What Would Emily Post Do?

How Do You Create A Civil Workplace?

by Anna Post

The Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics has invited me to lead their daily online discussion each day this week. I'll be talking with them about creating a civil workplace, and will be posting my discussion topics each morning here, as well. Please join the conversation in the comments section below.


Monday: How Do You Create a Civil Workplace?

Creating a civil workplace sounds like a terrific goal, doesn't it? Who could argue that that's something for a company to encourage and cultivate? And yet, civility, and its companion etiquette, is often ignored as a soft skill not truly essential to business. Some even feel it's anathema to efficiency and drive-"Nice guys finish last." Or, that it's an add-on at most: Nice, but not essential.

Civility in the workplace is cultivated from two angles: using basic manners daily and treating others with what I call the principles of etiquette: consideration, respect and honesty. The first, using good manners, is expressed with actions such as saying hello, using please, thank you and you're welcome (in speech and email), and being on time. The second, being considerate, respectful and honest, has much more to do with how we treat and speak to one another-colleague, boss, client-both on a daily basis and in those moments when there isn't a specific rule or manner to guide us. It's often synonymous with professionalism these days.

What do you think: Is civility relevant in the workplace? Can you be professional without being civil? And where does civility in the workplace come from: Management setting explicit standards? An HR document? Personal example? Focused exercises geared to increase awareness?

Tomorrow we'll take a look at some of the ties between civility and ethics.

Stress-Free Gift Giving at the Holidays

By Anna Post

I wish you all a joyous holiday season! Here area few tips for buying and giving gifts without succumbing to stress.

1. Get their wish list.
   Ask people for hints or even a wish list--you don't need to be a mind reader!
2. Trust your judgment.
   Forget about being afraid the gift isn’t “perfect.” If you think the person will like it, chances are they will.
3. Stick to your budget.
   Spending more than you should takes the fun out of gift giving. There’s nothing more stressful than overspending—and feeling uneasy about it.
4. Buy it when you see it.
   If you’re shopping at the last minute and see a sweater that your mom would love, buy it. It probably won’t be there when you look again.
5. Wrap as you go.
   Get your wrapping supplies together--paper, scissors, tape, tags, and ribbon and bows--and wrap presents as you buy them. This keeps you relaxed the night before a holiday, and keeps prying eyes from getting an early peek!

Happy Holidays!

Bake Off: Gingery Apple Crumb Pie from Real Simple vs. Anna's Classic Apple Pie

By Anna Post

A shake up came to my mom's Thanksgiving table this year. For as long as I can remember, each year at Thanksgiving I've made a classic apple pie. The recipe came from my mom, and has served me well over the years--up until now. After much Vermont apple picking this fall, I've already made it several times, so I broke with tradition this past Thursday to give a new pie a place at the table: Gingery Apple Crumb Pie. It was a huge success! A friend made this recently after reading the recipe in November's Real Simple magazine, and it was divine. Be sure to use the crust recipe--it's easy and it really makes the whole pie come together in a way store-bought dough just doesn't. (One other tip: Freeze your ginger ahead of time if you can--it makes it much easier to grate.)

Even though Thanksgiving is over, the season for warm pies rich with cinnamon and nutmeg is upon us, and I highly recommend you give this gem a try.

Emily Post Says...

"Consideration for the rights and feelings of others is not merely a rule for behavior in public but the very foundation upon which social life is built."

-Emily Post

Coming to an Airport Near You: Peace, Quiet and Privacy

By Anna Post

 

Ever dreamed of some privacy in the crowded holiday airports? Or perhaps a place to relax and read or get some work done? Delays or scheduled layovers have left all of longing for some peace and quiet in cramped terminals. 3M Privacy Filters, who I've worked with over the past year, have created the opportunity to find just that with AirportPrivacyHavens.com. The site offers a place for frequent flyers to share their favorite quiet spots at airports around the country--and learn a few new ones. After all, it's easier to be a polite traveler when you aren't stressed out!

To help get things started, 3M Privacy Filters has created three Airport Privacy Havens in some of the country's busiest airports this Thanksgiving. Here, travelers can enjoy a quiet corner with free massages and Wi-Fi between 8 am and 5 pm on November 24-25 and 28-29. Locations are:

• Chicago O’Hare International: Terminal 2 near entrance to concourses E & F (through Nov. 30)
• Dallas-Fort Worth International: Terminal C near Gates 2 and 3 (through Nov. 30)
  
  
• John F Kennedy International Airport in New York: Terminal 8 near entrance to American Airline’s Admiral Club (through Dec. 7)

Everyone has their horror story when it comes to air travel. Many have more than one. Was it the time I had three flights in a row canceled? The time I missed a connection in London by minutes and had to stay an extra 24 hours at the Gatwick airport hotel, home to the worst food on Earth? Or perhaps it was the time my carry on bag--yes, carry on--went to San Juan for three days without me after a simple Burlington, Vermont to Washington, D.C. flight. 

But I've also had some unexpected moments of peace and quiet to read or catch up on work at airports around the country. I've found a few favorite spots in tucked away in various terminals--havens I know will offer some privacy from the crowds while I wait for my flight. The rocking chairs in Philadelphia and the big, comfy chairs in Detroit are two favorites, along with the spacious coffee shop seating near the Jet Blue gates in San Francisco's SFO airport. And there's the terrific healthy food cafe (whose name I can never remember) in St. Paul-Minneapolis that feels like a Scandinavian spa.

Do you have a favorite quiet corner at an airport? Share it at AirportPrivacyHaven.com, and find a few new quiet corners while you're at it. Who knows--I might even see you there...

