Table Manners and Carving Etiquette

If your husband complains when confronted with the Thanksgiving turkey - you might tell him that carving is the Art of Noblemen. In the Middle Ages, Edward IV of England was served by no less than five Royal Carvers, all noblemen of high degree. After the carving, correct etiquette for those times called for a sort of "grab and gobble" technique, without benefit of table cutlery!

Wail of the Man Who Carves for a Large Family

"A Veteran" writes to the Listener of the Boston Transcript to complain of table manners in these later days, incidentally protesting against the hard lot of the father who has to carve for a large family: "In the old way we are taught to wait until the carving and helping was done before beginning to dispose of the food, out of respect to the carver, and so that he might have a chance to get something to eat and not come out behind all others at the table, but modern 'table manners' seem to have changed all that, and if the carver gets anything to eat he is lucky.

“Modern table manners also do not appear to regard it as any way inappropriate to have a newspaper at hand to occupy the time at table. The old way was to occupy the time in lively conversation, and reading a paper or book was disrespectful. In modern table manners there seems no incivility in lighting a cigarette at the table or in adjourning to the hall to smoke one while the table is being cleared for dessert. There are many other innovations in modern table manners which might be noted, but I think many of the old ways best."

The Listener gives the old grumbler comfort. "It is a queer father of a family who expects to carve and get anything to eat. The size of the roast may be simply prodigious, but, even if the young people at the table who were first served do not come around for a second helping by the time the last person is served the first time the roast will probably by that time have got into the shapeless and refractory condition peculiar to roasts, which will incline the carver to content himself with a little bread and gravy– or at least to the edges off the pangs of hunger with something of that sort, while he is organizing a second assault on the roast for the benefit of the others." – Placer Herald, 1898

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

The Etiquette of Carving

In the 15th century, the art of carving properly at the table, was considered an important skill for men. Most early European cookbooks were more carving instructions than actual recipes. One’s reputation could be judged by how well he ceremoniously carved a roast at a large meal. — “The exact spot to begin carving a roast was governed by elaborate rules with slices from the larger beasts presented on a broad-bladed serving carver, cut into four bite-sized pieces held together by the fatty top strap. This was held in the hand, the pieces were chewed off, then it was thrown to the dogs. A thorough knowledge of carving was considered so important that before the golden spurs of knighthood could be granted, a period of noviciate had to be spent as a carving esquire. Carvers in royal and noble households tended to be aristocrats of lesser rank. A knight carved for a baron, a baron for an earl, an earl for a marquis, and so on. The Earls of Denbigh and Desmond are the Hereditary Grand Carvers of England and the Anstruther’s of that Ilk, the heritable Master Carvers to the Royal Household of Scotland. Such was the social gravitas attached to carving, that The Boke of Kervynge was published in 1500 by Wynkyn de Worde for the benefit of upwardly mobile Tudors at a time when few books were being printed at all.” ~ From the field.co.uk

If your husband complains when confronted with the Thanksgiving turkey - you might tell him that carving is the Art of Noblemen. 

In the Middle Ages, Edward IV of England was served by no less than five Royal Carvers, all noblemen of high degree. 

After the carving, correct etiquette for those times called for a sort of “grab and gobble” technique, without benefit of table cutlery! — Desert Sun, 1952

 🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia

Entertaining Monarchs in Style

Entertaining foreign Monarchs can be quite costly… – “The ceilings were studded with Tudor roses, on a gold background. Chairs were smothered with cushions, and cloths of estate, of various shapes and sizes, overlaid with golden tissue and rich embroidery, hung in the state apartments. The walls were hung with the King’s tapestries, and above was a frieze with figures from Greek and Roman mythology and moulds of the King's arms. In fact, pretty much everything was covered in heraldic symbols. Wriothesley, Garter King-of-Arms, was asked to produce a book to “in picture of all the armes…bestes, fowles, devises, badges and cognisances…[of the] kinges hignes, the quenes grace [and] the French king.” These symbols would either be painted, or frequently made of moulds of leather-mache. Outside, there was also some sort of grand staircase on the exterior and, in the courtyard, the famous fountain that streamed claret, hippocras and water into silver cups.” – To read more on this, check out the website, “Tudor Times”

The idea of the Royal banquet is as old as the Monarchy itself. In 1315 a decree was issued which declared that 'feasts' were reserved purely for the Monarch. Dining in public was an important ceremony and a way of offering access to the Sovereign. Close members of the Court were given the honour of serving the King - carving his meat and pouring his wine.

Hospitality and the forming of diplomatic relations have always been among the chief obligations of the Monarch. One of the best- known diplomatic missions undertaken by an English King was that of Henry VIII to visit Francis I of France in 1520. They met near Calais, at the so-called Field of the Cloth of Gold. The monarchs vied to outdo each other in splendour. 

This depiction (above) of the event shows the temporary palaces erected for the occasion - on the far right can be seen the catering arrangements, which were as important for diplomatic relations as any other part of the visit. In the foreground is a fountain flowing with wine, designed by the French to impress their English visitors. — From “The Royal Table: Dining at the Palace,” by Kathryn Jones, 2008

🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia