Now you can find numerous bars and restaurants in Japanese style. Numerous European cities literally mottled with Japanese food. Every year more and more the number of fans of oriental culture. It should be noted immediately that sticks as an invariable attribute of a Japanese feast do not exhaust variety of sake, cooking rice and various products. The traditions of the Japanese are so vast and profound symbolism that much seems to be a mystery to the ordinary European. rules feasts are an important indicator of Japanese culture, so you need to thoroughly deal with many issues. Otherwise case you will be at least an unethical member of the feast.
Characteristics of the Japanese feast
If you are unbridled interest in Japan, then you Be sure to get acquainted with the organization of the feast in accordance with Japanese etiquette rules. If knowledge of cooking features sushi, rolls and other Japanese dishes may be unnecessary for skill table setting, but preparing the room and table for you still certainly have to. Due to the fact that Eastern tradition of serving dishes and table decoration significantly different from the European style, should preliminarily take an interest in a variety of cups, trays, dishes, bowls and so on. When all this was learned, you need to purchase in various stores missing elements of a feast. Of course, the rules for eating on the territory Japan contain deep symbolism and centuries of heritage, table preparation may not meet the most stringent to the rules, but everyone can transform an ordinary feast into a real one Japanese ritual that brings harmony and order.
Table setting should start with the dishes. Of course, you can give preference to trays of wood, a vessel for sauces and Japanese cutlery – a wooden stick. But it should be noted that the Japanese are not limited to such preparing a table for eating. A wide variety of dishes caused by the maximum consideration of comfort and coziness, so any the age group of the feast members can take advantage of different kits. This classification was caused by features structures of the brush of each person. In particular, a man is served food in a container with a diameter of 120 millimeters, and for a woman – only 110 millimeters. In addition, the Japanese pay particular attention to numbers and uses their symbolism everywhere, so the number placed on the table of the elements of the feast is strictly controlled.
Features of the preparation of the Japanese table
In accordance with the desire of the Japanese to limit only by odd numbers, the Japanese drew up food selection requirements. TO For example, the ratio of the number of colors and plates should be 1 to 5. In other words, there should be 5 times more plates than flowers. The tradition of using five elements of decor adheres to Japanese and has a great hidden meaning that is revealed as follows: the taste properties of a variety of dishes has similar combination with flowers.
There are other requirements for serving the table. That is why all dishes are served at once, and the main dishes should be in the center of the table, on the right side – rice, on the left – soup. A variety of sauces and spices, each of which corresponds to a certain dish, are on the right, and all the remaining elements are behind.
Important table setting details with Japanese items traditions
As in many other culinary establishments, in the kitchen with with Japanese elements, all dishes separately dishes on display. On special trays are exposed visitors to fried meat dishes. Bowls have a slightly different appointment with the Japanese: they use such a bowl for salads. Japanese cups are needed for soups and rice, and tokkuri are used for drinking sake.
All tables should have a small container, jug with japanese sauce or dish for different variations wasabi. The Japanese pay special attention to appliances under Hashi, which should be tilted with a smaller edge in the left side.
Despite the importance of many details, the Japanese appreciate the attractiveness of contrasts. In particular, the table may be full utensils of various configurations and geometric shapes. On At first glance, the asymmetry in the arrangement of the dishes may seem. However, the Japanese achieve incredible harmony and orderliness, so that all elements of the feast must be located in a special way. For example, square-shaped plates have a rhombus, and as supplements use round-shaped cups.
Nothing is as valuable as attractiveness empty section of the table. Even if you take into account a characteristic different traditions to display all available dishes, the table does not seem crowded: it contains free space. Such a principle strictly used by the Japanese in preparing the serving backgrounds that are never filled to the very limits. Serving table is not complete without choosing the color of the dishes. Japanese believe that color the dishes should serve as a shade for the dishes placed in it. Therefore, rice is placed in cups of a dark color. Overall serving the table should take into account a variety of details, especially for Eastern culture.
An important role in the preparation of the table is imposed on the total dishes displayed to visitors. After all, during the feast try all the dishes, and their number can vary from 10 to 20. Thus, the usual meal turns into a real tasting. In addition, portions are made so that the visitor does not go out from a table with a full stomach. Servings are determined by age and gender, so that the man exhibited the largest servings, and the smallest to old people. Even if presented on the table many different products and cooking variations, located on a Japanese feast, you can eat in chaotic sequence. However, the Japanese begin the evening with little rice balls.
An additional condition for the preparation of the Japanese table are compliance of the presented dishes depending on the event and time. The Japanese monitor the state of food and put on the table only fresh dishes, which could not be achieved without taking into account seasonality of products. In spring and summer, radish, carrots, beetweed, including lettuce and lemon peels. In the winter use pulp umbrellas, which have a special symbolism – safety from weather conditions.
What should be Japanese food?
Table setting and decoration of dishes contain one important feature: maximum desire for comfort. Before as put dishes on plates, you need to fulfill several requirements traditions. In particular, dishes must be adapted in order so that they can be easily taken with sticks. Concerning seafood, you need to remove the seeds, submit them in the form of miniature portions, and cut fish and vegetables in a special way: their length is not should exceed 30 millimeters and a width of 20 millimeters. Dishes spread in the direction of clockwise movement, and diametrically different edges are usually loaded with a large number of dishes.
The Japanese pay special attention to the room: it must have a floor made of wood, a table of small height, and the role of chairs is dzabuton resembling an ordinary pillow. Device such as dzabuton, incredibly convenient, but in some cases it is equipped wooden backrest, which will remove excess stress on spine. The appeal and popularity of Japanese cuisine elements owes its ancient heritage, customs, traditions and the uniqueness of preparing a table for a meal. Therefore get rid of habitual table set, use a hashi set and teach yourself to oriental traditions. ‘Cause you get the untold the pleasure of eating comfortably, despite all exotic dishes.
