When eating, you should hold up the bowl, clasp the mouth of the bowl with your thumb, clasp the bottom of the bowl with your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger, and keep your palms empty. Eating without holding the bowl and leaning over it on the table not only looks unsightly, but also puts pressure on the stomach and affects digestion.
When picking up food, you should pick it up from the edge of the plate that is close to or facing you. Do not pick it up from the middle of the plate or from the side close to others, and do not use chopsticks to turn the dishes over on the plate. "Look for it", don't keep your eyes on the plate, and don't pick too many dishes at one time. When you encounter your favorite dish, you should not eat it like a gust of wind, let alone just bring the plate to you and eat it to your heart's content. You should take into account your parents and siblings at the same table. If there is not much food on the plate and you want to "clean it up", you should consult the people at the same table for their opinions. Only when others say they don't want to eat can you finish it.
Shut up and chew slowly, which is not only beneficial to digestion, but also a requirement for table etiquette. Never open your mouth, stuff large pieces into your mouth, and gobble it up. When picking up food, you must not stretch your neck, open your mouth, and stick out your tongue to pick up the food with your mouth; don't put too much food in at one time. Food must be imported, otherwise it will give people the impression of gluttony and greed.
Be more gentle when dining. When picking up food, do not touch your neighbor, do not push the dishes on the plate to the table, do not spill the soup, and do not drip the vegetable soup on the table. If there are rice particles stuck to the corners of your mouth, wipe them off gently with a paper towel or napkin. Do not lick them with your tongue. When chewing food, do not make any "baba" or "croak" sounds in your mouth. When holding food in your mouth, it is best not to talk to others, and joking should be controlled to avoid the food in your mouth spitting out or choking into the trachea, causing danger; when you really need to talk to your family, you should speak softly.
The spitted out bones, fish bones, and vegetable scraps should be picked up with chopsticks or hands and placed on the table in front of you. Do not spit directly onto the table or the ground. If you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth with your hand or handkerchief and turn your head back. When you chew grains of sand or have phlegm in your throat, leave the table and spit it out.
While eating, try your best to add rice yourself, and be able to take the initiative to add rice and pick up vegetables for your elders. When you meet an elder who brings food or food to you, you should say thank you.
With the continuous exchange of Chinese and Western food cultures, Chinese food is not only the traditional eating habit of the Chinese people, but also increasingly favored by foreigners. But this kind of Chinese dining, which seems to be the most ordinary, is actually very particular about the etiquette when dining. There are six main types of tableware for Chinese food: cups, plates, bowls, saucers, chopsticks, and spoons. At a formal banquet, the water glass is placed above the serving plate and the wine glass is placed on the upper right side. Chopsticks and spoons can be placed on special seats or in paper covers. It is best to place public chopsticks and spoons on dedicated seats. The order of serving Chinese food is generally: cold dishes first, hot dishes next, and sweets and fruits last. Before the meal, the first wet towel the waiter brings to everyone is for wiping hands. It is best not to use it to wipe your face. Before serving shrimp, crab, chicken and other dishes, the waiter will bring a small water bowl with lemon slices or flower petals floating in it for washing...
Chinese food has a long history. In this country, which has been a country of etiquette since ancient times and where food is the first priority for the people, dietary etiquette has naturally become an important part of the food culture.
China’s banquet etiquette is said to have originated from Zhou Gong. After thousands of years of evolution, of course there will never be a day like "Meng Guang took over Liang Hong's case", but it has finally formed what is generally accepted by everyone today. A set of dietary etiquette is the inheritance and development of ancient dietary etiquette. Food etiquette varies depending on the nature and purpose of the banquet; it also varies in different regions. Here are just a few examples for reference:
In ancient times, food etiquette was divided by class: palace, government, gangs, folk, etc. Modern dining etiquette is simplified to: host (host), guest. As a guest, you should pay attention to your appearance when attending a banquet, and decide whether to bring small gifts or fine wine according to your closeness. Be punctual and keep your appointments when attending banquets; upon arrival, first introduce yourself to your home address or be introduced by the host, depending on whether you know the person or not, and follow the host's arrangements.
Then take your seat: This "hero's seating arrangement" is the most important item in the entire Chinese dining ceremony.
From ancient times to the present, due to the evolution of tables, the arrangement of seats has also changed accordingly. Generally speaking, the seating arrangements are "to the left and to the east" and "to face the door is to show respect". At a family banquet, the chief seat is the senior citizen, and the last seat is the lowest seat; at a family banquet, the chief seat is the guest with the highest status, and the host of the guest is the last seat. . No one can take a seat until the chief is seated, and no one can take a seat until the chief makes a move. During the wine tour, everyone starts from the chief and drinks in order.
