Post by nzbc on Nov 14, 2021 21:36:58 GMT 12
CHINESE BANQUET.
DELECTABLE DISHES. One of the members of the Chinese Custo-ns Service was invited, some time go to an official Chinese banquet. and gives the following account of it: The'master of the house- received the guests, and showed them into the dining room, which is only divided from the courtyard by a glass partition. In the middle of the room was a large round table, and against the walls were chairs with a small table before each to put teacups on, tea being served immediately before dinner. The walls were covered with Chinese pictures, and numberless lamps and lanterns hung from the ceiling. After a short conversation in the Chinese language, the table was laid in the presence of the guests. When all was ready the host asked each guest to come to the table, pointing out his seat, and handing him with many compliments a set of red lacquered chopsticks. When this ceremony was completed the company sat down to dinner. Rice wine was first brought up, together with ham, eggs and various cold vegetables. The next course consisted of bird’s nest soup, and 24 dishes followed, among which were sharks’ fins, a soup made of diminutive snails of the size of small beans, which came from Lake Tahu, a ragout of ducks’ tongues, fishes’ brains with brown sauce (a most disgusting dish to a European palate), and puddings baked in oil. Roast pork and ducks were also served; these were eatable, and the fish was particularly well cooked, but in my opinion the simplest European dish is far preferable to the most elaborate delicacy of the Chinese cuisine and after dinner I felt as if I had eaten boiled gutta percha, The best part of the entertainment was a dish of excellent, fruit. Champagne was served toward the end of the dinner; this is the only wane drunk by the Chinese and only
the wealthy can afford to buy it, as a case costs from 10 to 15 Mexican ducats. Cigars were handed round after the soup, and it is the custom to go away directly after dinner. It is also remarkable that at a banquet of this kind the host only appears in official costume, the guests being all in mufti.
CHINESE BANQUET.
WAIPA POST, VOLUME XXIV, ISSUE 1389, 8 MAY 1923,
paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIPO19230508.2.6?items_per_page=100&query=chinese+dinner&snippet=true