This is what I like to call the communal scrap bowl. In China, fish and meat are almost always cooked with the bones. You can imagine how difficult it is eating an entire fish without swallowing any bones — that’s why I rarely eat fish (though the locals are really good at it).
Aside from swallowing bones, there arises yet another problem with eating bone-enriched food: Where do you put the bones while you’re eating?
Have no fear! The communal scrap bowl is here!
As gross as it seems — and it is pretty gross — it is actually quite convenient. You don’t have to maneuver around bones on your plate. Just toss them in and keep eating. And while you’re at it, you can toss in anything else you don’t want — peppers, napkins, chicken feet and the like.
Every once in a while a lady will come by and empty out the bowl at your table. But most of the time when I sit down, the bowl is filled with some type of goodness.
But what do you do when there is no scrap bowl? Or what if you just don’t feel like using the scrap bowl? Simple — put the bones on the table!
Generally it seems that about 2/3 of the people use the bowl and 1/3 use the table. The same lady that empties the bowls also clears the tables of any bones or other scraps.
When there are many open seats you can just avoid the ones occupied by scraps. But when it’s packed, you just have to set your plate on top of the scraps so that you aren’t looking at them when you eat. Here’s a sneak peak at what was under my plate during a busy day:
To Americans this probably seems a bit disgusting. But to Chinese people it’s a normal part of eating. And that’s how cultures function, right? One culture sees their practices as practical and convenient while another culture views them as strange or repulsive.
It is interesting, though, that Americans generally wouldn’t have a problem looking at bones on a person’s plate sitting in front of them. But as soon as you put them in a bowl in the middle of the table we freak out. Granted, putting them ON the table might be a little different. But a table is just a really big plate if you think about it.
Just saying…
So do they have trashcans that people dispose their trash in like we have at fast food restaurants or is it like this everywhere? Maybe they are taking a hint from Rachel Ray. She has a trash bowl she throws all of the food in that she is finished using or will not use.
ReplyDeleteThis was one of my favorite posts to read thus far!! I wondered why dad was laughing as he came out of the office after reading it....now I know why!
ReplyDeleteDusti, at this cafeteria there aren't trashcans per-se. You can take your bowl or plate to a station where someone takes it from you and dumps the scraps and trash in a bucket. However, it's also very common to leave your plate (with your trash) on the table, and they'll come by and get it. At restaurants, you almost always have to leave your stuff on the table--even at McDonalds. I have yet to eat fastfood during my time here, but last time I was in China I remember eating at McDonalds or KFC and not finding the trashcan. And certainly at Chinese restaurants they don't have trash cans.
ReplyDeleteYou must be right about the Rachel Ray thing.