They are making food on the floor; Guess where you're going to eat it...
To save you the sting (and to satiate your innate wanderlust), we're giving you a little trip around the world for **the wackiest (and fun!)** mannerisms we've come across. From "not showing the soles while eating" when feeding the rest of the diners by hand; the planet, thank goodness, has not yet succumbed to brutal globalization and still full of glorious differences.
Are you really going to disappoint 'mamma' by butchering the spaghetti?
THAILAND: Don't put your fork in your mouth; use it just to push the food onto the spoon and into your mouth. Here, this last cover is the king of the table . And don't think that because the Thais have slanted eyes they use chopsticks: not only they don't, but they they consider it vulgar -unless, of course, you're eating Japanese or Chinese food-. Also, don't be alarmed if they put the first and the second on the table at the same time, because all served at once and is always shared. And don't eat "the one of shame" in these common dishes!
KOREA: It may seem silly to you, but it is disrespectful to receive the dishes or drinks offered by those who are older than you with only one hand - you should use both -, as well as starting to eat before the oldest person at the table has done so.
CHINA : Forget everything your mother taught you and screw it up! Make noise, she talks with her mouth full, sucks the fieos, belches (and if it can be, loud)... Let it be seen that you are well satisfied with your portion , to the point that you must necessarily leave the last piece on the plate as a sign that you have been served "too" generously. Yes indeed, you can eat the rice whole without fear. For the rest, it is very well seen that you try all the dishes that are offered to you, but acting shy first and politely rejecting them ( it's a pantomime, then you eat them ) . And remember: as soon as you finish, get the hell out! After-dinner conversations are a traditional custom, not an oriental one.
Balance is also present in the Korean table
JAPAN: Arrive an hour late for dinner (which, being Spanish, probably won't be too hard for you). Don't leave your chopsticks stuck in the rice Or you'll be offering it to the dead! To avoid invoking this practice, which is carried out in Buddhist funerals, always keep them horizontal on the bowl or plate (this advice will work for you in most Asian countries). Also, fearlessly sip the noodles to show the world how much you like them and drink straight from the soup bowl (just like in Doraemon!) And if, for some strange reason, you were thinking of suck on chopsticks Stop before it's too late and they kick you out of the restaurant!
HUNGARY: Don't toast with beer. Since the Austrians did it after defeat them in the Revolution of 1848 As if it doesn't suit them very well...
BRITAIN: Just two little things: don't eat the asparagus -which is usually served as an appetizer, with sauce- with a knife and fork. Take a bite and leave the hardest part on your plate. And when you do eat with a fork, it is distinguished people to do so with the curved part facing downwards.
GERMANY: Don't cut the potatoes mash them with the fork or you will be suggesting to the cook that they are not quite done. And be careful not to mess with the kartoffel in this land!
EGYPT: Never fill your own glass. Thanks to this, in addition to not seeming rude, you will witness a curious bottle-glass choreography in a kind of Twister's refill . Waiting to be served and serving others when the glass is half empty is the only rule.
Unlimited sipping paradise
AFGHANISTAN : Another country where the advice you received as a child won't do you much good: when the bread falls off the table, it is not only picked up , but is kissed and made available to diners again! This shows respect for the food and for the work that has gone into cooking it.
CHILE: Don't eat with your hands, not even the fries or the pizza!
RUSSIA: Drink drink drink! Decline a drink is frowned upon , as well as mixing the vodka with another drink or putting ice on it. However, if you add beer to it, then no problem. They call this curious combination "yorsh"... and it is usually taken all at once. If the toast that preceded it is one that is not forgotten, you can also crash your glass against the ground (or against what you catch). Take a walk on the wild side!
INDIA : Eat it all: throwing food here is a "sin". Also, wash your hands well before and after after eating (beware of having dirty nails), although you will only use the right to take the food directly from the plate to the mouth, without any other utensil. This use of the right hand in India and Muslim countries is justified because the left hand is dedicated to hygiene, so it wouldn't be very clean also use it to feed yourself. oh! Don't eat too fast or too slow: find the balance.
ETHIOPIA: Bad news for picky eaters: here you eat with your right hand, naked, and use one dish per group. Sometimes even feeds the other diners with that same hand in the Gursha, a celebration of friendship and family. Sharing is caring!
TANZANIA: Normally in this country you will eat on a carpet but don't even think about it show your soles to the rest while you do it. It's rude!
PORTUGAL: Do not ask for salt and pepper or you will be telling the chef that his food is bland.
Don't play European and enjoy!
ITALY: Of course, don't cut the spaghetti ; just roll them on the fork. It is true that you will never have the charm of the Italians and you will end up sipping them, but even that is better than butcher one of its most characteristic dishes. Also, don't ask for cheese to garnish the pasta, or the pizza (does anyone do that?) ; use it only when it is served with the food (sometimes they will do it with the soup; help yourself and you will see how delicious) . One more thing: do not ask for a coffee with milk after eating , as it is believed that it can negatively influence digestion. An expresso is the maximum amount of milk they will accept without looking at you badly. Do you want to know even more? Here you have !
FRANCE: EITHER you pay everything Or don't open your mouth. Sharing the account is not considered too sophisticated.
GEORGIA: If you've been scared by Russia, wait until you see how they spend it here, where toasts can last for hours! The reason? All the guests express their best wishes, one after another, in a circle, and after each sentence, you have to drink the glass... whole. They are not usually very large containers, but, yes, they are always full of wine or vodka. If you make your toast with beer, it is that you intend to wish him bad luck to someone And you don't want that, do you?
*** You may also be interested in...**
- School of manners for millionaires - Things you should not do when traveling abroad
- Guide to get the tip right - At the Italian table: Rules for surviving the family - Survival guide for the typical Indian wedding - The ABC of sake - All articles by Marta Sader
India and its unique envelopes