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Proper dining etiquette in India

Dining in India is a communal event.One rarely encounters a person dining alone.While there are no written rules of etiquette for dining, everyone seems to know what rules to follow.

Traditionally,people always sat on the floor while eating. The western concept of the “Dining Table” was introduced only when the British came on the scene. Even then , it was viewed as a foreign concept, and most Indians sat on the floor. Today, with space limitations, convenience and modernization, the Dining Table is a standard fixture in a majority of the India homes. There are still some rural areas though, who still practice the old system. Modern or not, during ceremonial events, weddings, etc, one may briefly revert to the system of sitting on the floor to eat, just to keep the tradition.Sitting on the floor should not be thought of as sitting on the bare floor. Far from it. Depending on the status of the family, the diner may sit on a mat, a small wooden decorative plank , or even a silver plank.

In earlier days, food was served on a Banana leaf. Now a days it has been replaced by plates for everyday meals.The plates are usually made of stainless steel. China or porcelain plates are rare. One eats with their hands. At the best, spoons are given while serving sweet puddings in cups. Forks and knife are unheard of, since the common meal of Roti and curry or rice and lentil soup does not need the use of them. For this reason, rule number one is, always wash your hands before sitting down for a meal.

Water is always served with any meal. It is usually served in a stainless steel glass placed to the left of the plate.

There is a reason for the position of the glass of water. This is to indicate that the diner uses his left hand to grab the glass of water and eats with his right hand. Only the right hand is used for eating. It is considered very demeaning to eat with the left hand.

In a lot of households, even today , an elder person will serve the food to the diners. Courtesy and respect is shown to this person. Food is served in moderate portions. The server does not mind returning to serve a second portion. Serving a lot at one time is discouraged because it may lead to wastage, which is much frowned upon.This rule applies when seated at the dining table and serving themselves.

Offering food from one’s plate, even if the item is untouched, is a great offense and never done.Probably this originated in ancient times to discourage the free exchange of germs between people sharing their food.The theory behind this custom,is lost, but the practice continues.

Chatting while dining is okay, but speaking with one’s mouth full is not tolerated.

Everyone waits for one another to finish up. Considering the fact that food is served, this usually means that all are proceeding at the same pace through the various courses of the meal.

Unless it is a very special event, each diner picks up his own plate and glass and takes them away to be washed.

The meal finishes with everyone washing their hands with a generous amount of water.

Small children are free to leave at his point, but the older ones have the task of cleaning up the floor. The floor is well cleaned, washed and mopped after every meal.

Fast food restaurants serving the unhealthiest food

Fast food serving the unhealthiest food. There’s a lot more than just serving greasy, fatty foods. Does anyone ever wonder, exactly what happens in the kitchen where no one can see? Or wonder where the frozen food came from, how it was prepared?

Working in a fast food restaurant taught me a lot. I worked in one for a little over 3 years. Throughout that time, I’ve found that some of my co-workers, supervisors and managers don’t always follow food safety guidelines. Sometimes, do things to food that isn’t right, and definitely not healthy for the consumer.

While we all know that fast food is unhealthy, when we don’t have much time to eat, it’s the easiest places to go. Late nights, after clubbing, bar hopping, or just a late night at work, fast food restaurants seem to be the only places open.

I worked the graveyard shifts during my time at that restaurant. After midnight was when all the people were coming from the clubs, bars, parties, and some from work. That’s when I realized that the unhealthy food, could become even more unhealthy.

Dealing with drunk people is difficult enough, but when they come to order food, it becomes even harder. In a large group, they can get really loud, obnoxious, and just plain rude. With most of them, getting their food out is easy enough and they’ll be on their way. With the rude ones, drunk or not, it became war.

I’ve seen co-workers and supervisors do the nastiest things to these people’s food and drinks. Dropping food on the ground, on purpose, but using it anyways rather than throwing it in the waste basket. While having their drinks being poured into the cups, sometimes they’d wash their hands in it, other times spitting in the cup. Salads, sometimes spitting in that too, as well as chili.

