Different cultures and their quirks/food/customs/drink 5

[ziggi]

This is a continuation of a post on a hijacked thread, which was primarily about booze (the post not the thread), but then evolved, but then I forgot where it went, so I'm making a new one.

For those of you who wonder why this is in the self-improvement section. The next time you end up in Poland overpaying a restaurant meal by $80 b/c you gave the waitress $100 for a $20 meal and said thank you, you'll be glad you read this post.

To start us off, when in Poland and at a restaurant, first off pay in cash (credit scams are rife) and secondly don't say anything to the waitress/waiter when paying, saying "Thank you" denotes that you want the waitress/waiter to keep the change.
Also Croatians tend to stare right into your eyes when talking to you, that may creep out the introverts out there....pretty much most engineers ;-) .

 

[MedicineEng]

I just came back from a business trip to China.
Going back to the chopsticks washing, in all dinners and lunches that I had only one time the Chinese that were with me washed the chopsticks in tea (well, the restaurant was not exactly a star-Michellin, but the food was wonderful. Please don't invite me to see the kitchen).
Other comments:
-If they ask you if you want wine, please don't say yes, 99.9% of the cases they are refering to rice wine that it is a distilled beverage almost unbearable and extremely alcoholic (38-50% v/v). I managed to escape from it;
-We are expected to drink until everybody's drunk or you quit. I believe that I made the day of my Chinese counter part when one day at lunch (that started at 11.30h) I said that I couldn't drink anymore and he with a triumph smile said:"I beat you". The fact is that at dinner he didn't drink. But amazingly he brought a friend (that I never saw before)to drink with me, so he outsourced the drinking part. I asked him why and he told that he had drunk too much at lunch so he had headache and stomach ache (and I tought "eheh, who beats who?";
-Strange food comes to the table, but I would say that I like 99% of it. In one of the lunches, the first dish was... chicken feet. I am used to see chicken feet in chinese meals but these ones or these ones were HUGE still with nails!! Maybe eagle feet!! Fortunately, since Chinese meals have at least 10 dishes you will find somehting htat you like
-As the drinks roll over, things start to be more interesting. Just to tell you that one night in the end I was already being invited to eat... elephant's nose (trunk). Apparently, this is a delicacy that in times was reserved for the emperor. Now, it is forbidden because elephant is a protected specie but either way they manage to get it and Chinese like to show their status by getting these expensive and forbidden materials. Of course I said no in a delicate way and proposed another toast. It always works to change subject.
Just one more thing that I found out: some Chinese don't like cold beer. In fact they drink the beer at ambient temperature.

 

[FrenchCAD]

The French have a way of talking about food as if every Frenchmen is a culinary expert and an experienced chef, which makes most Americans feel uneasy. A large part of this is bluff of course

epoisses, I am ready to bet I am better than you at cooking ;-)

French waitresses and shopkeepers say "have a nice day" as well, but as soon as they have to (try to) speak English, they lose all their eloquence. It's so much easier to be polite in your mother language...

Sadly, French people do not like much learning foreign languages. Seems like it's going better with new generations, because they understand now that it is necessary to be understood worldwide as well as understand people coming from all around the world to France. So, if you go into any small restaurant or café, then you might deal with a non english speaking waitress. I notice that more and more places with non english speaking employees have a note at the door telling so.

Cyril Guichard
Mechanical Engineer Consultant
France

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

If you can't find good beer in America, you are not looking in the right place (or the right State).

Within 50 miles of my work I can named six breweries that would not shame England, Belgium, or Germany. And there is a seventh one that I haven't tried yet. Five of them are very good, the sixth is superb. I can honestly say I have never visited a brewery anywhere in Europe (never been to Germany though) that could match them for the sheer number of quality offerings.

I agree that where I live (Wisconsin), is not typical when it comes to American beer, but please don't lump us in with theose people that only drink Bud Light, etc. We do, of course, have tons of bad American beer around here too.

The brewery I mentioned before, if anyone cares, is the Capital Brewery of Middleton.

 

[fglass]

Talking about the chopsticks washing, this happened to my parents as well. I am not sure about China, but in Malaysia, we(Chinese Malaysian)would use hot tea (NOT cold tea)to wash our chopsticks (even silver fork, silver spoon, and silver knife)if, and only if, we are ordering hot tea as our drinks. I am not sure is that a culture, but we did that solely because of sanitary issue. Basically, our hot tea is served with several ceramic tea cups in a bowl. Therefore, we would put all the utensils (NOT for plastic utensils)as well in the bowl and pour hot tea into it and wash it. In some Chinese restaurants, they would have hot water in the bowl along with tea cups. In that case, we would not use hot tea to sterilize our utensils. Are the hot tea serve in China solely to wash the chopsticks? I really don't think that's the case.

