08/06/2026
Sometimes dining etiquette gets tested in ways you didn’t see coming.
This moment was in Madrid. A mystery tasting of four items. Fingers only and a blindfold fitted before the plate arrived. I had no idea what was coming, but managed to identify the sushi. The rest was considerably trickier.
And that is exactly when etiquette earns its keep.
You have two choices. Decline, which is always valid, or commit fully and manage it. I committed and I am so happy I did. It was great fun.
When a situation is awkward and unavoidable, a few things help.
Stay calm. Awkward moments expand when you resist them and shrink when you don’t.
Stay in the moment rather than managing how you look in it.
Laugh if it calls for it. It usually does.
Etiquette doesn’t ask you to be perfect. It asks you to stay considerate.
The real test isn’t in the easy moments. It’s in the unexpected ones, at the table, in conversation, in life. How you meet those moments, with composure, humour and a willingness to just get on with it, says more about you than any perfectly executed dinner ever could.
I was very grateful for the finger bowl at the end :)
The free 10-Minute Confidence Guide is in the link in bio. Simple, practical and all yours. Link in bio. ⬇️
