In Korea each guest at a dinner sits on the floor, and is provided with a small table about fifteen inches high and eighteen inches across. It may be round, square, oblong, or polygonal. The dishes are arranged thereon before the guests sit down, and are partaken of indiscriminately until they are satisfied. The sweets are usually brought on after the other dishes have been disposed of, and towards the close of the meal. A kind of rice spirit or '' sal " is usually drunk at meal times ; water is also taken — tea never. The " kinchi," a peculiarly offensive dish, is used as a general condiment, — the guest seizing a morsel of meat in his chop-sticks and dipping it in the "kinchi." The various dishes are served up in brass bowls and saucers, and the implements used are chop-sticks as in China. The art of dining in Java and on the Malay continent is much the same. A large dish of rice is placed on the floor, the diners sit round it, and with their fingers help themselves to what is offered by the servants who have many kinds of food in bowls placed on a large tray. They are particularly fond of samballs, which are simply glorified chutnies, made of all kinds of fish, fruits, and vegetables, and usually eaten as relishes to the salt dishes, though many of them are often served as separate dishes. The two dinners of which I have given particulars would only be served upon very special occasions. The dinners in the land of the Golden Rose (Siam) are of an elaborate nature. Many different kinds of salads and sweets, besides fish and meats, being served. The sauces are a xiii INTRODUCTION TO THE MENUS great feature in the cooking, these being exceedingly rich and varied. All the dishes, in a rather indiscriminate manner, are placed on the table at once. No knives are used, only spoons and forks. All fresh fruits are stoned and peeled before being served. It is considered the height of bad manners to put anything on the plate which has been in the mouth. A small dish is placed on the floor at the side of the diner's chair to receive that which is uneatable. In South Africa, over a hundred years ago, a great number of natives of India and the Malay Peninsula were introduced into the country, the consequence being that many of their dishes have now become "national." Some of the receipts are quaint and of very great age. The guests of any Arabs, whether in Algeria, Arabia, Palestine, Soudan, or any wandering tribe, would remove his sandals and wash his hands and feet before entering the tent. Then bread would be broken, dipped in salt and eaten. The guests sit in a circle on the floor. All the salt dishes are placed on a mat in the centre and surrounded with small earthenware or wooden dishes containing olives, raddishes, cucumbers, etc. Fingers are used, the meat being taken up with a piece of bread, which is made very fine and pliable. When the bread gets too soft, it is eaten. Sherbet is the only kind of liquor drunk at dinner, and grace is said — " Mohamed Karem Allah." Coffee and sweets are brought in, after which comes the Irjellah (pipe with long flexible tube), and each guest has a turn at it. The Algerian dinner is much the same as what was given by xiv INTRODUCTION TO THE MENUS a native dignitary to the representatives of the French Govern- ment when on a state visit.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

In Korea each guest at a dinner sits on the floor, and is provided with a small table about fifteen inches high and eighteen inches across. It may be round, square, oblong, or polygonal. The dishes are arranged thereon before the guests sit down, and are partaken of indiscriminately until they are satisfied. The sweets are usually brought on after the other dishes have been disposed of, and towards the close of the meal. A kind of rice spirit or '' sal " is usually drunk at meal times ; water is also taken — tea never. The " kinchi," a peculiarly offensive dish, is used as a general condiment, — the guest seizing a morsel of meat in his chop-sticks and dipping it in the "kinchi." The various dishes are served up in brass bowls and saucers, and the implements used are chop-sticks as in China. The art of dining in Java and on the Malay continent is much the same. A large dish of rice is placed on the floor, the diners sit round it, and with their fingers help themselves to what is offered by the servants who have many kinds of food in bowls placed on a large tray. They are particularly fond of samballs, which are simply glorified chutnies, made of all kinds of fish, fruits, and vegetables, and usually eaten as relishes to the salt dishes, though many of them are often served as separate dishes. The two dinners of which I have given particulars would only be served upon very special occasions. The dinners in the land of the Golden Rose (Siam) are of an elaborate nature. Many different kinds of salads and sweets, besides fish and meats, being served. The sauces are a great feature in the cooking, these being exceedingly rich and varied. All the dishes, in a rather indiscriminate manner, are placed on the table at once. No knives are used, only spoons and forks. All fresh fruits are stoned and peeled before being served. It is considered the height of bad manners to put anything on the plate which has been in the mouth. A small dish is placed on the floor at the side of the diner's chair to receive that which is uneatable. In South Africa, over a hundred years ago, a great number of natives of India and the Malay Peninsula were introduced into the country, the consequence being that many of their dishes have now become "national." Some of the receipts are quaint and of very great age. The guests of any Arabs, whether in Algeria, Arabia, Palestine, Soudan, or any wandering tribe, would remove his sandals and wash his hands and feet before entering the tent. Then bread would be broken, dipped in salt and eaten. The guests sit in a circle on the floor. All the salt dishes are placed on a mat in the centre and surrounded with small earthenware or wooden dishes containing olives, radishes, cucumbers, etc. Fingers are used, the meat being taken up with a piece of bread, which is made very fine and pliable. When the bread gets too soft, it is eaten. Sherbet is the only kind of liquor drunk at dinner, and grace is said — " Mohamed Karem Allah." Coffee and sweets are brought in, after which comes the Irjellah (pipe with long flexible tube), and each guest has a turn at it. The Algerian dinner is much the same as what was given by a native dignitary to the representatives of the French Government when on a state visit.

Banquets of the nations