How to Pop a Bottle of Champagne With Zero FearSkills
As much fun as it might be to send a cork shooting over people’s heads and showering your guests with fizzy booze, there is another way to open Champagne and sparkling wines. A better way. Follow this easy, step-by-step guide on how to open a bottle of bubbly without accidentally poking your eye out! There’s a lot of pressure pent up inside that bottle of Champagne.
Dec 20, 2023
I Hate When Guests Linger — And 12 More Things Hosts Secretly Can’t StandKitchen
Plus, 12 other things you should never say to a host.
Dec 16, 2023
Should You Ask Guests to Take Off Their Shoes? And 7 Other Holiday Hosting Questions, AnsweredKitchen
An etiquette pro has the answers!
Dec 8, 2023
How to Set a Table for Every Occasion, According to ExpertsKitchen
We hate to break it to you, but it actually does matter which way the knife faces.
Oct 12, 2023
10 Creative Ways to Fold Napkins for Every OccasionKitchen
From festive to formal, these shapes and animals will take your next dinner party up a notch.
Oct 10, 2023
5 Things Your House Cleaner Wish You KnewKitchen
I’ve mentioned before how much I love splurging on getting my house professionally cleaned. I like to think I know just how to get the best cleaning experience, but to make sure, I asked my awesome house cleaner to share the biggest things she wished her clients knew. Cleaning is hard work. Hard work makes you thirsty. Be respectful of the person doing that hard work in your home and get them some water already! Your house cleaner is a professional, but not a magician.
Oct 4, 2023
6 Things I Do “Wrong” as a Host That I Just Refuse to Change — EverKitchen
My guests have never seemed to mind.
Apr 19, 2023
5 Things You Should Be Doing Every Time You Shop at the Farmers MarketGroceries
According to a greenmarket director and frequent shopper.
Apr 15, 2023
We Asked an Etiquette Expert: Can You Ask Your Guests to Help Clean?Kitchen
The short answer? No. Read on to find out what you should do instead.
Dec 12, 2022
Yay or Nay? Setting a Kiddie Table at Holiday DinnersKitchen
There was always a kiddie table growing up, and graduating to the grown-up table was considered quite a big deal. (And as the youngest in a large extended family, it was a very big deal.) Now that we’re the grown-ups in charge of seating arrangements, what do you think about the kids’ table?As fond as I am of my memories of that first meal at the grown-up table, I find myself questioning the whole idea of a kid’s table at holiday meals. For one thing, does it really work?!
Sep 20, 2022
Wine Etiquette: Returning Bad WineSkills
In Kathryn’s post last week on corked wine, she advised returning it to the store or refusing it at a restaurant.The wine savvy among us might have no problem with this. But for those of us who feel timid at the prospect of returning an opened bottle of wine, here are a few notes on etiquette.First of all, don’t return wine just because you don’t like the way it tastes or because it’s not as good as you were led to believe.
May 13, 2022
Dinner Party Planning: Do You Send Reminders?Kitchen
The date is set, the menu is planned, the guests have all been invited – so is it necessary to send out reminders? Personally, we like a reminder – mostly because our own lives are so hectic that we can almost always use a little check-in! What do you think: are reminders helpful…or annoying?!We also think reminders are great for, well, reminding! We can make sure everyone knows what time to arrive, what to bring (or not), your address, and all the important details.
May 12, 2022
Help! My Mother-in-Law Interferes in the KitchenPeople
CHOW’s resident etiquette expert, Helena Echlin, addresses perplexing food etiquette dilemmas in her column Table Manners. We’ve helped her out with questions in the past, like this one recently on dealing with a drunk at a baby shower. (You can see her final article, using your answers, at CHOW.)Now she has a question from a reader who has a problem: A well-meaning, yet interfering mother-in-law, in the kitchen. Read on for the full situation!
