The Savannah morning news., 1904-05-22
Typical Dishes at
Japanese Dinners

Dinner with the japanese is a func-
ton which combines with nutriment a
thousand suggestions of their reli-
gious belief and their quaint home GUS
toms.
The service in itself 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
to the mouth.
Instead of the table spoon common
TO American service, spatulas made
from wood are used to serve the rice,
the one dish that is passed around.
Though Japan is famed for her cook
cry, lacquer bowls of innumera BILE
styles and sizes are used instead of
dishes. Guests are always provided
with chop sticks of white wood so
made that the handle can be pulled
apart, which proves that the sticks
have never been used. At the conclu-
sion Of the meal they are all destroyed,
a proof of japanese cleanliness. For
state dinners chop sticks of ivory are
used.
Meat plays small part in the Jap
anese menu, pork and chicken being
most common and beef being used
but rarely. Fish and rice are the
staples, the former being served with
every dish at simple home dinners and
passed as the last course Of a formal
dinner.
The following is a typical menu for
a dinner of ceremony:
Preliminary course served with
sake" and 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
omelette 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.
Cmani-Bits of fish or sometimes
fowl, boiled with lotus roots or pota-
toes in Shoyu and with "mirin," a sort
of sweet hqueur.
Su-no-mono-Sea-e ars, sea -slugs or
Holsters served with vinegar.
Chawan- mushi-A thick, custardy
soup with slices of mushrooms. bam-
boo shoots or chickens 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
appetizer 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 rish.
Kono-mono = Picked vegeta bles
such as egg plants, cabbage leaves or
radishes.
Ni-no-zen-Second and final course.
Soup, raw fish and rice.
The receipts given below are typi-
cal and make important features of
the japanese daily meals, as well as
formal diners.
Raw Notwithstanding its
starting lltles lIllS Is nelQ 10 be an
exceeding delicate dish, and no more
Objectionable than raw oysters. Vari-
Gus sorts of fish are used for the pur-
pose. Sheepshead is preferred by the
Japanese living in this country, but
the favorite fish at home are the tai
chosen for festive occasions on ac-
count of its name, which is the last
syllable of the word me-de-tai mean
ing 'congratulatory.' The fish must
be absolutely fresh, handled as little
as possible and prepared Immediately
before serving. After it has been
scaled and cleaned, ii is cut from the
tail to the head with sharp knife as
close to the bone as possible first on
one side. then on the other. separating
the flesh from the bones. Then re-
move the skin, trim off the fabby
ends and cut into thin slices. Place
these on a dish. overlapping one an
other. and garnish with sprigs of pars-
ley and strips of white turnips. Be-
fore eating, the slices are dipped
lightly in soy, seasoned with grated
horse-radish or ginger.
Chawan-mushi.-This famous dish
Of the japanese can be prepared in
America, the various ingredients be-