About the McDonalds, is it only the drinks in America McD is refillable? In Asia, the drinks are not refillable. How about the case in Europe? There used to have one fast food restaurant in my country that allowed drinks refill. Thereafter, many youngsters and women went there to gossip for several hours. After few months, the restaurant filed bankruptcy. Not sure if that's due to the drinks issue, but one thing for sure, no refillable drink at any fast food restaurant from then on. That's funny. By the way, hot tea in Chinese restaurant is refillable.

SMS - Which country are you from? It seems like you travel to lots of countries. Did you try the Dim Sum in Mandarin Oriental Hotel in KL? That is one of the famous Dim Sum in town. Yummy yummy. Unfortunately, I am studying and working in the US these days.

Yes, south is famous for its cold, sweet tea. And yes, most of them are too sweet. Therefore, some people would prefer hald and half (half sweet, half unsweet). Even some people order unsweeteded tea and add "High and Low" in there.

And, I think Americans treat sodas like water, and ice like heaven. Not many Asian parents allow their kids to drink sodas and ice beverage.

 

[UcfSE]

What's Marmite?

 

[KENAT]

MARMITE,

Some times referred to as 'Ambrosia' the food of the Gods.








OK, that may have shown my personal fondness however, It is Yeast Extract. Essentially if I recall correctly it's what is left over after you've brewed beer, processed and put in a jar.

It is then typically spread on bread/toast. There are many other ways to use it and a number of products available which use Marmite as the main flavor ingredient, Twiglets being the most notable example.

It's a love or hate type thing, so much so that the manufacturers admit it and have based advertising campaigns around it.

It's very salty but high in Vitamin B if I remember right. I usually prefer mine spread fairly thin but some people like it thicker, usually a bit overpowering for my pallet.

Bruno, when I get a chance I'll try and reply but it may not be short!

Ken

 

[ziggi]

Marmite has a sort of meaty, salty flavour, my mom used to use it in stews occasionally as a beef stock substitute. She usually just ended up putting a spoonful in with the dog's food b/c no one else would eat it.

I'm strongly on the hate it side Our dogs loved it

 

[KENAT]

http://www.marmite.com/

explains it all.

Regarding Beer, it’s at least partly a matter or taste, even by British Standards I’m somewhat picky. Whilst not a CAMRA (Campaign for real ale) member I do have leanings in that direction.

As I implied in my original post I don’t like my beer ice cold & fizzy (or course warm and fizzy would be worse).

So a beer might be the best cold fizzy lager in the world but I probably wouldn’t like it.

I don’t think I’ve come across any American beers, including some microbrews, that aren’t served cold and fizzy.


This isn’t just a dig at US beer, I don’t think I’ve ever found a beer from anywhere other than UK & Ireland that I really like. I’ve found a few I can drink at a pinch but none I’d want to quaff ten pints (pint = 20 ounces) or so of in an evening.

There are also plenty of British brews I’m not a fan of either.

Out of interest Bruno are any of the beers you talk of from your local brewery more like traditional British Ales? If so then I may have to try and investigate, I’m in Southern CA but might be able to work something out, and retract my statement. If not then I stand by my original comments!

 

[sms]

fglass, I live in Houston Texas, but yes I travel all over. That's the oil bidness for you. I did not have Dim Sum at the Madarin, but I did have it at one of the hotels (The Royal?) in Miri Malaysia (island of Borneo). Very nice.

-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!

 

[MadMango]

I was in Montreal for business and we ate at a very posh place, French cusine I believe. One of my co-workers did a lot of traveling, so I assumed he was rather worldly. After we had a few drinks and finished off our appetizers, the servers brought everyone a small dish of sorbet. I knew this was to cleanse our pallets before the main course. My co-worker did not know this, and immediately began complaining about getting our dessert without getting our entrees. I tried to slink under the table.

Are there other cusines that serve something to cleanse the pallet before the main course?

