From aperitif to digestif, approach every meal with savvy and grace.<br><br>We've all experienced Fancy-Pants Restaurant Jitters at some point – the fear that you will unknowingly commit some fine-dining crime, whether it's using the wrong fork, picking an amateur wine, mispronouncing <i>foie gras</i>, or gasping when your fish entrée arrives with its head still attached. Relax. <i>The Mere Mortal's Guide to Fine Dining</i> is the ultimate antidote to restaurant anxiety. <br><br>Where does your napkin go when you leave the table? Should you sniff the wine cork? And why, pray tell, <i>are</i> there so many forks? This comprehensive and accessible primer answers these and dozens of other questions and offers the basics on every aspect of fine dining, including:<br><br>* How to navigate a place setting<br>* Speaking menu-ese and the language of fine food<br>* A refresher on polite and polished table manners<br>* 911 for wine novices<br>* A carnivore's guide to beef, pork, lamb, and veal<br>* What local, sustainable, and organic <i>really </i>mean<br>* Japanese dining dos and don'ts<br>* Who's who on a restaurant's staff<br>* How to be a regular—or get the perks like one<br>* Top restaurants across the country<br>* What the food snobs know (and you should, too)<br>* And much more…<br><br>With a little help, any Mere Mortal can order wine with confidence, get great, attitude-free service, decipher menus, and finally, truly, savor any dining experience.