More importantly, if someone comes to report, everyone at the table should come out to greet them regardless of their status.
If it is a round table, the one facing the door is the host and guest, and the ones on the left are 2, 4, and 6, and the right are 3, 5, and 7 until they meet.
If it is the Eight Immortals table, if there are seats facing the door, the right seat on the side facing the door will be the host and guest.
If it does not face the door, the right seat facing east will be Xi is the chief. Then sit on the left hand side of the chief: 2, 4, 6, 8 (8 is opposite), and on the right hand side are 3, 5, 7 (7 is directly opposite).
If it is a big banquet, the arrangement between tables should be such that the chief guest is in the front and center, with seats 2, 4, and 6 on the left, and seats 3, 5, and 7 on the right.
Sit separately according to the identity, status and proximity of the host and guest.
Serving:
Chinese food generally pays attention to the order of serving: cold first and then hot, stir-fried first and then grilled, salty and light dishes are served first, sweet and rich dishes are served last Come on, and finally the meal. For a standard banquet, the main course among the hot dishes - such as the bird's nest in the bird's nest banquet, the sea cucumber in the sea cucumber banquet, and the shark's fin in the shark's fin banquet - should be served first, that is, the so-called most expensive hot dish is served first. Supplemented by stir-fried barbecue.
The general order of the banquet is:
(Tea) - In the restaurant, because we have to wait, we have tea first. But not required. Because ancient people mostly drank tea alone.
Cold dishes - cold and flower combinations.
Hot stir-fry - depending on the scale, choose a combination of smooth stir-frying, soft stir-frying, dry frying, deep-frying, braising, roasting, steaming, pouring, and grilling.
Dish - (not required) refers to whole, whole piece, whole noble dishes, such as a suckling pig, a whole lamb, a large piece of venison, etc.
Beets - including sweet soups, such as rock sugar lotus seeds, white fungus sweet soup, etc.
Desserts - generally no rice is served at banquets, but cakes, cakes, dumplings, noodles, and various noodles , steamed buns, dumplings, etc.
(Rice) - if you are not full yet
Fruit - refreshing and soothing
This order is not set in stone, for example, fruits can sometimes be included in the cold dishes , dim sum can be included in the hot dishes.
Thicker soups should be served as hot dishes; expensive soups such as bird's nest should be served first among the hot dishes.
As for seasonal considerations, there are also braised, braised, red steak, casserole, hot pot, etc. in winter; in summer, steamed, white sauce, stir-fried, and cold dishes are the main dishes. In addition, color matching and diversification of raw materials should also be considered.
In restaurants and family banquets, the portions of various dishes should also be different:
For large banquets, 10% to 20% are cold dishes; 30% are stir-fried, and 40% are large dishes.
For family banquets, you can reduce the main dishes and increase the cold dishes.
As for the containers, it can be said to have a long history. The ancients said: "Food is not as good as beautiful utensils", and also said: "It is better to fry on a plate, and to make soup in a bowl. Only when you mix them, you will feel the color.". Therefore, in a place that pays great attention to food culture and is rich in ceramics, it is natural to pay even more attention to the serving utensils.
Generally, you should prepare large, medium and small flat plates (plates), large plates of hot dishes, medium plates of cold dishes, or flexible choices, small plates of snacks and snacks.
There should also be deep basins for holding oil and large soups, and large soup bowls for holding soups. Plus bowls and chopsticks. Large food utensils such as hot pots, ovens, etc.; as well as water utensils, tea utensils, and wine utensils.
As for the choice of container, the quality should be good. Of course, antiques from famous kilns or famous porcelain from various places can be served. Color matching should be reasonable.
Choose containers with different textures, shapes, colors, and patterns according to the color, nature, texture, and name of the dishes being served.
Don’t mix Chinese and Western, make no distinction between native and foreign, and be neither fish nor fowl.
For example, for first-class meatballs, a graceful and luxurious yellow-bottomed porcelain plate should be used; for steamed fish, a white porcelain or celadon fish plate should be used, and for braised and dried fish, a thick and colorful fish plate should be used. For cold dishes with bright colors, it is better to use symmetrical small floral discs with fine background.
The banquet cannot be without wine. For pure Chinese food, beer and European wine should be avoided (of course, Central Asian wines are acceptable, such as Persian wine, but no one seems to be able to taste it). Therefore, Chinese food is best served with highly famous wines (in fact, high-strength wines are only available in modern times), but it seems that medium-to-low alcohol banquet wines (around 30 degrees), various yellow rice wines, and rice wines are suitable for both men, women, and children.
