Characteristics of western food
"Western food" is China's general name for European and American cuisines. If roughly divided, western food can be roughly divided into two categories: one is "Western European style" represented by Britain, France, Germany, Italy and other countries, also known as "European style", which is characterized by pure selection of materials, light taste, many styles and fine production; Second, the "Eastern European Style" represented by the former Soviet Union, also known as "Russian Style", is characterized by strong flavor and heavy oil, and is famous for its salty, sour, sweet and spicy taste. In addition, there is the "American style" developed on the basis of British cuisine. If further subdivided, it can be divided into English cuisine, French cuisine, russian cuisine cuisine, American cuisine, Italian cuisine and German cuisine. Every country's food has its own flavor and style, especially French food. But generally speaking, compared with Chinese food, western food has at least the following remarkable characteristics:
First of all, Western food attaches great importance to the collocation and combination of various nutrients, and fully considers the human body's demand for various nutrients (sugar, fat, protein, vitamins) and calories to arrange dishes or cook.
Secondly, the materials are carefully selected and widely used. Western food is very meticulous and particular when selecting materials, and the selection of materials is very extensive. American food, for example, often uses fruit to cook or eat, both salty and sweet; Italian food will make all kinds of pasta into dishes: all kinds of noodles, noodles and flowers can be made into delicious table delicacies; However, French cuisine has a wider choice of materials, such as snails, lilies and coconut cores.
Third, pay attention to seasoning and color. Western cooking condiments are mostly different from Chinese food, such as sour cream, cinnamon leaves, lemon and so on. French cuisine also pays attention to seasoning with wine, which is widely used in cooking. Different dishes are seasoned with different wines. German cuisine is mostly flavored with beer, which pays attention to contrast and lightness in color matching, so it is bright in color and can stimulate appetite.
Finally, the craft is rigorous and the utensils are exquisite. There are many cooking methods of western food, such as frying, stewing, roasting and stewing. And they pay great attention to the technological process and pay attention to scientific, procedural and rigorous procedures. Cooking utensils and tableware have different characteristics from Chinese food. Especially tableware, besides porcelain products, crystal, glass and various metal tableware account for a large proportion.
Use of tableware
1. Western tableware
Western tableware in a broad sense includes knives, forks, spoons, plates, cups, napkins and so on. There are dish plates, pudding plates, milk plates, butter plates and so on. The wine glasses are even more exquisite. Almost every kind of wine should be served at formal banquets, and special wine glasses must be replaced.
In a narrow sense, tableware refers to three big pieces: knife, fork and spoon. Knives are divided into edible knives, fish knives and meat knives (with serrated blades, used to cut steaks, pork chops, etc. ), butter knife, fruit knife. Forks are divided into edible forks, fish forks, meat forks and shrimp forks. Spoons are spoons, dessert spoons and teaspoons. The specifications of public knives and forks are obviously larger than those of table knives and forks.
Tableware placement: the dinner plate is placed in the center of the dining table, and neatly folded napkins or papers are placed on the tray (some napkins or papers are broken into stamens and put in glasses). Knives, forks and spoons on both sides are arranged in neat parallel lines. If you have a seat card, put it in front of the saucer. All knives are placed on the right side of the saucer, and the blade faces the saucer. All kinds of spoons are placed on the right side of the knife, with the center of the spoon facing up. The fork is placed on the left side of the saucer, with the fork teeth facing up. Generally, only three pairs of knives and forks are put in one seat. The bread plate is placed on the guest's left hand side, equipped with a bread knife (that is, a butter knife, which is used to spread cream and jam instead of cutting bread), and all kinds of wine glasses and cups are placed on the right front. If there is pasta, the spoon and fork for eating pasta are placed horizontally in front.
2. Use of tableware
Knife and fork grip. When using a knife, put the end of the handle in the palm of your hand, press your thumb on one side of the handle, press your forefinger on the handle, but be careful that your forefinger never touches the back of the knife, and the other three fingers bend to hold the handle. If the fork doesn't use a knife, the fork teeth should face up. Hold the fork as far as possible at the end of the fork handle, with the fork handle resting on the middle finger and supported by the ring finger and the little finger in the middle. Forks can be used to fork or eat alone, or to eat some starters and pies, or to eat main courses that don't need to be cut.
The use of knives and forks. Knife in right hand, fork in left hand. First hold the food with a fork, then cut it into small pieces with a knife, and then send it into your mouth with a fork. Europeans don't change hands when they use it, that is, they hold a fork in their left hand from cutting vegetables to delivering food. After cutting, the Americans put down the knife and changed their right hand to hold the fork to send the food into their mouth.
When the knife and fork are used together, the fork posture is similar to holding a knife, but the fork teeth should face down. Usually the knife and fork are used together when eating the main course, but if you don't need to cut with a knife, you can cut with a fork. Both methods are correct.
