Interesting Fact of the Day...

Unlike the history of the scandalous fork I told you about previously, the knife is one of the oldest utensils. You’d sit at the table; unsheathe your hunting knife to cut your meat, stabbing to pick it up.

The sharp tip was also handy for picking your teeth...or killing an enemy.

The blunt ended table knife we know today happens to be tied in with my favourite trio of guys, the Musketeers.

The Musketeers were an elite team of personal bodyguards to the French King. Cardinal Richelieu was the King’s closest advisor (and the villain in the stories). Tired of seeing knives pointed at him and disgusted watching guests pick food out of their teeth, in 1637, he convinced King Louis to ban sharp knives at the table. Instead, the tips must be ground down.

And that was the birth of the blunt dinner knives we set the table with today. To curb violence--and the picking of teeth.