In ancient times, the alcohol content was low and the wine utensils were relatively large. As the alcohol content gradually increased in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the wine utensils became smaller and smaller. But they are all mainly made of porcelain. Toasts should be done in moderation. In ancient times, people had to drink alcohol according to drinking orders, which is now almost extinct. It should be re-promoted, especially at family banquets, to prevent rough people from forcing people to drink. Whenever I encounter such rough people, I will immediately drink up and drink them down to avoid harming the banquet. I still succeed frequently today. , because a real master of wine will not persuade people to drink. Most of these people who forcefully persuade people will not have more than 1 catty, 7 or 8 taels of alcohol, so you can get rid of such people and then settle down.
The banquet environment should be completely Chinese-style, with two welcoming palace lanterns at the entrance. Walking around the floor-to-ceiling screen, I sat down at the mahogany Eight Immortals table, holding an ivory chopstick in my hand, listening to the soft music of silk and bamboo, and the scent of sandalwood lingering in the air. Through the wooden lattice of the window and the shade of bamboo and willows outside the window, I can only see the scenery of lakes and mountains. How beautiful!
Therefore, it is advisable to place several pots of flowers and bonsai in the hall to create an atmosphere of spring and welcome flowers. On the surrounding walls, hang calligraphy and paintings, and the lighting and sound should maintain Chinese characteristics as much as possible.
As for a formal banquet, as a store owner, you should generally entertain guests in the following order:
Welcome - line up, guide to the seat, hang up clothes and hats, lead to the seat, hand out incense Wash your hands with a towel, serve tea, (to offer cigarettes - not advisable, ancient Chinese people did not smoke, it is an imported product)
Seating at the table for dinner - serving refreshments, cold dishes, pouring wine, introductions, starting the meal, serving dishes , refill the drinks, cancel the order.
After the meal - pass the scented towel to clean your hands and drink some tea. Handing out bills and sending guests off
As for state banquets, the banquet system is now divided into separate seats, with four (hot) dishes and one soup, plus cold dishes, desserts, fruits, and cold drinks. The drinks include Moutai baijiu, rice wine Shaoxing rice wine, Tsingtao beer, and mineral water.
State banquets are more lavish, such as a splendid hall, or pavilions and pavilions like Diaoyutai. Occasionally there is a band accompaniment and a pulpit. At every state banquet, there must be a three-dimensional carving and presentation of cold dishes.
If you want to understand the old system of banquets and wine tables for officials in the Ming and Qing Dynasties or in the streets and streets, you should re-read A Dream of Red Mansions, The Plum in the Golden Lotus, and many Ming and Qing novels.
It is not an exaggeration to say that a small table represents thousands of years of cultural accumulation.
When you start eating, you must be civilized and polite, and pay attention to your "eating appearance". Develop good dining habits. Generally, you should pay attention to the following points:
Let the elders use the chopsticks first to eat, or if you hear the elders say: "Let's eat together," you can't move the chopsticks before the elders.
When eating, you should hold up the bowl, clasp the mouth of the bowl with your thumb, clasp the bottom of the bowl with your index finger, middle finger, and ring finger, and keep your palms empty. Eating without holding the bowl and leaning over it on the table not only looks unsightly, but also puts pressure on the stomach and affects digestion.
When picking up food, you should pick it up from the edge of the plate that is close to or facing you. Do not pick it up from the middle of the plate or from the side close to others, and do not use chopsticks to turn the dishes over on the plate. "Look for it", don't keep your eyes on the plate, and don't pick too many dishes at one time. When you encounter your favorite dish, you should not eat it like a gust of wind, let alone just bring the plate to you and eat it to your heart's content. You should take into account your parents and siblings at the same table. If there is not much food on the plate and you want to "clean" it, you should consult your tablemates for their opinions. Only when others say they don't want to eat can you finish it.
There are also some people who are particular about the placement of wine glasses, bowls and chopsticks, and they are not allowed to place them randomly. There is a saying that "a cup does not come out of the banquet, and chopsticks do not come out of a fate". The chopsticks should be placed on one side of the cup to prevent them from being separated quickly. The chopsticks should be evenly aligned to avoid being associated with the bad saying of "three long and short work".
