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ThemaindifferencebetweenChineseandWesterneatinghabitsisthatunliketheWest,whereeveryonehastheirownplateoffood,inChinathedishesareplacedonthetableandeverybodyshares.IfyouarebeingtreatedbyaChinesehost,bepreparedforatonoffood.Chineseareveryproudoftheircultureoffoodandwilldotheirbesttogiveyouatasteofmanydifferenttypesofcuisine.Amongfriends,theywilljustorderenoughforthepeoplethere.Iftheyaretakingsomebodyoutfordinnerandtherelationshipispolitetosemi-polite,thentheywillusuallyorderonemoredishthanthenumberofguests(e.g.fourpeople,fivedishes).Ifitisabusinessdinneroraveryformaloccasion,thereislikelytobeahugeamountoffoodthatwillbeimpossibletofinish.Atypicalmealstartswithsomecolddishes,likeboiledpeanutsandsmashedcucumberwithgarlic.Thesearefollowedbythemaincourses,hotmeatandvegetabledishes.Finallysoupisbroughtout,whichisfollowedbythestarchy"staple"food,whichisusuallyriceornoodlesorsometimesdumplings.ManyChineseeatrice(ornoodlesorwhatever)last,butifyouliketohaveyourricetogetherwithotherdishes,youshouldsaysoearlyon. |