May 11, 2022
Serving Others: Do You Cook for Your Neighbors?Kitchen
We’re not talking about taking a meal to a new mom or a sick friend—both wonderful in their own right. We’re going a little deeper. Do you notice the elderly man who lives alone in your building? Or the person at work who’s been caring for her sick mom? It’s the time of year when we all think about helping—feeding—those less fortunate, but we’re usually serving strangers. We might need to serve those closer to home, too.
May 11, 2022
Proper Etiquette: On Sharing Neighborhood Fruit TreesPeople
There’s one other thread to our tale of the quince tree: our neighbor hasn’t had a chance to eat them in years. Why? Because in the middle of the night just when the quinces get ripe, all the fruits mysteriously disappear…The fruit tree is in our neighbor’s front lawn and clearly visible from the sidewalk. However, it’s set pretty far back from the street, so this unknown quince poacher actually has to come onto private property in order to pick the quinces.
May 11, 2022
5 Things You Should *Never* Do at Costco — and 4 Things You Should Always Do
Shopping
Here's how to get in and out of the club store without making any faux pas.
May 11, 2022
The Etiquette Tip Everyone Should Read Before Heading to a Holiday Party
Tips from The Kitchn
Don't be so fast to help with those dishes!
Dec 17, 2021
Smart Tips for Splitting a Check, According to Etiquette and Restaurant Experts
Tips from The Kitchn
What if you ordered a modestly priced entree while your friends ordered lavish dishes?!
Oct 29, 2021
5 Things Airbnb Guests Should Always Do (and 3 They Can Skip)Kitchen
Because it's likely been a while since most of you did some traveling.
Jun 5, 2021
5 Things Airbnb Guests Should Always Do (and 3 They Can Skip)Kitchen
Because it's likely been a while since most of you did some traveling.
Jun 7, 2021
My Mom and I Are in the High-Risk Group for COVID, but My Sister Is Insisting We Travel to Be at Her Wedding This Fall. What Should I Do?
Ask Marge
I love my sister and I don’t want to ruin our relationship, so how do I tell her my mom and I can’t risk our health (and maybe even lives) by coming to her wedding?
Sep 2, 2020
5 Tips for Writing a Thoughtful Handwritten NoteSkills
Amid the flurry of rapid-fire text messages and emails we receive on a daily basis, there’s something magical about getting a handwritten note. Maybe it’s the thrill of holding a tangible piece of mail or maybe it’s just knowing someone took the time to sit down and put pen to paper. Either way, it’s a good feeling. But when you’re the one doing the writing, it can be hard to find the right words for the occasion.
Jul 16, 2020
8 Things Grocery Store Workers Wish Shoppers Knew Right NowGroceries
Number 1: Wear a mask. "I know it's annoying, but if we can do it all day, you can do it for the hour you are here.”
Jul 13, 2020
I Don’t Want to Invite a Couple Friends Over for My Socially-Distanced Barbecue Because They Haven’t Been Careful During the Pandemic. Is That OK?
Ask Marge
I know anyone I don’t invite will hear about it, so should I just scrap the whole idea?
Jul 13, 2020
My Friend Eats Loudly on Our Calls and It’s Driving Me Bonkers. What Should I Do?
Ask Marge
My friends and I have a regular Zoom cocktail hour once a week. I love seeing them (I MISS them!!!) but one friend not only slurps her drink, she snacks really loudly throughout the call.
May 30, 2020
The Etiquette Rules of Coronavirus Grocery Shopping: Be a Good Person and Follow These!
Shopping
These rules would be nice to implement anytime, but while we all navigate through a confusing and frankly scary time, just having some basic niceties in place can help us all keep calm.
Mar 22, 2020
5 Things You Should Never Do at Trader Joe’s — And 5 You Should
Shopping
Please, for the love all things snack-y, don't ever do number 7!
Feb 19, 2020
7 Things You Should Never Do When Having Food or Groceries Delivered
Tips from The Kitchn
Don't be that person.
Jan 16, 2020
This Is the Absolute Minimum You Should Tip Anyone Who Is Bringing You Food or Groceries
Tips from The Kitchn
Follow the "20 or 5" rule!