Chopstick etiquette in Japanese cuisine
1. When taking chopsticks, hold them with your left hand
The first step in taking chopsticks is the method of taking them. . The thumb, index finger and middle finger are actually in contact with the chopsticks, but the ring finger and little finger also need to be close to the middle finger. First, hold the center of the horizontal chopsticks with your right hand, then support it from below with your right hand, and slide your right hand toward the right end of the chopsticks. Then, turn your palm upwards and move it toward the center of the chopsticks. When the thumb moves over the center, hold it tightly and then release the left hand.
2. Sanitary chopsticks should be separated up and down
Generally, sanitary chopsticks are mostly used when entertaining guests. However, more formal restaurants use cedar chopsticks with clear wood grain, etc. High quality. When you want to open the sanitary chopsticks, you must first hold the chopsticks horizontally according to the correct method mentioned above, and then gradually open the sanitary chopsticks up and down with both hands. Do not be too exaggerated. Also, except for very simple chopsticks, it is a very bad habit to rub the tips of chopsticks after pulling them apart.
3. How to hold chopsticks when there is a bowl in your hand
When eating Japanese food, you mostly eat with a bowl in your hand. If you already hold chopsticks in your hand, and then use the same hand to pick up or put down the bowl, it is not a violation of etiquette, but without chopsticks in your hand, you can straighten all your fingers to pick up the bowl, and your posture will be more elegant. If you already have a bowl in your hand, the way you hold the chopsticks is also different. When holding the left end of the chopsticks between the middle finger and ring finger of your left hand (or between the ring finger and little finger), hold it with your right hand reversed.
Don’t forget, every time you want to pick up a bowl, you must first put down the chopsticks in your hands. You may think this is troublesome, but as long as you get used to it, it will become natural.
Chinese people pay attention to how they sit when dining
Chinese food has a long history. In this country, which has been a country of etiquette since ancient times and where food is the first priority for the people, dietary etiquette has naturally become an important part of the food culture.
China’s banquet etiquette is said to have begun with Zhou Gong. After thousands of years of evolution, it has finally formed a set of dietary etiquette that is generally accepted by everyone today. It is the inheritance and development of ancient dietary etiquette.
Food etiquette varies depending on the nature and purpose of the banquet; it also varies in different regions. Ancient dietary etiquette was divided by class: palace, government, gangs, folk, etc. Modern dining etiquette is simplified to: host (host), guest. As a guest, you should pay attention to your appearance when attending a banquet, and decide whether to bring small gifts or fine wine according to your closeness. Be punctual and keep your appointments when attending banquets. Upon arrival, first introduce yourself according to whether you know your home, or be introduced by the host, follow the host's arrangements, and then take your seat: this "seat arrangement" is the most important part of the entire Chinese food etiquette.
From ancient times to the present, due to the evolution of tables, the arrangement of seats has also changed accordingly. Generally speaking, the seating order is "to the left and to the east" and "to face the door is to respect". The person who takes the seat at the family banquet is the person with the highest seniority, and the person who takes the last seat is the person with the lowest seniority.
At a family banquet, the chief guest is the most respected guest, and the host occupies the last seat. Before the chief takes his seat, no one else can take his seat; before the chief takes action, no one can take action.
During the wine tour, toasts are made in order from the chief to all the guests. If it is a round table, the ones facing the door are the host and guest, and the ones on the left are 2, 4, 6...the ones on the right are 3, 5, 7...until they meet.
If it is the Eight Immortals table, if there are seats facing the door, the right seat on the side facing the door will be the host and guest. If it is not facing the gate, the right seat on the east side is the chief. Then sit on the left hand side of the chief, 2, 4, 6, 8, and on the right hand side, 3, 5, 7.
If it is a big banquet, the arrangement between the tables should be such that the chief guest is in the front and center, with seats 2, 4, and 6 on the left, and seats 3, 5, and 7 on the right. They are divided according to the identity and status of the host and guest. sit.
To avoid sitting in the host’s seat by mistake, you must wait for the host’s invitation before taking the seat. Of course, you should also wait for the elders to take their seats before sitting down
A few days ago You receive an invitation from a friend, inviting you to his birthday party over the weekend, which is a Chinese dinner party. At 6 o'clock, you go to your appointment on time, and all the guests have arrived. Chinese food is about liveliness, so round tables are generally used. This is different from the long dining table in the West. The identity of the host is not easy to identify by the position. In order to prevent you from sitting in the host's seat by mistake, you must wait for the host's invitation before sitting down. If you are polite, of course you should wait until the elders are seated before sitting down
Chinese food is usually placed on the rotating table to make it easier for everyone to pick up the food. When a dish is served, maybe it happens to be in front of you, so you don't have to be too rigid. You can put a chopstick in your bowl first. And if the food is not in front of you, you must not pick up the disc and turn the table in front of you, or stand up and cross half the table to get food. China's food culture is world-famous, and Chinese food etiquette is of course Also famous. However, with the changes of the times, food culture is developing in a diversified way, and the phenomenon of the west wind moving eastward is also increasingly bullish. Many ancient etiquette in Chinese food have long disappeared. However, as a country of etiquette, we must not just do it for the sake of appetite. If we ignore the basic courtesy, we should maintain elegant dining etiquette. In addition to reflecting personal qualities, it can also improve the quality and connotation of Chinese food.
