same spoon.

Anything that needs to be removed from the mouth at the table should be taken out with the same utensil used to insert it. Other pits that are inserted by hand can be discreetly removed and placed on the appropriate plate.

Olive pits are placed on the bread and butter plate, but those of grapes, peaches and other fruit, on the fruit plate. If none is provided, all seeds can be placed at the edge of the dinner plate.

Bread and butter: In a previous column, I stated that a roll should not be treated as a sandwich, in which the entire bread is opened and buttered.

A roll is often an accompaniment to a meal, instead of the meal, as is a sandwich. Therefore, the roll is meant to be eaten casually during conversation, broken into bite sized pieces immediately before being eaten.

The bread should be held close to the rim of the bread plate when being buttered, instead of in the air or palm of the hand. If a butter knife is presented with the plate, it is returned to the plate after each use, instead of being propped against it or rested on the dinner plate.

Hot biscuits are handled as rolls, in that they are broken instead of cut open. If the biscuit is small, it may be buttered in one piece.

Beauty in your kitchen

White tea has been placed in many cosmetics because of its astringent and beautifying properties. Make your own by purchasing a box of ‘white tea’ bags (available in supermarkets)

Instead of using the tea bag for tea, use only enough water to draw; and after cleansing, pat the cool tea bag on the face and neck. Follow up with a pat of moisturizer or coconut oil.

Kefir is a fermented drink that is sold in most supermarkets. After cleansing, pat some on your face before going to bed. It is said that this improves the complexion and tones the skin.

Phillipa Morrish is the president of Etiquette Training International.