Every type of food that’s been cooked, has a time limit. If someone was obnoxious or rude, they’d get the expired food, sometimes the food that expired hours ago, but the workers were too busy to throw it out. French fries, that had been sitting in the basket for more than the time limit, were sometimes just re-dipped into the hot oil for a few moments before being served again to the customer.

So, we all know that fast food is not good for you. Fast food, being an easy way to eat and go when we don’t have time, even though we know it’s just going to go to our thighs, I hope everyone that reads this article, remembers what I’ve said. That everyone will think twice about what they eat, and where they eat it.

I also hope that people will learn to be polite to fast food employees, knowing that you shouldn’t mess around especially when it comes to someone handling your food. If I have no choice but to eat at a fast food restaurant, I always ask politely, to have my food made fresh. I don’t mind the 5 minute wait. I suggest you all do the same.

The facts about food colors

Color is an important aspect of our enjoyment of food. People “eat with their eyes” as well as their mouths. Imagine Thanksgiving dinner when the turkey has been slow roasted in the oven for hours so the juices slowly run off the meat and baste it to a deep golden color. Now, imagine Thanksgiving dinner when the turkey has been cooked in the microwave and the color is a creamy white like the mashed potatoes. What if the orange juice you drink in the morning wasn’t that bright, fresh orange color but was a dull, grayish orange instead.

The color of food helps us to determine its freshness. We know that fresh bananas are a nice pale yellow but over-ripe ones are brown and under-ripe ones are hard with a green peel. We take that information and store it in our memory to pull it out at a later date. If you were to be given a ripe, green banana you would probably hesitate to eat it because you would expect the taste to be different.

Because of this, we have found ways to add color to our foods to make them more palatable. Saffron and Tumeric are often used to provide a rich yellow color to foods. Blueberries and beets are also used for coloring food. Butter has been colored yellow as far back as the 1300’s.

Color variation in foods and the effects of food processing and storage often require that manufacturers add color to certain foods to meet consumer expectations of how the food should look. For example, some tree-ripened oranges are often sprayed with Citrus Red No.2 to correct the natural orangy-brown or mottled green color of their peels. Consumers expect to see a uniform orange color.

Today all food color additives are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make sure foods are safe to eat. According to the FDA, a color additive is any dye, pigment or substance that

can impart color when added or applied to a food, drug, cosmetic or

to the human body. Certifiable color additives are manmade. Color additives that are exempt from certification include pigments from natural sources such as vegetables, minerals or animals.

There are nine certified colors approved for use in food in the

United States, and regulations limit the amount of color added to foods. In 1900, there were about 80 man-made color additives available

for use in foods. At that time there were no regulations regarding

the purity and uses of these dyes.

Food coloring is labeled FD&C. This stands for where the coloring may be used. Food, Drug and Cosmetic (FD&C) color additives can be used in foods, drugs or cosmetics.

FD&C Blue No.1 Bright blue

FD&C Blue No.2 Royal Blue

FD&C Green No.3 Sea Green

FD&C Red No.40 Orange-red

FD&C Red No.3 Cherry-red

FD&C Yellow No.5 Lemon Yellow

D&C Yellow No.6 Orange

When your food needs just a little boost, try adding food coloring to it. You can enhance the enjoyment your guests or family has by making it look more appetizing. If you are feeding smaller children, you can make the meal more fun by adding color to normally bland food. Try experimenting with different colors and combinations of colors. Make mealtimes fun.

Fine dining and the use of the finger bowl

FINE DINING AND FANCY FINGERS

When eating in a fancy country club or restaurant, how does a proper diner clean his or her fingers after a delectable entree, to prepare for an elegant dessert?

In the past, uniformed servers presented restaurant patrons with finger bowls.

WHAT IS THE FINGER BOWL?

The finger bowl is a round dish (resembling a shallow china soup bowl), which is placed on top of a larger plate (like a big saucer).