Usage of spoon. Hold the spoon in your right hand and the fork in the same way, but your fingers must be at the end of the spoon handle. You can't eat anything but soup.
The use of napkins. When eating, the big napkin can be folded in half (usually folded in half) and spread on the leg, and the small napkin can be spread directly on the leg. Be careful not to hang napkins on your chest (but in places with little space, such as airplanes). When you wipe your mouth, use the top of the napkin and the inside to wipe your mouth. Never use it to wipe your face or clean knives, forks, plates, etc.
Dining etiquette of western food
Because the main difference between western food and Chinese food is in tableware, dishes, drinks and so on. Attending a western banquet should not only follow the basic etiquette of the Chinese banquet mentioned above, but also master the following etiquette knowledge respectively.
1. Tableware etiquette
When eating western food, you must pay attention to the placement and placement of tableware on the table, and you can't take it at will. At a formal banquet, each dish is equipped with a set of corresponding tableware (knife, fork and spoon), and the order of the above dishes is arranged from outside to inside. When eating, you should first take the outermost set of knives and forks on the left and right. After eating each dish, put the knife and fork together and put them on the plate, indicating that the dishes have been used up, and the waiter will take the initiative to remove the tableware. If you haven't finished eating or stopped, put the knife and fork on the plate in a figure of eight with the blade inward, which means telling the waiter that I haven't finished eating, please don't take the plate away.
When using a knife and fork, try not to let it collide, so as not to make a loud noise, and don't wave it to talk to others.
2. Dining etiquette
There are many kinds of western food with different flavors, so the order of serving varies with different cuisines and specifications, but the basic order is basically the same.
A meal consists of seven or eight complete western dishes, which are mainly composed of the following parts:
First, drinks (fruit juice), fruits or cold dishes, also called appetizers, are designed to stimulate appetite.
Second, soup (that is, the first course). You need a spoon. There is usually butter and bread at this time.
3. Vegetables, cold dishes or fish (also called side dishes). You can use the corresponding knife and fork on both sides of the saucer.
Fourth, the main course (meat or cooked vegetables). The main course meat is usually accompanied by cooked vegetables. At this time, you should cut it with a knife and fork and eat it on a plate. If you have salad, you need salad spoon, salad fork and other tableware.
Fifth, after-dinner food. Generally, it is dessert (dim sum), fruit, ice cream and so on. Finally, for coffee, use a coffee spoon and a long-handled spoon to drink coffee.
When eating, in addition to taking food with a knife, fork and spoon, you can sometimes take it with your hands. If you eat chicken or lobster, you can tear it by hand at the owner's suggestion. Eat cookies, potato chips or small fruits, and you can eat them with your hands. Bread is always held by hand, pay attention to the one in front of the left hand, and don't make mistakes. When taking bread, take it with your left hand and tear it with your right hand, then spread cream on it and eat it in small pieces. Don't soak the bread in the soup, and don't bite it down.
When you drink soup, you must not eat it on a plate. You must spoon it. The posture is: hold the edge of the dish with your left hand, scoop it with your right hand, don't drink soup at the end of the dish, don't make a squeak, and don't go too fast. If the soup is too hot, you should wait for it to cool naturally before drinking.
Be especially careful when eating meat or fish. After pressing it with a fork, cut it slowly with a knife. After cutting, eat with a fork. Never fork up and send it into your mouth to bite. This dish usually contains some lettuce, which is often used for decoration to increase appetite. It's up to you to eat or not. Don't eat for face.
The condiments on the table are usually ready to be put on the table. If the distance is too far, you can ask someone else to trouble you, and you can't reach it by yourself. This is ugly.
It is normal to talk to each other when eating western food, but you must not talk loudly, laugh loudly or smoke, especially when eating, chew slowly, don't make a loud noise in your mouth, and don't put a knife and fork in your mouth. As for holding a knife and fork as a gesture to wave in front of others, it is even more rude and uncultured.
Pay attention to sitting posture when eating western food. Sit up straight, your body should be straight, and your back should not be close to the back of the chair. You can usually sit in three-quarters of the seat. Don't stretch your legs, cross your legs, or put your elbows on the table.
When drinking, don't fill your glass too full, and don't persuade others to drink (these are different from Chinese food). If you have just finished eating greasy food, you'd better wipe your mouth before drinking, so as not to make the cup greasy with oil stains on your mouth. When toasting, even if you don't drink, you should touch your glass on your lips to show politeness.
Someone once summed up a polite drinking procedure: first, raise your glass, look straight into your eyes and appreciate the color; Secondly, a little closer, a faint smell of wine; Then, take a sip; Fourth, taste slowly; Finally, praise the good wine and its fragrance.
In a word, western food pays attention to both etiquette and rules. Only by mastering it carefully can we be gentle when eating.