''Hello Katarina. I once read that asparagus is supposed to be eaten with your hands. Is it true? Doesn’t it then all get messy?''
E. R.
Dear E. R.,
what an interesting question!
Indeed, when it comes to etiquette, asparagus is quite a tricky food and it might get even trickier when I tell you there are actually 2 ways to eat it. Let’s decode it together:
WHEN ASPARAGUS IS FINGER FOOD
If asparagus is served as a course on its own, especially with a sauce on the side, it’s actually considered finger food. You’re welcome to pick it up and enjoy it bite by bite, using your hands. This classic approach may feel surprising, but it’s perfectly acceptable in many formal dining settings.
WHEN TO USE KNIFE AND FORK
However, when asparagus is served as part of a larger dish, paired with other ingredients like a steak or fish, it loses its status as finger food. In this case, proper etiquette calls for using your knife and fork to cut and eat the asparagus, just like the rest of the meal.
I won’t be surprised if you find the first way of eating asparagus a bit shocking, as it might go against everything we know about dining etiquette. But that is actually the beauty of it - we need to know the rules, so we know when to break them.
I wish you a beautiful day ahead!
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
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