No teeth action...to hold cutlery to folding napkins.

I have a pet peeve about people picking their teeth in any way shape or form.
I got two great books from my friend who works at Buckingham Palace which are the Butler's Guide to Table Manners and Her Ladyship's Guide to Modern Manners. They are both entertaining reads to say the least. The Butler's Guide is written by Nicholas Clayton - a member of the The Guild of Professional English Butlers who has several years' experience in the field. On p.76 & 77 of his book he speaks about oral etiquette at the dinner table, he says:

Restaurants have supplied toothpicks for years and there are rules of etiquette for their use. There are a few more in the book but these three are my faves.

• Before gouging around with a pick, try a swill of water
• Go somewhere to probe the teeth in private, never do it at the table (SO many people pick their teeth on the tube and at dinner tables - it is just wrong!)
• Never do the thing with the flattened hand over the top lip in a failed attempt to hide the picking going on underneath, this is unparalled in its vulgarity (yes indeed)

Get the book for your friends who don't have the best table manners.

Served at the PalaceI was invited to watch the changing of the guard and have post event drinks at Buckingham Palace last week but unfortunately I could not attend (What would I have worn to that anyway?! All my hats are page boy caps). The report back was that it was a lovely day and the crew got to drink Moscow Mules afterwards with some of the officers. Don't ask how or why I refused an invite to the palace :)

The crew were served Moscow Mules in traditional copper mugs. The Moscow Mule is a highball drink - highball means that it is a drink with a base of alcohol and mixed with a larger percentage of a non-alcoholic beverage (coke, juice, tonic). The mule is made with vodka, ginger beer, lime and Angostura bitters (bitters are made with herbs and citrus dissolved in alcohol with a mix of spices blended -bitters are used for flavoring of cocktails)

Can you tell I am back in the UK-the alcohol posts will be flowing in!? Hopefully another invite to the palace will come along again. Thanks DJ for the info - next time take pics!



;)