sohozhk

Chopsticks are the traditional eating utensils of East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, the four "chopstick countries") as well as Thailand. If there are serving spoons or communal chopsticks with the serving dish, use those to get the food to your own plate/bowl before using your own set. In China, however, it is not unusual to use one's own chopsticks to obtain food from the serving plates. This can often be alarming to those not familiar with the custom.; X. P8 h+ m) ?  X$ H
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It may be also a polite gesture to serve the best piece of food and send it to your guests' bowl. (Use caution in this practice; many people observe some kind of special diet and picking food for your guests may not be appropriate to each person's tastes.) Furthermore, it is usually preferred, due to hygienic concern, to use the serving utensil instead of your own chopsticks to do this. So, using chopsticks at meals is traditional for Chinese cuisine. Serving chopsticks and spoons, as an usual practice, is an elegant as well as a hygienic way of dining.6 M, k9 S2 K9 `$ Q

$ V; a- P* r: fThere is nothing unusual as a civilized American, as many of them across the globe, to dining with a Chinese household setting. It is good to begin an inter-cultural experience and get to be immersed in unique customs and culture. Practicing foreign customs can be part of the adventure of eating. Look for the general etiquette of using chopsticks and get some understanding of a foreign country and customs.8 R! T' a$ E- |% S4 j) C, \

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bwk0317,
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  J7 ]  y4 X# u1 _, \# C- J5 w[ Last edited by sohozhk on 2005-8-1 at 12:03 AM ]