Jan 10, 2020
Help! My Mom Insists on Bringing Shrimp to My Home for Christmas Even Though I’m Very Allergic. What Should I Do?People
I'm hosting Christmas dinner this year and my mother wants to bring shrimp cocktail as an hors d'oeuvre. I appreciate the offer, but the problem is that I have a severe shellfish allergy and am sensitive to cross-contamination, which she knows.
Dec 20, 2019
10 Wine Rules You Should Break Right NowKitchen
I’ve been thinking a lot about wine lately — in particular since I am trying to drink less of it. (This is not because I am on a particular health kick, but rather in preparation for my upcoming trip to Portugal, where I will certainly drink muito vinho.) But really what’s been on my mind is how wine isn’t this precious thing that requires coddling and careful sipping and appreciation with words like “saddle leather.
Dec 17, 2019
The Dos and Don’ts of Proper Cart Etiquette at Aldi
Shopping
Don't take the cart from checkout if you didn't bring a cart!
Dec 9, 2019
The 5 Rules That Still Really Matter When It Comes to Setting the Table
Tips from The Kitchn
Skip the million-and-one forks, but do not ignore these other rules.
Dec 6, 2019
Help! I Have Embarrassing Stomach Issues. How Do I Handle It When I Go to a Friend’s House for Dinner?
Ask Marge
I have ongoing stomach issues. Sometimes my stomach makes really loud, nasty-sounding snarls, and other times… well, I can’t always control my, uh, flatulence.
Nov 12, 2019
5 Potluck Sins You Do NOT Want to Make This Year
Potluck Week
As a guest, there are certain cardinal rules you must not break.
Nov 6, 2019
Quit Making This Potluck Mistake!
Potluck Week
This is so easy to fix.
Nov 6, 2019
Man Asks Random Neighbor to Cook Him Food for Cash, the Internet Reacts AccordinglyPeople
"She's cooking anyway and then I'd have varied presumably delicious food.”
Oct 31, 2019
My Friends Expect Leftovers When They Come Over for Dinner. Please, How Do I Make It Stop?
Ask Marge
I don't want to seem petty.
Jun 13, 2019
How Not to Be a Jerk When Sampling Free Food at the Grocery StoreGroceries
You know the drill. It’s 5:45 p.m. and you’ve had a long day at work. You stop at the grocery store to pick up some essentials (yes, ice cream on a Monday is essential) and hope you can make it home before your hangriness takes over. Then, you see it: a beautiful plastic dome atop the cheese counter offering a taste of grass-fed ricotta with a dollop of fig jam. You take one sample, but are dying for another. Should you go for it?
Jun 5, 2019
The Most Challenging Dinner Guest Ever: And 5 Delicious Meals To Feed ThemPeople
We’ve all been there. The Most Challenging Dinner Guest Ever is coming to dinner. The vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, how-in-the-world-do-I-feed-them friend. Rise to the occasion — we have five delicious meals that will not only work but satisfy and delight in even the most ingredient-constrained circumstances! I saw this infographic above at the marvelous designer Amy Sly’s portfolio and had to laugh.
Jun 5, 2019
What Is the Best Way to Gracefully Eat a Salad?People
No, seriously! How are you supposed to eat these things? Most of the time we end up indelicately shoveling too-large leaves into our mouths and smearing our cheeks with dressing in the process. We refuse to eat salads in public anymore. Inquiring minds want to know: do you have a favorite method for eating salads with decorum?It seems like there are two options. You can try to spear yourself a forkful, using a handy crouton or garbanzo bean as an anchor.
Jun 4, 2019
Conscientious Eater: Leaving Food On the PlatePeople
Glancing through a copy of Michael Pollan’s latest book, Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual, there was one guideline that has really stuck with us: “Leave something on the plate.” At first this seemed like a logical way not to overeat, but then it felt like we’d be wasting food. What do you think?Most Americans grew up hearing the phrase “Clean your plate!