[green]"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."[/green]
Steven K. Roberts, Technomad
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[fglass]

SMS - You don't like fishhead soup in Korea, "Steve-a-san"? Is that the one with ginseng and herbs on it? That is delicious!!! If I am not mistaken, the fishhead soup is one of the famous dishes in Korea. My aunt lives in Miri, Sarawak. But, I haven't got the chance to visit the Island of Borneo. Shame on me. Were you saying that there are lots of Chinese food at the KLCC food court? It has been some time for not going back home. I am sick of my country food now when you mentioned about it. Aaargghh. I wonder what position do you hold in the company that allow you to travel that frequent?

 

[KENAT]

Madmango,

I remember having, I think it was grapefruit Juice, for that reason. I think it was after the main course and before desert but I can't be sure, t'was back when I were a lad.

 

[MintJulep]

Truth in advertising, or literal menu translation...

Many years ago I ordered a bowl of fish soup in a small restaurant stall in Keelung, Taiwan.

I was expecting something like boullibase, or chowder.

What arrived was a bowl of clear broth, with some slices of ginger, scallions and a few other veggies and

a whole fish.

Head sticking out of the bowl on one side. Tail sticking out on the other.

Very surprizing, just because of the mismatch between my mental expectation and reality.

 

[GregLocock]

I went out for a degustation dinner last month. The fifth course (of 10) was a palate cleansing unsweetened lemon sorbet. Now, I'll happily eat a raw lemon if I'm in the back garden, but man was that sorbet a shock to the system!



Cheers

Greg Locock

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[Beggar]

Sadly, French people do not like much learning foreign languages

Funny you say that, Cyril. I work with three French guys. One speaks French, German, & English, the next speaks French, Italian, and English, and the third speaks French, Spanish, and English.

Are the hot tea serve in China solely to wash the chopsticks?

Nope. The first round is used for 'sterilization' and dumped into a common container that is then whisked away. After that, it's all for drinking.

About the McDonalds, is it only the drinks in America McD is refillable? In Asia, the drinks are not refillable. How about the case in Europe?

No refills in Holland nor in France. I was at Schiphol and the typical American guy obnoxiously demanded that they fill his cup to the brim. The server pointed to a little line on the side of the cup and said that was the fill line. Definitely no refills in Holland. The Dutch have a well-deserved reputation for being cheap.

--------------------
How much do YOU owe?

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

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[ajack1]

No refills in England either beggar, the same applies to coffee in most places.

It always amuses me when asked in the USA would you like to super size your drink sir? Let me think would I like to pay more or walk five yards to refill something that I probably will not drink all of in the first place? I guess us brits are cheap as well.

 

[SomptingGuy]

The "no refills" thing is one reason why there's not much ice around in the UK. People think it's a ploy to give you less of the drink for your money (although the drink itself is virtually free compared with the price of the cup, lid, straw and the labour costs of filling it for you).

I was always amused by free refills in the USA. Whilst I was quite happy to refill whilst still eating, I could never go completely native and refill on my way out.

Do they still have those massive cups in America - the sculpted ones where the bottom few inches are narrow and can sit in a cup holder, while the bulk of the cup is 6 inches wide and towers above the holder?

 

[ScottyUK]

My local Burger King allows you to fill your own drink. No 'official' refills, but the kids behind the counter don't mind.

Filling the cup with ice IS a ploy for giving you less drink for your money!


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I don't suffer from insanity. I enjoy it...

 

[Quantum50]

Free refills in the US (at least in the South and the Pacific Northwest as I'm familiar) started about 10 years ago. Before that, there was a charge (sometimes not as much as the original charge) for the refill. It was annoying in restaurants (not fast food) to be dinged again and again for a soft drink. I can understand for alcohol and specialty drinks. However, I used to manage fastfood and know the cost of soft drinks and it is very low, especially if you monkey with the mix (lean it out => higher water/syrup ratio).

I'm not sure why the fastfood industry led the way to free refills but I was suprised when the restaurants joined in. I assume part of the reason is to save the labor of fastfood server who would normally be tasked with trying to meet the desires of the customer with their no ice/little ice/heavy ice/mixed flavors, etc. requests. Now the server/money taker usually just stands ready to toss the food on the counter and yell, "Next!"

Wish I could visit Europe. :-(

 

[sms]

fglass, I am a rotating machinery engineer in the engineering support group for Shell Oil.

We have operations in Miri (Lutong)Sarawak, and an office in the Petronas towers.

Yes the KLCC mall has food of every kind, three levels of food court... Oh and no refills on drinks!!

-The future's so bright I gotta wear shades!