The finger bowl has nearly disappeared in current dining rooms, but it may occasionally be found in the finest eating establishments. Certain enthusiasts of high cuisine have called for the resurrection of the finger bowl.

Savvy antique hunters may uncover finger bowls, as they search through collections of old china.

HOW IS THE FINGER BOWL USED?

The finger bowl is filled with warm water. Often, a lemon wedge is placed on the underplate. A few lemon wheels may be floated in the water itself.

The diner dips his fingers gently into the warm water to rinse them lightly. Splashing, swirling and swishing in the finger bowl are considered improper. The finger bowl is not intended as a thorough bath or cleansing, but merely as a means of preparing the hands for the final courses of the meal.

The finger bowl is usually accompanied by a fresh napkin or cloth, with which the diner may wipe his moistened hands. This cloth is removed by the waiter, along with the finger bowl and underplate.

WHEN IS THE FINGER BOWL USED?

Traditionally, at a fancy restaurant or country club, a finger bowl is presented after the entree or main course.

This is set before a diner immediately after his main entree plate has been removed.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE FINGER BOWL?

The idea is for the diner to clean his fingers, particularly after a sticky or messy meal, such as barbecued ribs, buttery corn-on-the-cob, sticky fried chicken or shellfish.

Shortly after the finger bowl, a palate-cleansing dish (such as a fruit sorbet) is often introduced. Or the finger bowl may be followed immediately by the dessert course.

A FINGER BOWL FAUX PAS

When we were young children in elementary school, perhaps six and eight years old, we went out for dinner after church with our grandparents at a fancy fish restaurant. My brother brought a classmate along.

After the main course, during which the two boys gorged themselves on fresh lobster, the waiter set out the steaming finger bowls, fresh lemon wedges and all. My brother’s

Toronto Restaurants – a Variety of Cuisines in One City

Toronto is a big city with millions of inhabitants. It is the place where you can find everything you need. You can get all the necessary information about all the restaurants you want online. The schedule and the information about the restaurants are posted online. You can book some places if you want, you can rent the entire restaurant for an event if you want, and all the services became accessible and easy to manage due to online address of all Toronto restaurants. The prices for the dishes are available for all the budgets. You can choose the cuisine specialization of the restaurants if you have some preferences for it. There are a lot of possibilities to have a nice meal in Toronto all you have to do is to decide what you want.

There are a lot of specialization restaurants, with certain cuisine among Toronto restaurants. For example you can find Russian restaurant, with traditional Russian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, Kazakh, Turkmen, Belarus and other cuisines of the former USSR countries. Russian restaurants are designed in typical Russian manner. There is always life music in Russian restaurants there are always Russian folk dances at certain events. The Russian restaurants are suitable for any kind of event.

The Amulet restaurant is one of the Restaurants Toronto which is very famous with the local Russian emigrants. Its banquet hall is perfect for weddings, celebration of anniversaries, corporate events, community gala evenings, birthday parties and other events which take place in Toronto. The restaurant big hall can seat up to 170 clients. In the menu, you will find traditional Russian Pelimeni meat wrapped in pasta, of round shape and boiled in salt water. Moldavian Mamaliga boiled think corn porridge served with fried ham and garlic. Ukrainian Vareniki special type of cheese or boiled mashed potatoes wrapped in pasta and boiled in salt water.

There is also African cuisine present among restaurants Toronto. The Addis Ababa restaurant impress with its Ethiopian cuisine, tasty roasted coffee and affable service. A dinner in this restaurant is a nice experience for those who are not afraid to discover new tastes. You will savor the soft and piquant crêpe, the brand of the cuisine to dig up pieces of spiced split peas, puréed black beans and collard greens. This all is carefully flavored with spices, garlic and ginger.

Blue Bay Café is another African food based restaurant. It offers fiery food of Mauritius, which is represented by a mixture of African, French and Indian cuisine. This is a comfortable place where you can sit on bentwood chairs; the tables are cover with white tablecloths and many traditional African art objects. The prices are pathetically low, with a respectable quality. The dishes contain a lot of vegetables and fish. The traditional dishes are more or less light.