Jun 4, 2019
Entertaining Tip: An Alternative to Name TagsKitchen
We’ve all been at those large parties where we’re handed a “Hello my name is…” sticker when we walk through the door and then stand around feeling rather awkward while we make small talk with strangers. Well, here’s a clever alternative that we’re actually looking forward to trying at our next big gathering!
Jun 4, 2019
Etiquette: How To Tell Someone There’s Food in Their TeethKitchen
Having food stuck in our teeth and not knowing is one of our worst nightmares. And when the offending bit of dinner is discovered hours later, there’s the inevitable cry of anguish: “Why didn’t anyone TELL me?!”It’s an awkward and tricky social situation, to be sure. Of course we want to be told if we have food in our teeth, but…it’s embarrassing. And it’s equally embarrassing to be the one to tell.
Jun 4, 2019
Minding Our MannersPeople
Have you ever been in a situation where you don’t know the social rules and have made a major error so off-the-mark that you want to just crawl under the table and disappear? Or maybe you’ve had someone come into your life who has no idea how to behave and you find yourself judging and distancing from them, even if you don’t want to? Please and thank you, bows and handshakes, who goes first, cellphones at the dinner table: does proper etiquette really matter?
Jun 4, 2019
This Is What You Should Know Before You Go to IndiaPeople
Whenever you’re traveling somewhere new, local customs can be daunting (and sometimes go completely over your head without your knowledge). India, with its awesome breadth of color, noise, and exuberance, can be especially overwhelming at times. This list offers a general rundown of some things to know before you go. By all means, I see this as a starting-off point — feel free to add more in the comments below. Happy trails!
May 24, 2019
This Is What You Should Know Before You Go to CubaKitchen
Restored diplomatic relations and relaxed travel restrictions mean that it’s now considerably easier to visit Cuba. But what does that mean exactly, and what should you expect once you get there? Here’s what you need to know about traveling to and staying in Cuba.
May 24, 2019
Can You Bring a Turkey on a Plane? And Other TSA Questions Answered.People
Every family has their own Thanksgiving customs, but there is one tradition that unites us all: standing in line at airport security. The TSA is as much a part of the holiday as pumpkin pie. It is beautiful, in a way. America may be more divided than ever, and yet all of us must stand together, forever, holding our quart-sized plastic bags.
May 24, 2019
Why You Don’t Want to Sit Next to Martha Stewart on an AirplanePeople
If you’ve ever been forced to endure a flight seated next to someone who decided to bring a tuna salad sandwich as their carry-on item, then congratulations — you’re fully prepared to be Martha Stewart’s seatmate. The OG lifestyle guru recently told the New York Times what her travel essentials are, and for the most part they’ll make you hope you never have to share an armrest with her.
May 24, 2019
The 10 Most Common Food Items Airbnb Guests Leave BehindPeople
One of the (admittedly strange) perks of being an Airbnb host is discovering what objects my guests have left behind. As I ready my rental kitchen for the next temporary inhabitants, I get to conduct an exercise that’s part anthropological analysis of the eating and drinking habits of travelers of the world, part Easter egg hunt. In addition to the standard-issue leave-behinds like phone chargers (and, um, some unmentionables), here are 10 of the most common things I find.
May 24, 2019
An Insider’s Guide to Eating Out in IndiaSkills
When planning my most recent trip to India, I focused on where to eat, what to eat, and how to eat as much of it as possible. Just as importantly, though, I wanted to be cognizant of local customs, tips, and tricks. Enter Carishma Mehta — Delhi resident, organic farm owner, and intrepid eater.
May 24, 2019
10 European Etiquette Rules You Should KnowKitchen
No matter how well-mannered we may be back home, Europe can be a minefield of faux pas just waiting to happen. I’ve made my fair share, to be sure. For the life of me I still can’t get that cheek kiss thing right — how many, and which side was it first? Here are some tips to keep in mind from someone who’s learned the hard way, plus a few friends who either live in or travel frequently to Europe. Please, for the love of all that is holy, turn down the volume.
