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Friday, July 12, 2013

Dining vs. Grabbing a Bite

While most Americans probably feel pretty comfortable with Brazilian music, film, and style, I found the table manners far more European than American and had to stop myself from grabbing a bite to eat on the run more than once.

The hospitality students at IFG provided one of the first clues to more formal attitudes toward food consumption.  Their lesson focused on setting the table with the the heavy cloth first and the finer one angled on top.  The careful placement of dessert spoon, first-course fork, second-course fork, and fish knife (fish knife??) was followed by the recitation of various dinner-ware in English.  Students practiced serving wine properly, and removing plates unobtrusively.  Hmmm  . . . not your ordinary diner experience.


The breakfast buffets at even the most average hotel should have been another clue.  Hot coffee and milk served at the table, fruits, breads, cereals, cheeses, hot foods--all to be consumed most politely without touching food with the hands.  Yes, even pizza is eaten with a knife and fork and although most will pick up a bun or pastry with a napkin, I had a noon meal with a fellow teacher who used her knife and fork.


Even I, who can consume a Thanksgiving dinner in less than five minutes, wouldn't dream of rushing through an afternoon snack of cakes displayed with such fanfare.  But streetfood, I might eat on the run.  Not in Brazil.  The attention to detail by the open fair purveyor who prepared the manioc dish of banana and cocoa, insists that one sit and relish the delicious fare.




It should have come as no surprise that until recently THE CUPHOLDER in automobiles was an oddity.  I saw no one rush into a meeting with paper cup in hand.  Instead, small sweetened espressos were served in China cups to be sipped civilly.  Food on the go is a no-no I discovered by the strange looks I received while chugging a soda on the elevator.

Had I only read the Lonely Planet guide to Rio beforehand, I would have known:
"Brazilians are casual about many things.  Table manners are not one of them.  where possible, avoid eating with your hands--middle-class Brazilians often eat sandwiches with a knife and fork,  and no one eats pizza with their hands."

Global Connection:  Study the eating patterns of your classmates.  How much food is consumed how often?  Where is food consumed and with whom?  Can you detect effects of eating patterns attitudes toward food?

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