There are Toronto restaurants that represent European cuisine. The Mediterranean cuisine has also its representatives in Toronto. Auberge du Pommier is a French restaurant. Its rustic atmosphere will remind of the French regions’ country charm. Its menu consists of many country dishes which are popular in France. The Hungary is represented by Country Style Hungarian restaurant. There you will find schnitzel and paprika, half-sausage top pleasingly chewy pierogies with deeply caramelized onions and with sour cream. The restaurant offers the best European beer and its best service.

Just how safe are food establishments

Out of the Mouths of Babes.

I was telling my grand daughter about helium.

“It’s a gas granddad. They told us that at school”.

Yes but it is also a community of people, a community of forward thinking people who talk to each other , write articles and read each other’s articles.

“So- could we write an article granddad?”.

We could try.

“Right let’s do it. What should we write about ?”

Well what do you suggest ?

“What about food ? I like food”.

“When I go to the supermarket with Mum, she is always going on about Organic Food. What’s that granddad”?

Well Organic Food is produced so that it has no pesticides or harmful food additives.

And that the soil and the animals are looked after carefully.

“Is there a lot of Organic Food then?”

Oh yes.

“Facts granddad we need facts”.

Right. Well, sales of organic food in the UK have increased dramatically in recent years. According to the latest figures by the Soil Association , in their 2006 Organic Market Report :

– sales of organic food in the UK were up 30% on 2005 figures.

– supermarkets are expanding their organic food ranges.

– but a growing number of consumers are buying directly from the farmers, through farmers’ markets, box schemes, and farm shops.

The market is worth 125 million per year.

“Is organic food better then granddad?”

Many people turn to organic food because of concern about pesticides.

There are government rules about the use of pesticides but they still end up in our food, and they are known to have harmful long term effects on our heath.

” So that’s good then granddad”.

Yes, but organic food costs more. Organic production is slower, more labor intensive and the crop yields are generally lower. Organic food can be up to 63% more expensive, according to a report by the consultants Morgan Stanley.

“What about America, do they have organic food there?”.

Oh Yes. All organic food sold in the USA carries the USDA Organic Food Label. The National Organic Standards were introduced in Consumer spending on organic food in the USA had reached $9 billion by 2001, the year after the standards were introduced. And the sales have increased 20% every year since then. That’s progress for you.

My granddaughter was concentrating hard. She had a firm intense look on her face.

But then I made my mistake.

I told her that in the old days, we all ate organic food. We didn’t call it organic food them, because all food was produced naturally. It was only when some wise man decided that it didn’t last long enough that additives were used to help keep the food fresher for longer.

“And was it more expensive?” she asked.

Yes I replied.

There then followed a long silence. You could almost see the Grey cells working.

“So now we are going back to the old ways and they are charging us more for it. They take all the pesticides and additives out, so we actually get less, and they charge more. We are going backwards, and you tell me it’s progress”.

” Suppose in 30 years time, when we are all organic, someone else decides that the food isn’t lasting long enough it needs preservatives. And they will charge more for it.”

“So – what we’re doing is paying more to go back to how it was when we had to pay more for getting less”.

“are we absolutely sure that’s progress ?”

Can somebody out there in helium help me out here?

Business dining etiquette

Etiquette is said to be an example of ones ethics in action. In a business setting for dining your behavior or etiquette is a loud and clear message as to your personal ethics or business ethics. Many a client will size up your behavior as a precursor to how they will be treated during business transactions. Staff will asses even it subconsciously your leadership skills during the dining experience. So will your boss.

Being gracious, polite and kind are always a good place to start. This applies towards the business participants with whom you are dining and to the staff that is serving you. If you mistakenly make a cultural error the act of being gracious, kind and polite will certainly help to smooth things over.

Try to be aware when possible about the dining needs or preferences when you are in charge of picking the dining establishment. You don’t want to take that potential new vegetarian client to the local steak house.

