>>like not pulling off a chunk of bread but cutting it nicely<<

Actually Pal -- with some exceptions bread is usually broken at the table, not cut

I sincerely doubt "the average foreign visitor" will be eating in a genuine French home during his vacation. AirBnB does not count.

I also doubt "the average foreign visitor" - who always seems to be on an unrealistic budget - would be interested in visiting (much less dressing up to the nines and obeying the rules of etiquette while there) the kind of restaurant which would set the table properly with Baccarat and Christofle and which would of course know which way the fork tines and knife edge should go, among other things.

I was taught that if bread is not pre-sliced, it is proper to tear off a small piece. The bread knife is dull, not meant to slice bread, but to apply butter or another spread, if offered.

I think some people are in way over their heads on this particular post. Wishful thinking about inheriting Granny's silver, maybe?

Bread is not meant to be sliced when on the table.

The phrase, "To break bread", meaning to dine, or begin the meal, has always been taken literally in our family. There is nothing so satisfying, IMHO, than to tear off a bit of crust from a freshly baked boule, slather on butter and ---- well now I'm hungry.

well yes the bread in their case is always sliced with part of the baguette or whatever left uncut in the cheap plastic basket they pass it around in but I thought I was upbraided for breaking i off - maybe since 'mi-mere' and'tante janette' the two old fuss-fudgets who hostedthe dinners have died off so it was a while ago - I do recall at other folks though breaking bread so I must be wrong.

>>but I thought I was upbraided <<

Maybe they were just tired of your paint addiction . . . >)

Some types of bread are cut, most are broken.

Janis,

Lighten up; it's the 21st century, if you hadn't noticed!

PS only you interpreted my comment as being about, "snobs"!

PPS I think you will find there is not one definitive way of using things when it comes to eating in the majority of French restaurants!

PPPS Tearing bread is the norm in French restaurants!!!!

janis dear - pain expert - what bread is sliced and what is torn. (99% of bread I've seen at these gatherings is the plain old baguettes - no pain artisinale as you are probably used to or pain de compaigne - pardon my French too.

How did you become such a French bread expert? a bread class in Folsom library? Curious.

I read pain as in english, no as 'pain' bread...

Maybe Janis paid attention... It is not so difficult after all. What she/he (forgot) said up to now is quite correct actually.

mvg

I've contacted a Fodor's moderator who has agreed to insert "IMHO" at the beginning of every post in this thread. Not sure that the 'H' is appropriate.

pain or paint? You tear one the other tears you?

IMO the really "correct" behavior here is to be damned glad you are still able to feed yourself and who the hell cares if somebody is "horrified?"