Americaneatingisfunny.Theyeatalmosteverythingwithafork,anditappearsthatholdingaknifeinone’srighthandlongerthanafewsecondsisconsideredtobeagainstgoodtablemanners.
Thesystemisthatifitisabsolutelynecessarytouseaknife,peopletaketheforkintheirlefthand,andcutoffapieceofmeatorwhateveritisinthenormalmanner.Thentheyputtheknifedown,transfertheforktotheirrighthand,andonlythendotheytransportthefoodtotheirmouth.Thisisclearlyludicrous(滑稽可笑),butitisconsideredgoodmanners.
Thereareseveralresultsofthissystem.First,ifitisnotabsolutelynecessarytouseaknife,Americansdon’tuseone,becauseobviouslythisgreatlycomplicates(使复杂化)things,andyouwillthereforeseethemtryingtocutthingslikepotatoes,fishandevenbacon(熏猪肉)withafork.Second,towardstheendofacourse,sinceonlyoneimplement(器具)isbeingused,foodhastobochasedaroundtheplatewiththefork―andforthelastmouthfulthethumbhastobeusedtokeepthefoodinplace,althoughoneisnotsupposedtodothis.
Third,tablesaregenerallylaidwithoneknifeandtwoforks,theoutsideforkbeingforthesalad.ThereisnoneedforforeignvisitorstofollowtheAmericansystemandtrytoeatthesaladwithonlyafork,butifyoudouseyourknife,remerbertosaveitforthemeatcourse.Evendesserts(甜食)(excepticecream)areeatenwithaforkifatallpossible,andthespoonyouseebyyourdessertismeanttobeforcoffee(butifyouuseitforyourdessertnoonewillsayanything).
SomeBreakfastDishes早餐食谱
Breakfastinarestaurantisaveryenjoyableexperience.Ifyouordereggsinarestaurant,thewaiter/waitresswillaskyouhowyouwantthem.Youcanreplythatyouwantthem"scrambled(炒)"or"boiled".Itisnotsufficient,however,toaskforthem"fried";youwillhavetospecifywhetheryouwouldpreferthem"sunny-side-up"(煎一面),"over"(两面煎),"over-easy/easy-over"(两面煎,但蛋黄仍然呈流体状).
Americansausage(香肠)comesinslicesandisquitespicy.Butyoucanalsohavelinksausage.
Americanbaconcomesinsmallstrips,canberatherfat,andisservedcrispy.Itisusuallyverytasty,andyoucaneatitwithyourfingers.
"Hashbrows"(油炸土豆片)areshredded(切成碎片的)andfriedpotatoes.Theyarewonderful,especiallywithfriedeggsandketchup(蕃茄酱).
"Pancakes",sometimescalled"hotcakes",aremadewithbakingpower.Theyarenormallyservedinapile,andyouaresupposedtoputbutterandsyrup(果浆)onthem.
"Jelly"(果子冻)isjamandincludesgrapejelly,whichisverytasty.
Toastisoftenservedalreadybuttered.
"Englishmuffins(松饼)"arelikesmallcrumpets(烤饼)withouttheholesandareservedtoasted.Youputjamonthem.
A"biscuit"(软饼)isasnall,scone-likebreadroll,oftenservedhot.
Orangejuiceandcoffeeareoftensercedwithbreakfast.