EATING HABITS
May 16th 2011 14:48
:
RETIRED AWAY
This may seem to be a strange topic to some, but , as a people watcher, I find it fascinating. Malaysia is a former British colony, which did not receive it's independence until 1957. Because of this influence it is not surprising that those people here who eat with silverware (knives, forks and spoons or cutlery as the Brits call it) eat like Europeans. I guess it is common knowledge that there is a difference between the way Europeans hold their knives and forks and the way Americans do. Both think they are correct, so we won't go there.
As I said before Malaysia is comprised of three ethnic groups. These are the Malay majority, the Chinese and Indians. Malays and Indians eat with their hands. More precisely their right hands, as the left hand is used for personal hygiene,if you know what I mean. The Chinese, when eating Chinese food eat with chopsticks naturally. However, the majority of Malaysians also eat with only a spoon and fork. The spoon is used to cut and scoop, while the forks seems to used to guide food into the spoon. I actually prefer this method to using a knife and fork at times.
The noticeable differences I love watching in amazement are when these people eat western food. I enjoy watching people at Starbuck's eating a muffin with a fork. They treat the paper muffin cup as if it were a delicate container or bowl. Eclairs and donuts are eaten with a knife and fork. Today I noticed a very elegant older lady eating a bagel with lox (smoked salmon here). She surgically removed the top of the already cut bagel and set it aside. Then she took the smoked salmon and set that aside. Finally she took the bottom half of the bagel and carefully cut that into bite sized pieces. She did the same with the top half and the salmon. She then began to eat, piece by piece. I so wanted to tell her to pick it up with her hands.
The best shows I have seen are when I have observed people eating at American style restaurants such as TGIF Fridays or Chicago Rib House. People actually use a knife and fork to eat a buffalo wing. It takes forever. Barbecues spare ribs are also eaten with a knife and fork. The funniest examples I have seen are when people disect a large American style hamburger with everything on it. First they eat the top bun, then the meat and cheese and then the bottom bun. Most of my Chinese friends also enjoy watching people do this. I must point out that not everyone here does this.
The irony of people eating so delicately is that these same people think nothing about spitting out a bone or piece of fat on the table or floor of a food court or coffee shop. They may think that eating spareribs, bagels, burgers or chicken wings with their hands is uncouth, but spitting food on the table isn't! Oh well cultural diffferences are what make people interesting.
As I said before Malaysia is comprised of three ethnic groups. These are the Malay majority, the Chinese and Indians. Malays and Indians eat with their hands. More precisely their right hands, as the left hand is used for personal hygiene,if you know what I mean. The Chinese, when eating Chinese food eat with chopsticks naturally. However, the majority of Malaysians also eat with only a spoon and fork. The spoon is used to cut and scoop, while the forks seems to used to guide food into the spoon. I actually prefer this method to using a knife and fork at times.
The noticeable differences I love watching in amazement are when these people eat western food. I enjoy watching people at Starbuck's eating a muffin with a fork. They treat the paper muffin cup as if it were a delicate container or bowl. Eclairs and donuts are eaten with a knife and fork. Today I noticed a very elegant older lady eating a bagel with lox (smoked salmon here). She surgically removed the top of the already cut bagel and set it aside. Then she took the smoked salmon and set that aside. Finally she took the bottom half of the bagel and carefully cut that into bite sized pieces. She did the same with the top half and the salmon. She then began to eat, piece by piece. I so wanted to tell her to pick it up with her hands.
The best shows I have seen are when I have observed people eating at American style restaurants such as TGIF Fridays or Chicago Rib House. People actually use a knife and fork to eat a buffalo wing. It takes forever. Barbecues spare ribs are also eaten with a knife and fork. The funniest examples I have seen are when people disect a large American style hamburger with everything on it. First they eat the top bun, then the meat and cheese and then the bottom bun. Most of my Chinese friends also enjoy watching people do this. I must point out that not everyone here does this.
The irony of people eating so delicately is that these same people think nothing about spitting out a bone or piece of fat on the table or floor of a food court or coffee shop. They may think that eating spareribs, bagels, burgers or chicken wings with their hands is uncouth, but spitting food on the table isn't! Oh well cultural diffferences are what make people interesting.
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