DEAR ABBY: My husband and I recently attended a spaghetti dinner. Is there a proper way to eat long noodles, or should one just put in a forkful and slurp up the noodles until they are gone? -- USING MY NOODLE IN DULUTH
DEAR USING YOUR NOODLE: Spaghetti can be a challenge, but consuming it by starting at one end of the noodle and sucking it into one's mouth is a distinct no-no because the sound can disrupt conversation. There are, however, exceptions to this in other cultures -- where noodles represent longevity and to cut them would be bad luck.
According to Emily Post, the proper way to eat spaghetti in our culture is "to hold the fork in one hand and a large spoon in the other. Take a few strands of pasta on the fork and place the tines against the bowl of the spoon, twirling the fork to neatly wrap the strands.
"For those who haven't mastered the art of twirling the pasta strands, there's the simple cutting method. Just be sure not to cut the whole plateful at one time; instead use your knife and fork to cut small portions."