Try to learn a little about the cultural habits of your dining companion. Some cultures make a lot of noise with the meal, others eat in silence. Pay attention and go with the flow.

Use conversational continuance phrases like how so or and how. This helps to keep the conversation moving. It is always best to keep the others talking. Sports, food and scenic vistas are good light topics. Stay away from politics and religion. They are not subjects that enhance digestion or business usually.

If your boss or a client has taken you out take time to send a hand written thank you. Make sure to include the name of the spouse if they were present. This will set you on a good path for invites to future meals and to increased business.

If you drink, do so in moderation, and only if the others dining with you imbibe. Never order a drink if the boss or client doesn’t. You can always have a couple later. Familiarize yourself with how to order wine even it you don’t drink just in case the need arises.

Turn the cell phone off. Give your dining partners your full attention. No matter how important you are, the world will not end if you don’t answer the phone during the meal.

If the food arrives for others before yours arrives encourage them to eat now and not wait for you. Do not make a scene with the service staff as it will often make you not the server look bad. Graciously accept your meal when it does arrive. Quietly have it packed to go or politely canceled if you are pressed for time as in a luncheon situation.

Never argue about who is paying the bill. If you organized the meal you should be prepared to pay. If it is all colleagues graciously pay your part, or pick up the tab and have some one else pick it up next time.

Genuinely enjoy the experience and do your best to lead the other diners in that direction. Dining is a time for bonding and fellowship and can serve to create lasting business relationships that benefit all parties. Thank everyone for coming even if you are the one paying. Thank the staff for their attentiveness to your dining experience. Tip properly to insure proper service in the future.

Who can assure GM food is safe?

Controversies about genetically modified food safety have never stopped since GM food became commercially available in the United States. Advocates say 10 years of planting show the technology is safe. Critics say the technology is poorly regulated. However, the controversies between them cannot reveal the truth: Is GM food really safe or not? And who can assure that?

GM foods are developed and marketed because there is some perceived advantage either to the producer or consumer of these foods. They have the potential to solve many of the world’s hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides and herbicides. This is meant to translate into a product with a lower price, greater benefit (in terms of durability or nutritional value) or both.

At the meantime, environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups, professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all raised concerns about GM foods. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories: environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns.

However, these different opinions do nothing but make the consumers more confused about the issue of GM food safety. Who can assure their points of views are correct, or at least are the closest to the truth? The most likely supporters are those biotechnology companies that are developing and selling the GM foods. Because they will be the most benefited group in the world, they are trying to persuade the public to believe there is no evidence of any greater health risk from a GM crop than from its non-GM counterpart. It is often claimed by them that there have been millions of people consuming GM foods over several years in the US, but without any ill-effects. What is not added is that there have been no health checks to find out and there still leaves uncertainties in the safety area. Even some politicians of different nations also support GM food because of the economic benefits. As the three largest producers of GM food in the world, U.S., Canada and Argentina will gain the substantial benefits through selling their biotech foods. And as the two most populated nations in the world, China and India need to find the most efficient way, having GM crops, to feed the large population. On the other hand, some opponents are also has a desire to protect their own benefits except the reasons that GM foods are unsafe. French, for example, is against GM food not only because of the potential unsafety but also because of the hostility to U.S. imports and a desire to protect French farmers. The reasons they support or oppose GM food seem not objective. Unlike the benefit groups, the non-benefit groups hold a more impersonal view. According to WHO, different GM organisms include different genes inserted in different ways. This means that individual GM foods and their safety should be assessed on a case-by-case basis and that it is not possible to make general statements on the safety of all GM foods. There still needs time and experiments to examine the potential negative effects on human health of the consumption of food produced through genetic modification.

In my opinion, the question still remains to be answered adequately:Is GM food safe? Nobody can answer this question so far. We know little about the long-term influence on human beings caused by GM food and further research should be taken. We must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to human health and the environment as a result of our enthusiasm for this powerful technology before we get the answer.