Eating Like a European

Before I say anything else, I'll just say this. To add to my "Pretentious Movie Buff Know-How", I watched the movie A Clockwork Orange today. I'm not sure if I really liked it. Can you like a movie where you don't like any of the characters? Because that movie? Does not give you any characters to root for.

Being the holiday season and all, I've been thinking about food. Such as, having different food around for Christmas break, and baking treats, things like that.

Pumpkin bread muffins! Not for me though.

One thing that I've found interesting about food is how people eat. As for the basics like proper etiquette, I'm a freak about it. I hate when people smack, I worry when I accidentally clang my fork against a plate. I like etiquette, but that's mainly because I was raised to be a freak about manners. My mother collects etiquette books. However, people's manners in regards to eating isn't what I've been thinking about recently. I've been thinking about the speed of eating.

I just have to ask: Do people actually chew food thirty times before chewing? I highly doubt it. I've tried, it takes about a minute if you do. Still, eating slowly in general is a good thing. It makes you eat less, and helps you realize when you're full. Still, a lot of people don't enjoy their food like they should. Think of the "Eat like a European" concept. I haven't read the many books about it, but apparently Europeans really enjoy their food. Not like those ridiculous commercials where people are basically having orgasms, but simply without distractions. We Americans just scarf our food down, while doing something else at the same time.

I know I tend to eat my food quickly if I'm not thinking about it. It happens. Recently while eating something, I thought, "When (if) I get to go to Europe, I'll eat like a European." I instantly realized how silly that was, and decided I should do that now.
Sure, I suck at it. I still have things to distract me while I eat sometimes, it's a force of habit. Still, I'm working on it.

Other things I need to work on? Eating only until content, listening to my body more, and all that jazz. Ah, the joys of trying to be smart about food.

Other than that, just trying to be more productive that I have been. Today? Not the greatest in that sense. Let's try again tomorrow, by trying to get to bed earlier!

Do you "Eat Like a European?" Do you care about food etiquette?

On a random note, the whole a versus an thing is bothering me. It's an E before European, but it's not an, right? I don't know.