Some of the most terrifying moments at a dinner or party come when the food is served. If you are the manager of the party, you may want to consider the physical act of getting the morsel from plate to mouth before adding it to the list. Mostly people do not know why they select stuffed celery, artichokes, anything on the half shell, or pasta, because of the awkwardness of these foods.

You could make an entire meal of this dexterity and mind challenging items, and then distribute little disposable cameras and make it the evening’s entertainment. If you do, however, attend a party or dinner where the organizer has dropped the gauntlet of graceful dining, here are some tips:

Asparagus – that is small and slender should not be covered with sauce so one may pick it up and eat it with fingers.

Bacon – that is not crisp and has a ridge of soft fat, should be eaten with a knife and fork.

Fresh apples and pears – may be cut in to sections, and then eaten with fingers.

Salad – should not cut up. You simply take your chances and try to get small bits.

Fresh strawberries – may be served in a bowl with cream and then eaten with a spoon. These may also be served whole and dipped in sugar, powdered sugar, chocolate, or a fruit dip and eaten with fingers.

Raspberries or blueberries – should be served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon.

Fresh cherries and plums – may be eaten with the fingers. When eating fresh fruits with pits, drop the pit from your mouth in to the palm of your hand, and then dispose it off.

Stewed prunes and bottled berries – are served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon. When eating cooked fruits with a pit or stone, drop the pit from your mouth into your spoon and then deposit it on the side of the plate.

Melons – come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and degrees of eating difficulty. Some contend that one may take a slice of watermelon in both hands and eat from the rind. Unless you are at the side of the pond or dressed in swimsuit, it should be cut in to a more convenient size and eaten with a fork. Watermelons may also be cut into cubes or balls and served over sherbet, sorbet, or with a sprig of mint. Cantaloupe, casaba, honeydew, and some of the lighter and rounder melons are cut in to crescent slices, and then eaten with a fork, spoon, or knife.

Lobster – necessitates securely grasping with the hands. The claws can be cracked and held up to the mouth. The tail can be cracked and the meat extracted with a lobster fork.

Shellfish – if served on the half shell, can be held up to the mouth, then eaten with a small fork. Using a fork, dip clams and oysters into sauce and eat all in one bite.