Published: August 01. 2010 2:00AM

By Sybil Davis
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Can you really eat corn on the cob, watermelon with seeds, olives with pits or spaghetti and still be your graceful and charming self? The answer to the first three would be yes. The answer to the last one — spaghetti — would be no. Now I know you want more than a yes or a no, so here are a few tips.

Corn on the cob . You should only butter and season a few rows at a time as you eat it. This means that you should not slather the whole cob with butter and salt. Of course, it is acceptable to use your hands to hold the cob, and if you are hosting a party, it is a good idea to provide the holders that are inserted on each end of the cob.

Ladies – if you are wearing lipstick and plan to eat corn on the cob, you should blot that lipstick really well first. Otherwise, you will end up looking like you applied your lipstick in the dark, as most of your lipstick will end up on your chin. You will know when this happens to you, as you will begin to receive some strange glances and then no one will want to look directly at you when speaking to you.

Watermelon . The correct way to eat watermelon that is served with the rind still attached is with a knife and a fork. If the rind has been removed, use a fork. If you are served melon balls in a bowl, use a spoon. Don't spit the seeds onto a plate or bowl. Drop them into your hand and place them on the side of your plate or bowl.

If you are served a section of watermelon at an informal picnic, then it is OK to cut off slices of the melon and eat it with your hands.

Olives with pits . Hold the pit between your lips and then use your thumb and forefinger to gently remove the pit and place it on the edge of your plate. Some restaurants, especially in Europe, will provide small bowls just for olive pits. These bowls are covered with only a small hole in the top so that the pits may be dropped into the holes and the dinner guests at the table are not viewing an uncovered bowl full of olive pits.

Spaghetti . Remember, the answer was that this particular food could not be eaten gracefully. Just be careful to choose a time and place when you know that making a great impression is not part of the dining experience when you are ordering spaghetti in a restaurant. Too many things can and do go wrong, and how charming can one look with spaghetti sauce splattered on his clothing? I could easily quote some of the instructions in the etiquette books on “eating spaghetti properly,” but the fact is that sauce is still going to get on your clothing. So save that menu choice for those times when you just want to hang out with your friends and you know there is not a chance of someone observing you and making an impression that could affect a great job offer or promotion.