Recently I was out at a museum event with a friend. Members and supporters of the Canadian Museum of Nature were invited to attend. It was a great event showcasing Canada's north. The museum opened a new gallery and we were amoung the first to see it.
The event included a cocktail reception and cash bar. Everything was beautifully set-up with food and flavours highlighting aboriginal culture and delicacies. Having recently visited Nunavut, I was thrilled to be a part of something so special while celebrating National Aboriginal Day.
We tasted wonderful appetizers including caribou sliders and arctic hare served on bannock. There were different dips and tables artistically set-up with glass blocks which reminded me of ice and the arctic landscape.
One thing that was surprising, was how many people lack etiquette when eating in a social setting. Although many of the appetizers and hors d'oeuvres were served, there were tables with various bowls of dip including beet, hummous and I believe a spinach dip surrounded by bannock triangles to eat them with. There were small appetizer plates and napkins. Each dip had a serving soon and there were several pairs of tongs intended to be used for the bannock. I was grateful for being amoung the first to arrive because not long afterwards, people were dipping their fingers into the dips and licking them, taking bites out of their bread and double dipping, grabbing bread with their hands and not the pieces on top actually digging through the lot to pick certain pieces! So much for using plates, napkins and serving utensils. It was shocking, many of us stood and just watched in disgust. Others loaded their tiny plates like they needed to stock pile in the event of a shortage.
Are people truly that clueless and inconsiderate? My appetite quickly dissipated. My kids demonstrate way more etiquette than grown adults accustomed to attending these types of receptions. How sad. I so wanted to say something, it was hard not to. My friend stopped eating and went out to the lobby. How rude!
My Mother would have had a heart attack and definitely would have scolded people. Having grown up attending all kinds of receptions thanks to my Mom being a caterer to most of the embassies in town, I found it shocking.
Note to all who attend events where there are food stations, be considerate of others. Do you want to taste other people's dirty fingers or share their saliva? I think not. When it comes to serving yourself, it isn't a contest to see how much food you can get onto your plate. You'd think some these people hadn't eaten in a year! For me the worse is people who overload their plates with food then leave it on a chair or table and walk away because they don't like it. My goodness, try a bit first. You can always go back for more after everyone else has had a chance to try it. Contrary to popular belief, a cocktail reception is not intended to be a full meal. You're not there to gorge. Think of it as an appetizer or snack before or after you have dinner or between meals. You have a few drinks and some bites while you socialize and listen to speeches. It's an opportunity to try new things and be adventurous, but it doesn't mean you should be wasteful and ruin the experience for others.
Note, the same etiquette applies at buffets and anywhere food is served as far as I'm concerned.
Ok, I vented. If even only one person reads this and thinks twice when they attend their next cocktail reception or buffet, then my post was well worth it. Swapping saliva is fine with your significant other, in an arena with hundreds of others....not so much.
My conclusion: Think before you double dip and please use the utensils!
Carm the Foodie