Thanksgiving Table Setting Tips

By Anna Post

The holidays are a time when we gather around the table--a table we sometimes have questions about how to set. Check out all the details about how to set a table at The Emily Post Institute website, or take a look at this everyday table setting video my sister, Lizzie Post, made:

A few other table setting tips:

• Only set out utensils you plan on having your guests use (no soup, no soup spoon)
• Clear away anything from the table you won't need for dessert, such as salt and pepper
• When passing food, offer left, then pass right (it's okay to take a roll for yourself before handing off the basket!)

Being a very organized child, I loved getting to set the table for Thanksgiving each year when I was little. It was exciting to pull out the little-used coffee spoons, dessert forks, and butter knives and assign them each their own spot on the table. I still enjoy this an adult, though more for the artistry of creating a welcoming table than the novelty of using specialty utensils.

Ultimately, I think enjoying each others' company is the most important focus of the day, but a well-set table certainly does make a lovely backdrop. It also shows guests that the occasion, and their presence,  is special enough to warrant some effort.

That being said, Emily Post once said something to the effect of, "I really don't care what fork you use," to which I would only add, "I just hope you use one if gravy is involved."

Emily Post Recipes: Turkey with Truffle Sauce

By Anna Post

For my first recipe post, I'm turning as promised to the Emily Post Cookbook (1951). Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner, this recipe for Turkey with Truffle Sauce caught my eye, and I've copied it here as it first appeared in 1951 (with a few edits for the modern cook). I studied abroad in Italy during college, and at Thanksgiving my host mom, Renata, bought inch-thick slices of turkey (tacchino) breast and cooked them in a frying pan without seasoning. While it was a lovely attempt at American cuisine, it was undoubtedly the worst home-cooked meal I had in Italy. Perhaps if she had added the truffles, so popular and and so good in Italian cuisine, we would have had a masterpiece on our hands.

Turkey with Truffle Sauce

The truffles make this a more expensive dish, but is so delicious it's really worth it at the holidays. If black truffles are too expensive or unavailable, instead try adding a few drops of truffle oil or a light dash of truffle salt at a time at the same point in the recipe. Truffle salt or oil can be very strong, so start with a little and season to taste. Truffle salt or oil can also be added to meats, pastas, and eggs, among other dishes.

Time: 1 1/2 hours

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1/2 breast turkey and 1 other joint of a 15 lb. turkey

4 tbs. flour

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 stick butter

2 medium onions, chopped

1 bunch carrots, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups white wine (recommend an inexpensive California sauterne)

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp. glacé de viande* (if available)

4 oz. black truffles

*Or chicken demi-glace, using less as it is a more concentrated version of glacé de viande. If you omit this ingredient, you may need to season more with your stock, wine, salt, and/or pepper to taste to achieve a similar depth of flavor.  

Directions:

Remove the skin and bones from the breast and second joint. Cut both into as many pieces as there are to be portions (4-6). Heat butter over medium high heat in a large skillet (that has a close-fitting lid). Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of turkey in the seasoned flour and brown them in the skillet. Add the onions and carrots and cook until the onions are golden, stirring as needed.

Add the wine, stock and glacé de viande. Bring to a boil, lower flame or heat to just simmering, and cover tightly. Move or turn the pieces of turkey every 15 minutes or so.

After 40 minutes, chop the truffles and add them to the skillet. Stir and continue simmering for 15 minutes longer, making a total simmering time of 55 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve with simple white rice cooked in chicken broth or a Parmesan risotto and sauteed spinach or Swiss chard.

Emily Post Says...

"Manners are made up trivialities of deportment which can easily be learned if one does not happen to know them; manner is personality--the outward manifestations of one's innate character and attitude toward life."

-Emily Post, 1922

Introducing Emily Post Recipes

By Anna Post

 
People sometimes wonder what it must have been like growing up as a Post. Were manners drilled into us like trainees at boot camp? Did we eat in a hushed veil of silence? Were we banished to our rooms with a crust of bread if we disobeyed?

I'm laughing just typing this. No, no, and no are the answers. Manners were taught, yes, but no differently than in any other household that takes the time to do so. Yes, I might have had a little more exposure than most as to how to set a table for a fish course or how to use an iced tea spoon, but we had plenty of lively conversation and humor around the table, and most importantly, good food.

Emily herself loved good food, and felt it should be enjoyed. It's a tradition that has continued down from her generation to mine. The first rule of dining with the Post family? Eat while it's hot!

In fact, in 1951 Emily published The Emily Post Cookbook, written mainly by her son, Edwin Post (my great granddad). His son, Bill Post (my granddad), updated and republished it in 1968 as The Main Course Cookbook (a pun on the word Main, which is a popular Post middle name).

Starting this Sunday, I will be posting recipes from these family treasures, as well as other favorite recipes of mine to help inspire family dining. I will add (and source) other recipes because while the Post books have excellent recipes and are good samples of their time, not all of the recipes have appeal today, quite frankly (marrow--as in bone--on toast, stewed kidneys, turtle soup, to name a few).

With Thanksgiving upon us, we will start this Sunday with Turkey with Truffle Sauce. I'll be trying this one for the first time, too, though if it's anything like the others I've had from this book, it will be well worth the effort.

In this age of economy, rediscovering the art of home cooking and sharing more meals with friends and family has been my own small silver lining of this recession. I hope these recipes offer you the same inspiration!

Wall Street Journal Names Emily Post's Etiquette a Top Five Best Etiquette Book

By Anna Post

Many thanks to the Wall Street Journal for including Emily Post's Etiquette on its top five best etiquette books. Other etiquette authors also on the list?

1. Erasmus
   
2. George Washington
   
3. Norbert Elias
   
4. Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr.

(Disclosure: The list's author, Laura Claridge, wrote the critically-acclaimed biography of Emily Post, Emily Post: Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners. The Emily Post Institute was not involved in Ms. Claridge's creation of the Wall Street Journal list.)