May 24, 2019
Should I Tell My Host She’s Making a Cooking Mistake?Kitchen
Q: I’m often in the kitchen at gatherings hosted by friends and family, sometimes helping out, sometimes just chatting with the host while they cook. The past few months I have observed many cooking no-nos, but feel like it is not my place to take over or correct the cooking error. Or is it?For example, for Christmas dinner a buffalo tenderloin was broiled for almost thirty minutes before it was “rescued”! Any tips on tactfully helping the cook to make the meal taste better?
May 24, 2019
Tips for Coping with a Potluck Gone WrongKitchen
The uncontrolled nature of a potluck is, potentially, what makes it spontaneous and fun — but it’s hard when people not only bring their own dishes, but also their own unique ideas of what constitutes appropriate behavior.
May 24, 2019
Expert Tips for Avoiding Awkward Conversations with Old FriendsPeople
From the first high school reunion to the last September wedding, a quick coffee catch-up to a boozy brunch with old friends, summer is the season for reconnecting with people from your past. But what’s the best way to get back into the flow with someone you haven’t seen in a while? British authors Judy Apps and Catherine Blyth have mastered the art of conversation — in fact, they’ve both written books by that very name.
May 24, 2019
Dear Marge: Was It Rude for My Friend to Bring an Unexpected Guest to Friendsgiving? (It Ruined My Dessert Plan!)People
Dear Marge, I’m planning my annual Friendsgiving, and I don’t want to repeat my hosting crisis from last year — but I’m not sure what I can do to prevent it. I love to entertain, even in my small place. I plan my menu really carefully and try to make the table look beautiful. Last year, I invited as many friends as I could fit (12!), and scrounged to make the seating work around my regular table plus a borrowed folding table.
May 24, 2019
Dear Marge: Am I Supposed to Serve the Wine My Guest Brings to Dinner?People
Dear Marge, Can you please settle an argument for us? My partner says that when we go to our friends’ house for dinner and bring a bottle of wine, they should serve it. I point out that means the reverse is also true — so if friends bring over a bottle of crisp white and we’ve splurged on big, beautiful steaks, that’s what we’d have to pour. My partner’s response is that guests should ask what’s being served and bring a bottle that goes with it.
May 24, 2019
Help! My Mother-in-Law Is Feeding My Kid Sugar Against My Wishes.People
This week Marge tackles a question for a reader whose mother-in-law is giving her daughter sweets even when she has repeatedly asked her not to. What is she supposed to do?
May 24, 2019
I Think My Friend Is Faking Her Food Allergy. Can I Say Something?People
Dear Marge, I think my friend is faking food allergies. We go to restaurants and she has long conversations with the waiter about how she will get really sick if there is even a hint of … and then she names like seven or eight foods she can’t eat. And when any of us want to get together at each other’s houses, it becomes this whole big production to make something she will eat.
May 24, 2019
One Mom’s 5 Rules for After-School SnacksPeople
I grew up in the ’80s, when a lot of our mothers were dieting and some of them — in spite of their best intentions — were passing their feelings about weight down to their children. I thought my mother was overweight. Reader, she was not, but she said she was so I believed her. In retrospect we can all acknowledge that as a size 6-petite she was rather small. But she worried about her weight and wanted to make sure we were all healthy. (We were.
May 24, 2019
The Cheesemonger: How to Eat CheesePeople
The other week we asked our readers to pose any and all questions on cheese to our cheesemonger. (Lines are still open if you have a query of your own.) Herein lies the answer to reader jeffzelli’s question:“It’s a bit embarrassing, but I have to ask: what is the etiquette for eating a cheese flight? My friend and I had a cheese and wine flight at Bin 36 in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.
May 3, 2019
Question: Do You Let Pets “Clean” Your Dishes?People
At home over the holidays, we’d just finished a big meal and set our plates on the floor for the dog while we recuperated for a few minutes. Gazing fondly down at our dog as she licked up every last crumb and smear from our plates, her belly flat on the floor for maximum licking advantage, the thought crossed my mind, “Huh. That’s…kinda gross.
May 3, 2019