So today, let’s review the old Chinese etiquette and learn about the new.
A few days ago, you received an invitation from a friend, inviting you to attend his birthday party over the weekend. It was a Chinese meal reunion. At 6 o'clock, you go to your appointment on time, and all the guests have arrived. Chinese food is about liveliness, so round tables are generally used. This is different from the long dining table in the West. The identity of the owner is not easy to identify through the position. For the sake of food, this will not only hinder other guests from dining, but also leave an unpleasant impression on people. Good impression. Don't worry, the host will assign them to everyone present one by one in order.
Of course, you can't be too polite. It is necessary to take the initiative to turn the disk and turn the table occasionally. This is also a way to show that you are satisfied with the dishes. Chinese people like to have a lively meal. If the guests are happy with their meal, the host will certainly have face. Because there are a lot of cutlery and food on the dining table, when turning the disc, you must look carefully to see if there are bowls, chopsticks, and cups around you. Otherwise, it is easy to cause the embarrassing scene of knocking down a row of dominoes.
Also, the rotating disc table should generally rotate clockwise, and you should clearly see if any other guests are picking up food, otherwise others will think you are trying to steal their food.
Chinese food has different colors, flavors and flavors. It is best to eat one dish at a time and wait until you finish eating before adding another dish. Don’t pile too much food in the bowl, which will not only confuse your food. Taste will also give people a bad impression of unsightly food.
When encountering dishes such as soups that require the use of male chopsticks and a female spoon, you must remember to put down your chopsticks or spoons and use the male chopsticks and female spoon to pick up the food. If you want to The host or elders must also use male chopsticks and female spoons when picking up food. This is not only in line with Chinese dining etiquette, but also includes public and hygienic etiquette.
Chopsticks are the most Chinese and exquisite tableware in Chinese food. Chopsticks are used as dining tools, so you must not play with them or knock them on dishes. This is very impolite. If the dishes are difficult to hold with chopsticks, you can use a spoon to assist. In this way, the soup will not flow everywhere, and the round meatballs will not jump all over the table. It is best to transition the plated dishes to the dishes in front of you, so that you don't look too eager to eat. If you encounter others coming to pick up food, be humble and avoid "chopstick fights". Also, never dig into a dish with chopsticks. Not only is it unhygienic, but other customers will also be disgusted. The etiquette and culture of chopsticks are so profound and profound. I will specifically talk about the culture of chopsticks in future programs. When you have finished eating, you should return the chopsticks to their original shape and put them back on the chopstick holder.
Of course you can’t find toothpicks on Western dining tables, but on Chinese dining tables, toothpicks are usually provided. In fact, the most polite thing is not to pick your teeth at the dining table, but if you really need to, you must use it. Cover it with a napkin or your hand. I think it goes without saying that you should do this too.
Chinese food cannot be called an authentic Chinese food without tea. If you happen to be closest to the teapot, then you should take the responsibility of pouring the tea, starting with the oldest person and working your way down to your turn last. And if someone else is pouring tea for you, you should tap your fingers on the table as a courtesy. This is to express your gratitude and respect to the person who poured the tea. If you are not used to it, you must also use words or gestures to express your gratitude.
Eating the same meal can greatly enhance feelings, and eating Chinese food provides a shortcut for this. Everyone eats a dish, I serve it for you, you persuade me to drink, everyone is enjoying themselves, this is the atmosphere of Chinese food. However, you must also pay attention to certain etiquette during the meal. You must not be overjoyed or get into a mess. Enjoy the excitement of reunion in harmony, harmony and order. This is the culture of Chinese food.
If you have read A Dream of Red Mansions or other Ming and Qing novels, you must have a deep memory of the complicated dining etiquette in it. A small table can be said to condense thousands of years of Chinese cultural accumulation. Although modern dining does not require these red tapes, necessary etiquette is still indispensable. I believe that as long as we are more respectful and careful, the etiquette culture of Chinese food will be passed down through the ages, and our dining mood will be more pleasant and harmonious.