The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1904-07-28

The service in itself, says the Wash
ington Star, is a source of wonder to
every Occidental who is the recipient
of japanese hospitality. The meal
lasts for several hours, during which
hosts and guests kneel or squat on
cushions placed at intervals on the
floor. Neither forks nor spoons are
provided, but chop sticks, which re-
quire deft handling, convey the food
10 the mouth.
Instead of the tablespoon common to
American service, s%patualas made from
wood are used to serve the rice, the
one dish that is passed around. Though
Japan is famed for her cooking, lac
quer bowls of innumerable STYLES and
sizes are used instead of dishes. Guests
are always provided with chop sticks
or white wood so made that the handle
can be pulled apart, which proves that
the sticks have never been used. At
the conclusion of the meal they are all
destroyed, a proof of Japanese cleanli-
ness. For. state dinners chop sticks of
ivory are used.
Meat plays small part in the Japan
csc menu, pork and chicken being COM
mon and beef being used but rarely.
Fish and rice are the staples, the for
mer being served with every dish at
simple home dinners and passed as the
last course of a formal dinner.
preliminary course served with
sake" an alcoholic liquor prepared
from rice, all the dishes being served
simultaneously.
Suimono-A kind of bean-curd SOUP.
kuchi-tori-A relish, such as an ONE
lette or chestnuts boiled soft and
sweet; or kamaboko, which is fish
pounded and then rolled into little balls
and baked.
Sashimi-Minced raw fish; very often
fish like sheepshead is used.
Hachi-Zakana-A fine. large fish,
either boiled with salt or boiled with
Shoyu.
Umani-Bits of fish or sometimes
fowl, boiled with lotus roots or pota-
toes in Shoyu and with "mirin,' a sort
Of sweet liquor.
Su-no-mono-Sea-ears, sea slugs or
Holsters served with vinegar.
Chawan-mushi = A thick, custardy
soup, with slices of mushroom, bam-
boo shoots or chicken boiled in the
soup.
Zembu-First course; all the dishes
served at once.
Shiru-Soup.
O'Hira-Boiled fish,
Tsubo-Sea weed, or some other an
petizer, boiled in a small, deep bowl or
cup.
Namasu-Raw fish cut in slices and
served with vinegar and cold stewed
vegetables.
Ayemono-A sort of salad made with
bean sauce or pounded sesamum seeds.
Yakizakana-A sort of broiled fish.
kono-mono-Pickled vegetables, such
ms egg plant, cabbage leaves or rad
ishes.
Ni-no-zen-Second and inal course.
Soup, raw fish and rice.
The recipes given below are typical,
and are important features of the Jap
anese daily meals, as wellgas formal
dinners.
Raw Observation-Disclosures its start
ling title, this is held to be an exceed
1ngly delicate dish, and no more objec-
tionable than raw oysters. Various
sorts of fish are used for the purpose.
~Sheepshead is preferred by the Japan
csc living in this country, but the ia
vorite fish at home are the tai and the
katsuwo, the former being chosen for
festive occasions on account of it's
name, which is the last syllable of the
word me-de-tai, meaning 'congratula-
tory" The fish must be absolutely
fresh, handled as little as possible, and
prepared Immediately before serving.
After it has been scaled and cleaned it
is cut from the tail to the head with a
sharp knife as close to the bone as pos
sible, first on n side, then on the
other, separating the flesh from the
bones. Then remove the skin, trim off
the habby ends and cut into thin
slices. Place these on a dish, overlap
ping n another, and garnish with
sprigs OF parsley and strips of white
turnips. Before eating the slices are
dipped lightly in soy, seasoned with
grated horseradish or ginger.
Chawan-mushi-This famous dish of
the Japanese a be prepared in Amer
lea, the various ingredients being Of
fered for sale by certain dealers who
cater to japanese trade. The founda-
ton is the white meat of chicken,
served with delicate bamboo sprouts.
gilman nuts and mitsuta, the last a
green vegetable for which spinach can
be substituted. The chicken is cut into
slices and cooked in boiling salted
water until tender. The nuts are
roasted and shelled. When ready TO
serve a few slices of chicken are ar
ranged in each individual bowl with n
few mushrooms, a few bamboo sprouts.
a few of the nuts over the top. and a
small bunch of the mitsuta covering
all. There should be ready cold stock
to which add raw eggs in the proper
ton of two eggs to each three cupfuls
of stock. Beat lightly, pour into the
---I~ A~I afaor e.. aex-