Warm, scrumptious smells waft into the room, beckoning you to the dinner table. Once the mouth-watering food is served, your family gathers around the table to eat and discuss the day’s endeavours.
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This familiar scene can be witnessed in most UK households, but dining customs vary considerably between countries. Differing cultures have evolved diverging mealtime practices. Here, some of the most interesting and unusual dining customs from around the world have been compiled, illustrating the variety in national eating habits.
Burping
In China, India and Egypt, belching is not only acceptable, but a sign of your enjoyment of your meal. While it is frowned upon by many Western cultures, in these areas letting out a huge burp after finishing a meal will tell the host or cook that the food was superb.
Leftovers
Over the years, thousands of mothers have been heard to admonish their children by stating ‘you can’t leave the table until you have cleared your plate.’ However, in some cultures eating all the food on your plate is seen as an insult to your host. Instead of showing that you enjoyed your meal; it suggests that not enough food was served. So, next time you are dining in China, make sure to leave a small amount of food on your plate.
Noisy Eaters
For the Japanese, loudly slurping slippery dishes, like noodles, is encouraged. It shows that you take pleasure in eating the food. This is not only a sign of a good meal but reflects well on the person eating it.
Late Dining
The chances are that, even in the feeble British summer, your evening meal creeps later and later with increasing heat. When the sun is sparkling in the sizzling summer sky, you just don’t feel like eating a heavy meal.
In many Mediterranean and Tropical climates, the evening meal is not eaten until around 9pm, regardless of the season. Restaurants remain virtually empty during the typical UK and USA ‘dinner rush’ hours. Residents only venture out once it is cool enough to eat well.
Rubbish
Imagine that you were sat at the dining table in a friend’s house, contemplating what to do with the crumbs collecting on your napkin. It is likely that just throwing the serviette and its contents onto the floor would never have even crossed your mind. Yet, this is what many snack or tapas bars in Spain expect of their guests.
Instead of placing unwanted items on a plate or into a bin, rubbish and leftover food is tossed onto the floor, where it waits to be cleaned up at the end of the night.
Rotting Fish
Dessert is often described as the best meal of the day. In Finland, it is certainly the most unusual. Rotting fish is served at the end of the main meal. This ‘Surstömming’ is regardedas a huge delicacy.
Pufferfish
The most dramatic dining custom is that of eating pufferfish. ‘Fugu’, the Japanese pufferfish, is both a delicacy and one of the most poisonous fish in the world. There is no known antidote to this pufferfish’s poison. Japanese chefs require years of meticulous training before they are able to remove the lethal section and properly prepare the dish.
However, most chefs do not remove the entirety of the deadly poison. Just enough remains to produce a tingling feeling when it is placed into the mouth. Consuming the lightly poisonous dish creates a unique sensation for those brave enough to try it.
These customs may be unusual to many people from Western civilisations, but it is important to remember that the residents of the countries feature here will think the same about the ways in which we eat. Variations in dining habits are important to be aware of when travelling – you wouldn’t want to offend your host simply by doing something you’ve always considered to be polite.
If you think any of this dining etiquette is unusual, consider the phenomenon of fast-food restaurants. Driving up to a first window to place, and pay for, your order and then continuing to another to collect your food, which you can eat from the comfort of your own car has to be one of the most unusual dining customs seen today.
Author
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Rhosanna Jenkins is a budding blogger with a keen interest in different cultures. She writes to share her discoveries and experiences with as many people as possible. She recommends Oak Furniture Superstore.
