Three cultures and what they

eat . . .

World Cuisine

Thailand

Blending elements of several Southeast Asian traditions, Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components.

Thailand

The spiciness of Thai cuisine is well known.

Balance, detail and variety are of great significance to Thai chefs.

Known for its balance of four fundamental taste senses: sour, sweet, salty, and bitter.

Thailand

Thai meals typically consist of a single dish if eating alone, or rice (khao in Thai) with many complementary dishes served concurrently and shared by all. It is customary to serve more dishes than there are guests at a table.

Thailand

Thai food was traditionally eaten with the right hand while seated on mats or carpets

It is now generally eaten with a fork and a spoon which were introduced

Knives are not generally used at the table.

Chopsticks are foreign utensils to Thailand, as traditionally Thai people ate with their hands.

ThailandCommon herbs include cilantro, lemongrass, Thai basils and mint.

Some other common flavors in Thai food come from ginger, galangal, tamarind, turmeric, garlic, soy beans, shallots, white and black peppercorn, kaffir lime and, of course, chilies.

Thailand

Certain insects are also eaten in Thailand.

Many markets in Thailand feature stalls which sell deep-fried grasshoppers, crickets, bee larvae, silkworm , ant eggs and termites.

England

Traditional meals have ancient origins

bread and cheese, roasted and stewed meats, meat and game pies, boiled vegetables and broths, and freshwater and saltwater fish

EnglandOther meals were once urban street food

fish and chips (eaten from newspaper with salt and malt vinegar)pies and sausages with mashed potatoes, onions, and gravy

Now matched in popularity by curries from India and Bangladesh, and stir-fries based on Chinese and Thai cuisine.

High Tea?

High Tea is often a misnomer. Most people refer to afternoon tea as high tea because they think it sounds regal and lofty, when in all actuality, high tea, or "meat tea" is dinner. High tea, in Britain, at any rate, tends to be on the heavier side.

North American hotels and tea rooms continue to misunderstand and offer tidbits of fancy pastries and cakes on delicate china when they offer a "high tea."

Low Tea?

Afternoon tea (because it was usually taken in the late afternoon) is also called "low tea" because it was usually taken in a sitting room or withdrawing room where low tables (like a coffee table) were placed near sofas or chairs generally in a large withdrawing room. There are three basic types of Afternoon, or Low Tea:

Cream Tea - Tea, scones, jam and cream

Light Tea - Tea, scones and sweets

Full Tea - Tea, savories, scones, sweets and dessert

China

Dim sum is usually linked with the older tradition from yum cha (tea tasting), which has its roots in travelers on the ancient Silk Road needing a place to rest.

Thus teahouses were established along the roadside. Rural farmers, exhausted after working hard in the fields, would go to teahouses for a relaxing afternoon of tea.

China

At first, it was considered inappropriate to combine tea with food, because people believed it would lead to excessive weight gain.

People later discovered that tea can aid in digestion, so teahouse owners began adding various snacks.

China

The unique culinary art of dim sum originated with the Cantonese in southern China, who over the centuries transformed yum cha from a relaxing respite to a loud and happy dining experience. In Hong Kong, and in most cities and towns in Guangdong province, many restaurants start serving dim sum as early as five in the morning.

China

While dim sum (literally meaning: touch the heart) was originally not a main meal, only a snack, and therefore only meant to touch the heart, it is now a staple of Cantonese dining culture, especially in Hong Kong.

China

The serving sizes are usually small and normally served as three or four pieces in one dish.

It is customary to order family style, sharing dishes among all members of the dining party.

China

There are common tea-drinking and eating practices or etiquette that Chinese people commonly recognize and use.

Pour tea for others during dim sum before filling one's own cup.

When pouring tea for people on one's left side, the right hand should be used to hold the teapot and vice versa.

Thank the person pouring the tea by tapping the bent index finger if you are single, or by tapping both the index and middle finger if you are married