Chinese Recipes

Chinese Mealtime Customs

Traditional tea is served before and after a meal, but usually not during. One usually drinks alcohol only when a toast is made, and is customary to finish the drink all at once. The expression used to toast, Gan bel, literally means Dry the cup. As a foreigner, however you may be excused from this tradition. All dishes of food are places in the center of the table. Your Chinese host or companion will probably serve you at first, placing a little of each type of food on your bowl of rice. It is considered polite to hold the bowl close to your mouth, as it can be difficult to eat rice with chopsticks. Soup is served toward the end of the meal.