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quiz on dining cultures


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That was really fun! I got 7 out of 11. I had no idea that the Chinese consider it impolite to clean the plate! I've been unintentionally rude in Chinese households!

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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9 out of 11 ... and I got the one on China wrong too (and I'm ethnically Chinese)!

Like Ling, the grown-ups used to tell us that we had to finish all the rice on our plates/bowls. Some used to say that if we didn't we'd end up with a pockmarked spouse!

I think there may be slight confusion in interpretation for that one - I think one's considered a bad host by Chinese customs if all the food (not necessarily on one's plate since dishes are shared) is finished - it means that the guests may not have had enough to eat.

HSBC in its ad campaign "The World's Local Bank" has an ad which shows this - a guest is presented with bowl after bowl of noodles by his Chinese hosts as keeps finishing all the food that's put before him.

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That was my answer too, Shiewie and Ling: Finish your rice. I know very well that being greedy with the side dishes is frowned upon in rice-eating countries like Malaysia and China.

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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7 out of 11 for me.

Yeah, the China one was pretty confusing, and like Shiewie, I'm ethnically Chinese too. I tend to agree with Shiewie. I was at a wedding lunch in Nanjing (my 1st trip to China), and my friends and I were getting stressed that our host had ordered so much food! We started off shovelling it all in in our usual hungry manner (the wedding ceremony started so early that we didn't have time for breakfast), and I think that made our host a bit worried. So he ordered more food. And we felt that we had to show our appreciation by eating it all, or at least attempting to! In the end I don't know who had the thoughest time - our host who was trying to keep ahead of our piggish appetites, us - who were trying our best not to let the food go to waste (since food is expensive in China - haha!), or the trishaw peddlar who had to peddle us back to our hotel after lunch!

Maukitten

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9 out of 11 ... and I got the one on China wrong too (and I'm ethnically Chinese)!

Like Ling, the grown-ups used to tell us that we had to finish all the rice on our plates/bowls. Some used to say that if we didn't we'd end up with a pockmarked spouse!

I think there may be slight confusion in interpretation for that one - I think one's considered a bad host by Chinese customs if all the food (not necessarily on one's plate since dishes are shared) is finished - it means that the guests may not have had enough to eat.

HSBC in its ad campaign "The World's Local Bank" has an ad which shows this - a guest is presented with bowl after bowl of noodles by his Chinese hosts as keeps finishing all the food that's put before him.

I agree, I think it's only impolite if you take the last portion of the side dishes. You are supposed to finish your rice or each leftover grain will be an extra pockmark on your spouse! :laugh:

Edited by Ling (log)
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7 of out 11, and yes, ethnically Chinese but got that one wrong too. I would never take the last bit of food from the communal dish, but I don't know anyone who deliberately leaves food on their *own* plate. And, of course, I eat every grain of rice in my bowl!

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8/11 (missed China, Poland and Scotland questions...)

The Austrian one cracked me up (coming from that background). I had to 'teach' a few close friends to make eye contact when 'prosting' or toasting... I would think this would be the convention anywhere where toasting is done though...

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

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9 out of 11...hmmm...guess you can dress her up and take her out!

“"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.”

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