Olives with Stones

Not eating the pit is the proper way. I have never heard of olive etiquette.When we have parties, people eat the olives and I just have a cup on the table with a little label 'Olive pits' for those who are just standing around and didn't get a plate. (just so someone doesn't think it's some weird nut or food offering). I've never heard anyone comment on anyone else's olive eating style, or lack thereof. I mean, don't we all have better things to do?

File this one under "life's too short".

I feel like you need a hobby if how to eat an olive is something you have chosen to investigate.

When my husband and I are dining, we discuss current events, sometimes political stuff, beer, work, but never once have we ate an olive and said holy s!!! are we eating these correctly??!! Nope, don't concern ourselves with modeling proper olive eating. Would you believe that all four of my children were just fine with, there is a pit inside, be careful? didn't even have to tell them not to swallow it, didn't have to tell them to put it on their plate.

I have to agree with Nervy, if you don't eat the pit and don't break a tooth, you did it right.

According to Emily Post:

Olives

Eat olives from an antipasti platter with your fingers; you also use your fingers to remove the pit from your mouth while using your hand as a screen. The pit goes into a small dish provided, or on the side of your plate.

When olives come in a salad, eat them with your fork. Remove a pit from your mouth either with your fingers or by pushing it with your tongue onto your fork; then place the pit on the edge of your dinner plate.

I, personally, nibble around the pit - much the same way Tom Hanks did with the baby corn in "Big"!

(kidding)

I manage to get the olive away from the pit in my mouth, and then discretely expel the pit into my napkin.

Is there another way? Spit the pit into a spittoon? lol

Emily Post would be shocked if she came to my house! We do the same as we do with watermelon - head outside and let the spitting contest commence! I'm pretty sure it's not proper, but it is entertaining!

Seriously? Is there more than one way?

I love your questions.

I only eat olives on pizza, so they are pitted. However, my father is Italian, so Antipasta trays were common while growing up. I was told you can use your fingers, but to spit pits out in a napkin. I couldn't imagine using a finger to remove the pit. I'm stunned by that one.

My general rule with food is this: silent and don't distract.

I'm so not cool. I didn't even think this would be an issue. And when I serve olives, they are pitted for this exact reason. lol Good luck.

I eat them like an apple.

Apparently we do it the Emily Post way. I think the main thing is to NOT have the child spit the pit onto the plate when one's parents or in-laws are present.

If it is in a salad, you use your salad fork, chew to remove the pit. Lift your salad fork to your lips and using your mouth, place the pit on the fork, then lay the pit to the side of the salad plate or bowl using the fork.

I believe the proper way to eat an olive with the pit is to place it in your mouth, and discreetly placed the pit onto a spoon in your mouth and place it on the edge of your plate

In college I was part of a group of students who was regularly brought in for dinners at the university president's house when he had important visitors who wanted to meet students (donors, politicians etc.). As such, we were made to sit through etiquette classes and practice meals and this EXACT thing was covered!

However a pit or seed gets INto your mouth is the way it needs to get OUT of your mouth.

If you're eating olives (or cherries or whatever) casually from a bowl with your fingers, you can spit the pit back out into a napkin, on take it from your lips with your fingers and put it in a napkin.

If you're eating with a fork (like the olives are in a salad say), you push the pit back out onto the fork then use the fork to put it on the side of your plate.

There's really no way to LOOK great while spitting anything out. You just have to know that, and do it the best you can.

T.

I asked someone this and was told that she eats it with a knife and fork. Okay.....I don't like olives so I just don't eat them at all.